Guts

The historic launch of the champagne house Guts The three German brothers Gottlieb (1782-1852), Jacobus (1779-1835) and Philipp Mumm (1782-1842) from Hesse and Friedrich Giesler from the Rhineland founded a company called P. A. Mumm & Co. together with a Mr G. Heuser (presumably also of German descent) on 1 March 1827. The 'P. A.' refers to the wealthy father of the three brothers, Peter-Arnold Mumm (1733-1797), who had already founded a wine trade in the Rhineland in 1761. The historian François Bonal notes that Mr Heuser also already owned a well-established wine trading house in the centre of Reims and was therefore also involved with Champagne knew his way around. Mr Heuser was also married to a lady from Champagne.

Initially, the young company lacked its own production facilities and vineyards. What it did not lack, however, was enormous diligence in building up a network of good winegrowers and suppliers in Champagne, whom Mr Heuser encouraged from the outset to strive uncompromisingly for the highest quality - even if this meant that the base wines were more expensive for Mumm to buy. In the very first year, the young House of Mumm succeeded in exporting a considerable quantity of champagne to Germany, Belgium, England and Russia. I suspect that valuable trade contacts from the well-established wine trade of the father, Peter Arnold Mumm, may have benefited the young company in Reims. This is how the young P. A. Mumm & Co. was able to deliver an impressive 69,825 bottles in its very first year. Initially, this was not just champagne, but mainly still white, rosé and red wines.

Mr Heuser apparently no longer belonged to the still young house after 1830. Mr Giesler left the house of Mumm in 1837 to found his own champagne house. In 1838, the house of P. A. Mumm & Co. in Reims was reorganised internally and from then on was firmly in the hands of the Mumm family. After the death of one of the founders, Gottlieb Mumm, there were disagreements between the partners in 1852. This resulted in two Mumm houses in Reims. Georges Hermann Mumm, son of the brother Gottlieb Mumm, who was originally involved in the founding, now founded G. H. Mumm & Co. Jules Mumm, (1809-1863), son of the original founder Jacobus Mumm, now traded under the name Jules Mumm & Co. Although now independent, both houses remained in close contact with the house of Peter Arnold Mumm in Germany. Marriages and partnerships between the Mumm family and members of important families from Champagne and Germany resulted in strategically useful connections with the aristocracy. The Mumm family itself was ultimately elevated to the nobility. Influential families such as de Bary and von Guaita came into the picture. However, Jules Mumm & Co. began to falter financially around 1903 and was dissolved in 1910, with G. H. Mumm & Co. partially buying up the former company (including the 'Jules Mumm' brand). A meteoric rise of G. H. Mumm & Co. followed. Shortly before the First World War, the house of Mumm was already supplying 3 million bottles of champagne a year.

While some other champagnes today proudly display references to their status as official suppliers to one royal court or another on the label, Mumm was already a favoured supplier to many royal (e.g. Belgium, Denmark, England, Norway, Austria-Hungary, Prussia and Sweden) and ducal courts (e.g. Hesse-Darmstadt, Oldenburg) in 1890. There used to be a special Mumm label which proudly displayed many of the royal coats of arms.

It is also noteworthy that the House of Mumm apparently only owned a very small vineyard around Verzenay (0.23 ha) until 1880. It was not until 1882 that Mumm bought 7.6 hectares in the precious wine town of Cramant. By 1914, the house owned almost 50 hectares of vineyards. Far more vineyards were to follow later. At the time, winegrowing in Champagne was an extremely costly endeavour. Apart from the already unpredictable climate in Champagne, which can still cause extensive damage today with storms, hail, rain and frost, the vines were constantly exposed to a large number of nasty pests, which the winegrowers had to constantly combat with painstaking manual labour. In those days, vines were also secured with wooden posts (instead of wire strands as later), which had to be driven into the ground by vineyard labourers with heavy wooden breastplates in all weathers. The harvests were often small in quantity or of inferior quality. It is therefore understandable that several Champagne houses at the time favoured the purchase of base wines and vines rather than undertaking the laborious and economically risky task of viticulture themselves.

At Mumm, attention was paid early on to the quality of the base wines and the proper production of the champagnes. Historian Patrick Forbes notes that as early as 1836, Mumm imported several huge 12,000-litre barrels from the Rhine Palatinate, which were used for the first fermentation. At the same time, modern grape presses were installed. As early as the 1850s, Mumm also began to build large cellars deep in the limestone, which ensured optimal storage of the champagnes.

When Germany declared war on France in 1914, Georges Hermann (von) Mumm was still a German citizen. This suddenly became his undoing. He was arrested together with other Germans in Reims, taken away and imprisoned. The entire G. H. Mumm & Co. company was confiscated in the same year. The former sales manager and former close associate of Mr Mumm, Georges Robinet (1869-1953), voluntarily took care of the fate of the company during the turbulent war years. He himself came from a long-established and respected family from Champagne. Through a lifetime of practice, he was intimately familiar with the subject of champagne.

After the war, the house and its brands were auctioned off in 1920. The winning bid went to a group called 'Société Vinicole de Champagne', whose board of directors appointed Georges Robinet (still) as manager of the house. He steered the fortunes of Mumm very successfully until 1940. During his time in office, he used skilful marketing to bring the French brand 'Cordon Rouge' to the fore and let the German-sounding name 'Mumm' fade into the background. At the time, he feared that the German name 'Mumm' could hinder sales.

During the First World War, Robinet had met a lawyer named René Lalou from Paris, who was responsible for the supply of champagne for the French front-line soldiers during his time in the army. The two men later became close friends. René Lalou had married a lady from the Dubonnet family in 1904. An Emile Dubonnet was on the current board of the Mumm company. Due to his achievements and family connections, Lalou was appointed to the board in 1929, where he strengthened the financial basis of the company, among other things. By the 1920s - the 'Roaring Twenties' - the house had completely stabilised again. At the beginning of the 1930s, the House of Mumm was stronger than ever - further vineyards were purchased and high-quality champagnes were produced. Nothing seemed to stand in the way of a successful future - until the Second World War broke out.

Between 1940 and 1944, Champagne was occupied by the German Wehrmacht. A German 'Commissioner for Wine Imports France' named Otto Klaebisch was responsible for the supervision of all Champagne wines. Among other things, he had to ensure the favourable purchase of champagnes, which were then sold in Germany and sometimes abroad via Germany. He also supplied the Wehrmacht with champagne. And he had to ensure that champagne production was maintained locally. Market-like negotiations with the houses and the Vichy government of occupied France were implemented. But sometimes champagne was simply confiscated if necessary. Champagne production itself continued. In the vernacular of Champagne at the time, Klaebisch was known as the 'leader of Champagne'. Not a single bottle of champagne could be sold without his authorisation. Initially, some winegrowers mistakenly believed they could fool Klaebisch with inferior champagnes. However, Klaebisch, who came from the Rheingau, was very familiar with champagne, Sparkling wine and wine in general, especially as he had worked for a champagne house before the war. It should also be noted that his brother-in-law Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of the German Reich. Von Ribbentrop worked as a champagne representative in Germany before his political career. Around 320 million bottles of the noble drink were transported to the German Reich as early as 1940.

At this time, a Mr Godefroy Hermann von Mumm, the son of Georges Hermann von Mumm, born in Reims in 1908, contacted the Société Vinicole de Champagne in Paris. According to the historian François Bonal, he informed the chairman René Lalou that he was now superfluous, as there was no longer a chairman. At the same time, he made it clear to him that the Mumm house was his family home. On the same day, he also appeared in Reims and dismissed Georges Robinet without notice. In the time that followed, he made a name for himself as a capable manager of the House of Mumm, who looked after his employees in an exemplary manner. A leisure centre was set up in Verzenay for the children of the employees. He also managed to free almost all of the employees who had been taken prisoner by the Germans during the war. Despite the difficult times, he was able to deliver between 1 and 1.5 million bottles of champagne per year. One 'major customer' was the Wehrmacht. In accordance with the regulations, the labels for this had to be labelled 'Wehrmachts- Marketenderware Verkauf im freien Handel verboten' and 'Réservé à la Wehrmacht Achat et revente interdits'. Buying and selling these champagnes on the civilian market was strictly forbidden.

In the French domestic market, champagne sales for the House of Mumm were good, and in 1942, with 370,000 bottles of champagne, even very good. Mr Robinet's above-mentioned concern about the German name Mumm in marketing within France was therefore probably misplaced. Many large export customers, such as the USA, could of course not be served at that time. Deliveries to neutral countries were strictly monitored and limited in quantity. In the weeks following the bloody battles of 6 June 1944 in Normandy (D-Day), many French people in Champagne were already anticipating the liberation of France by the Allied forces. In August 1944, Godefroy Hermann von Mumm said goodbye to his employees in perfect French with the wish that they should please never forget that Mumm was a great name that should continue to assert itself on the world market through the performance of its employees - a wish that today, in retrospect, would be considered fulfilled. Immediately afterwards, von Mumm was taken prisoner by the British. On 7 May 1945 (VE-Day), a simple schoolroom in Reims, the headquarters of General Eisenhower, became known as the 'Salle de Reddition' when the unconditional surrender of all German forces was signed.

After the war, the Société Vinicole de Champagne took over the Mumm house again.
In 1946, the name of the house was changed to 'G. H. Mumm & Co, Société Vinicole de Champagne, Successeurs'. This long name appeared in full on Mumm labels for many decades. René Lalou was also back - not only as chairman of the board, but also as plant manager. Immediately after the war, the Allied military in particular was a major customer of the company. In the 1950s, the demand for Mumm champagnes increased enormously. At the same time, Mumm increased its vineyard holdings considerably and expanded steadily. In the 1960s, around 3 million bottles were produced, in the 1970s 6 million. By 1979, the figure had risen to almost 9 million bottles of champagne. René Lalou implemented the old strategy of adapting the flavours to different export markets - similar to the times of the kings and tsars. With the quality of legendary cuvées from Mumm as a basis, the dosage of contemporary flavour trends was specifically adapted to the important export countries. For example, at times there was a 'Goût Americain', which emphasised the flavours popular in the USA.

René Lalou died in 1973 at the ripe old age of 96. For many years after his death, he was honoured with a special Champagne René Lalou, the recipe for which he had composed himself a few years before his death. Apart from the Queen Mother in England (her favourite champagne!), this champagne regularly scored over 90 points among internationally renowned connoisseurs.

In 1955, the Canadian Seagram Distillers Corporation acquired shares in the company. The then president of Seagram, Samuel Bronfman (1889-1971), joined the board of Mumm in 1959. A considerable drive for expansion was already apparent in the same year: 79% of the famous champagne house Perrier-Jouët was acquired. Although independent of each other, the two houses decided to jointly cultivate their vineyards and to share certain equipment and production facilities. In 1972, the House of Mumm took a stake in the equally famous Heidsieck and Co. monopole house, first with 84%, then in 1980 with 99% and took over the house completely in 1985.

In the meantime, the company was also referred to as the 'Mumm Group', although the various houses remained largely independent in the management and production of their champagnes. In 1985, Seagram acquired a majority stake in the Mumm Group with 91%. In 1999, the American group Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst bought the G. H. Mumm house. At the time of writing, the champagne house G.H. Mumm belongs to the British group Allied Domecq.

The famous diagonal red band on the labels of the Mumm champagne house can be recognised from afar. Despite 8,000 other champagne brands and more than 1.5 billion bottles of various sparkling wines from all over the world, Mumm continues to successfully assert itself as a giant among champagne producers. How does Mumm manage to inspire countless people in over 100 countries year after year with more than 9 million bottles of champagne? To find an answer to this question, you need to take a closer look at the House of Mumm, as this long-term success is based on much more than just excellent champagne.

Although champagne is a matter of course when honouring top achievements or at festive occasions of all kinds, Mumm champagne in particular is considered indispensable in many circles - worldwide! Since 1827, Mumm has managed to find not only 'customers' but also countless friends and admirers.

Mumm champagne has long been associated with aviation. At the last birthday of the famous American pilot Chauncey Spencer, for example, there was a Rehoboam bottle of Mumm Cordon Rouge. How fitting that it was Mumm that accompanied this celebration, as Mumm was already the sponsor of the grand 'Pilot's Prize' at the famous aeroplane competition during the 'Great Week of Champagne' near Reims in 1909. Even before that, in 1907, Mumm had donated 100 bottles of champagne to the legendary Wilbur Wright Aero Club in the USA.

However, Mumm not only has a traditional connection to aviation, but also to the sea. Mumm has always been a favourite for ship christenings. Mumm is also a sponsor of the Admiral's Cup and the Sailing Tour de France in international sailing and can be found in designs such as the renowned Mumm 30 yachts. And in motorsport, such as Formula 1 racing, Mumm is also a firm favourite.

Champagne from the house of Mumm has also been honoured in many films. In the classic film Casablanca (1942), for example, the nightclub owner 'Rick' (Humphrey Bogart) shows the world how to enjoy a glass of champagne with a beauty like 'Ilsa' (Ingrid Bergman). In comics, we encounter the red ribbon on the bottle in 'Tintin' or on the amphora of 'Asterix'.

Mumm has also cultivated a supportive relationship with the arts for many years. The Offenbach operetta 'La Périchole' is often accompanied by the 'Cordon Rouge Ballet'. Mumm flowed into the glasses of many famous artists such as Braque, Foujita, Matisse, Maillol and Picabia at the opening of the Coupole in Montparnasse. The characteristic cordon rouge band was used in works by Yves Brayer, Terechkovitch, Chapelain-Midy, Jean Carzou, Michael Huggins and Utrillo. The famous Japanese artist Tsuguharu-Léonard Foujita (1886-1968) was particularly closely associated with Mumm. A nice digression on this at this point:
A 'champagne rose' created by Foujita adorned a special Mumm Cuvée Olympique, intended for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This delicate rose, which was only to live for one morning, adorned the neck label of the Mumm rosé for around 30 years. Foujita had previously created a magnificent painting entitled Vierge à la vigne (Maid of the Vines) for a former director of Mumm, René Lalou (1877-1973). Fujita later reintegrated the motif of the rose in a painting called La petite fille à la rose (The Little Girl with the Rose).

Foujita was a Buddhist by birth. One day, at an advanced age, he lit a candle in the Reims cathedral of Saint Rémi in the Buddhist tradition. At that moment, he had an epiphany and suddenly said "I want to become a Christian!". In October 1959, he converted to the Catholic faith and was baptised in the cathedral together with his wife Kimiyo. From then on, 'Léonard' was added to his name and 'Marie-Ange' to that of his wife. His godparents were Monsieur René Lalou, then head of the House of Mumm, and Madame François Taittinger. Moved by this religious event, René Lalou acquired a plot of land near the Mumm headquarters in Reims and financed the construction of the Notre Dame de la Paix chapel. In the summer of 1966, Foujita, already 80 years old and thus a year before his death, began to decorate the chapel with Christian frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments, high up on a scaffold. For three months, every day from seven in the morning until seven in the evening, he dedicated himself to this task. After completion, the chapel was handed over to the city of Reims.
After his death, Foujita was buried near Paris. A full 30 years later, his wife (who had long since returned to Japan) discovered one of his old diaries, from which she was surprised to discover his last wishes in an entry from 1964. His wishes were to build a chapel, to spend part of his life there creating frescoes and ultimately to be buried there with his wife. The city of Reims fulfilled his wish in 2003 by reburying his mortal remains in this chapel. Today it is considered a cultural insider tip for tourists in Reims.

One advantage for the brand is that the original German name 'Mumm' also has a very positive connotation in English: Many Canadians like to refer to their mother colloquially as 'Mum'. In England and the USA, almost everyone knows the age-old expression "Mum's the word!" (meaning "Silence is golden!"). Back in the 1930s, Mumm used this saying in the clever advertising slogan 'Mumm's the word! The name 'Mumm' is also memorable because it is very short and 75% of the letters represent an 'M'.

According to the renowned historian François Bonal, the idea of the red ribbon, the cordon rouge, which has become a trademark, came from the father of a Mumm representative (Welby Jordan) from Paris at the time. Around 1870, he advised Georg Hermann von Mumm to decorate the bottles with the red ribbon of the Legion of Honour (Légion d'honneur). As a result, the bottles were decorated with a red satin ribbon around the neck for the first time in 1875. The crossed ends of the ribbon were given a seal with the inscription 'Cordon Rouge'. This idea was an instant marketing hit. By 1881, the red ribbon had become indispensable. In 1883, Mumm registered a label design as a trademark, which included the diagonal red ribbon with the inscription 'Cordon Rouge' and replaced the previous satin ribbons. The design of the label for Mumm Cordon Rouge has remained essentially unchanged to this day.

Mumm Cordon Rouge has also been popular in China since 1979, especially as the red stripe is considered a symbol of happiness in China. Over the decades, however, Mumm has also produced cordons in other colours to reflect different flavours. For many years, for example, Mumm Demi-Sec champagnes were characterised by a cordon vert, i.e. a green band.

Images of various 'Mumm-Cordons' from past times from my label collection. You can click on the labels for a more detailed study.
An eagle is generally discreetly represented on Mumm labels. The eagle actually has its origins in the emblem of Napoleon III. This eagle certainly also has a subconsciously sympathetic effect on citizens of those states that symbolically associate their nation with an eagle.

Much more important for a champagne brand, however, is what is inside the bottle. The champagne has to be right! In this respect too, Mumm never disappoints. On the contrary: Mumm champagnes have regularly scored in the 80s and 90s for years. What's more, despite high customs duties in many places, Mumm champagnes remain affordable for everyone, even abroad. In the USA, the vintage-free Cordon Rouge is available for just under 30 euros. Covering the enormous demand for Mumm champagne on the world market while maintaining quality was and is no easy task.

Mumm has always been known as a modern house that utilises progressive production methods without, however, violating the strict laws and principles of champagne production. For example, as early as the 1960s, the traditional (heavy) wicker baskets used for harvesting were replaced by plastic containers, which are easier to clean, much lighter and also stackable. The gyropalette for automatically shaking the champagne bottles has been integrated into Mumm's production process since the 1970s. With progress in mind, Mumm set up a department called G.C.E.V. (Groupement Champenois d'Exploitation Viticole) in 1971. The tasks of this department are the testing and implementation of advanced viticultural techniques and close co-operation with French and international research institutes. In the 1980s, for example, a laser-controlled planting machine was developed and successfully implemented. In addition, Mumm has always strived for efficient organisation and social welfare in human resources. For many people, harvesting at Mumm is an age-old family tradition. They come from all over, often with the whole family. Even grandmothers can be found, many of whom have been taking part in the harvest for half a century. According to the historian François Bonal, René Lalou, the long-time head of the House of Mumm, once humorously remarked that, as the godfather of all the babies born during the harvest, he would never be able to buy the necessary Christmas presents with all his possessions.
Incidentally, the huge cellars of the house are not limestone tunnels from Roman times, but were built by Mumm himself over the course of seven decades.

Mumm is in the advantageous position of owning many precious vineyards in the Champagne region. With 219 hectares of its own vineyards in prime locations such as Ambonnay, Avenay, Avize, Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant, Chambrécy, Vaudemanges and Mailly, the House of Mumm can cover over 20% of its grape requirements itself. The rest of the requirement comes from over 600 suppliers, most of whom own Grand Cru vineyards.
This means that the cellar masters have precious wines from up to 80 crus in over 1,200 containers at their disposal for blending the champagnes. As a result, Mumm has always offered an interesting selection of champagnes (which has varied somewhat over the decades):

The big international hit from Mumm remains, of course, the Cordon Rouge. It accounts for around 85% of the total production. This is a non-vintage champagne, which is made up of a blend of approx. 40 - 45% Pinot Noir, approx. 20% Pinot Meunier, approx. 25% Chardonnay and approx. 10-15% reserve wine from older vintages. Thanks to the predominance of high-quality Pinot Noir vines, fruity notes (citrus, pear, peach and many others) and good structure are noticeable. The Chardonnay grapes give it wings of elegance, and the Pinot Meunier grapes complete the blend with their spicy freshness of vanilla and honey. The Mumm Cordon Rouge is matured on the lees for 3 years after the second fermentation. Although this is much longer than the prescribed 15 months, it is just long enough to present itself exceptionally youthful, fresh and fragrant with the primary flavours of the original vines still intact. The Cordon Rouge is therefore extremely popular as an aperitif. It is also an elegant accompaniment to food, especially dishes that are not too hearty (ideal with fish and poultry dishes, for example). In the US market, champagne lovers can also find the 'Extra Dry' (Carte Classique) version alongside the typical Brut, which is a slightly sweeter champagne than the Brut.

In Mumm Rosé, the racy Pinot Noir grape in its natural splendour comes to the fore with approx. 60%. Accompanied by approx. 20% Pinot Meunier and approx. 20% Chardonnay, the connoisseur is presented with a well-balanced champagne. With its strong Pinot Noir backbone, it goes well with almost any meal. Especially with meat dishes, it impresses not only with its strength but also with its pronounced pink colour, which is created by adding still red wine.
In years when nature creates a special harmony in the vines, the cellar masters at Mumm honour this with the creation of special vintage champagnes. At the moment (2004), the Cordon Rouge 1996 is Mumm's top seller online. The 1996 is often mentioned among the 90s vintages alongside the marvellous 1990s and 1995s. Connoisseurs pay it great respect. Some wine critics have even dared to compare the 1996 vintage with the legendary 1928 vintage. In this sense, the Cordon Rouge 1996 is a good choice among the vintage champagnes, especially as it is bursting with the noble Pinot Noir of this year with 63% in the assemblage. The Chardonnay lends it finesse with its remaining 37%. Vines from the best sites in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs are used. Vintage champagnes from Mumm may seem closely related to their non-vintage brothers of the same name in terms of their name 'Cordon Rouge', but they are considered to be completely independent. They have more subtle strength, maturity, pleasing complexity and backbone. As a result, the Cordon Rouge 1996 - just like the other Mumm Millésimé many decades earlier - can be considered an excellent accompaniment to almost any festive meal.
The rather rare vintage champagne Mumm Grand Cordon is also well-known among connoisseurs. This is a top-quality champagne made purely from Grand Cru vineyards. As early as 1876, high-quality champagnes were produced in beautifully decorated bottles in limited quantities and then sent to some of the house's customers. The Mumm Grand Cordon developed from this tradition. The 90 in the picture is presented in a marvellous antique bottle with red satin ribbons.

The Mumm Demi-Sec is a relatively sweet champagne with 44g/l of sugar. In the production of the Demi-Sec, the cellar masters give the fresh, flavoursome Pinot Meunier with a full 50% share the main role. This is rounded off with racy Pinot Noir (35%) and elegant Chardonnay (15%). Demi-sec champagnes are not only a fine choice as an accompaniment to (not overly sweet) desserts, but also go very well with Chinese 'sweet and sour' dishes, for example.

As the name promises, the Mumm Grand Cru is a very special champagne - created purely from the few 100%-rated crus in Champagne! The finest Pinot Noir vines from Aÿ, Bouzy and Verzenay account for 58%. The best Chardonnay (42%) from Avize and Cramant completes the blend.

Then there is the rather rare Mumm de Cramant. It used to be called 'Mumm Crémant de Cramant'. Mumm de Cramant is a sparkling wine that is called Crémant because it has a lower bottle pressure than standard champagne. Mumm de Cramant is a particularly valuable cuvée from the House of Mumm: Only the best Chardonnay vines from precious Mumm vineyards in the famous Grand Cru Cramant in the Côte des Blancs are used to make it. This always elegant charmer has long been highly respected by champagne connoisseurs and is also an important reference point in the study of Blanc des Blancs in general. This lemon-coloured crémant with its remarkably creamy, delicate perlage enchants connoisseurs with its citrus and other fruity notes as well as its unusual freshness and gentle tingle on the palate. It is considered a good tip among champagne fans.

An old label from a 77cl bottle labelled 'Crémant de Cramant' at the time.
Here and there, champagne lovers and collectors also come across vintage champagnes from the Mumm range of past times. For example, a vintage champagne named after René Lalou, the long-standing director of Mumm, is considered to be outstanding. This champagne is also said to have been the favourite champagne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. The great René Lalou 85, for example, contains 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay.

The history of the Mumm champagne house is like a thrilling novel.

 

 

 

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