G. H. Mumm & Cie, situated in Reims in northern France, is one of the largest Champagne producers and it is currently ranked 4th globally based on number of bottles sold in 2015. The company is owned by Pernod Ricard.
History
It was founded by three brothers, Jacobus, Gottlieb and Phillip Mumm, German winemakers from the Rhine valley, and G. Heuser and Friedrich Giesler on March 1, 1827, as P. A. Mumm Giesler et C°. P.A. were the initials of the Mumms' father, Peter Arnold Mumm, a successful wine merchant from Solingen. Mumm's label is famous for its red ribbon, patterned after and resembling the red sash of the Grand Cross —formerly called Grand Ribbon —the highest level of the French Legion of Honour. The French confiscated all of the Mumm's property, although they had lived in Champagne for almost a century before World War I, because they had never become French citizens.
Sponsorships
G.H. Mumm was the official sponsor of F1 racing from 2000 until 2015 and provided the champagne bottles for the podium celebrations after each race. Now, they are the official sponsor of Formula E. G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge is also the official champagne of Kentucky Derby and Australia's Melbourne Cup, two major horse races. In October 2016, it was announced that G.H. Mumm would replace J&B after 39 years as the headline sponsor of South Africa's major horse race event, The Sun Met. In November 2016, G.H. Mumm announced the appointment of eight-time Olympic gold medallist sprinter Usain Bolt as its "CEO" to feature in a multi-media promotional campaign. G.H. Mumm also played a central role in Thomas Coville's celebration after achieving his new world record of 49 days and 3 hours for yacht solo-navigation around the world on Christmas Day 2016.
Mumm Napa
Mumm Napa is one of California's traditional methodsparkling wine producers, a joint venture between the G.H. Mumm & Cie and Joseph E Seagram & Sons. The location in Napa Valley was founded by Guy Deveaux, who determined Napa's long hot days and cold nights to be ideal for producing the right amount of acidity and ripeness.
In 1964, René Lalou, the head of the Mumm Champagne House, and Léonard Foujita, a Japanese painter belonging to the Ecole de Parisschool of art, decided to build a chapel in the gardens belonging to the Champagne house. Begun in 1965, the Foujita chapel was entirely designed by Foujita in the romanesque style, who drew the plans and designed the ironwork, stained glass and sculptures. He supervised the building and interior decoration. The chapel is decorated with frescos inspired by oriental art. The chapel was consecrated on 1 October 1966 and handed over to the City of Reims on 18 October 1966. The chapel was designated an historic monument in 1992. Foujita also gave G.H. Mumm a fresco depicting The Virgin in the Vines. The rose featured in the painting became the cuvée's emblem and appears on the metallic cap on top of the cork of the rose Champagne.
