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French count sues Champagne brand over hiring of ex-porn star
A descendent of the Charles de Cazanove Champagne dynasty is preparing to take the owner of his family’s former Champagne house to court over its decision to hire an ex-porn star as its newest ambassador.
Clara Morgane left the adult film industry in 2001
Count Loïc Chiroussot of Bigault de Cazanove has described the decision to hire Clara Morgane as “simply scandalous”. Next week he will take the brand’s owners to court in a bid to force them to remove his family name from a line of limited edition bottles bearing Morgane’s name.
Speaking to the French newspaper L’Union, Chiroussot said: “I am really shocked by this association. It’s simply scandalous! How can I associate the name of my illustrious family with that of Clara Morgane? It is inconceivable! If they knew, my ancestors would turn in their graves!”
The count added that he had “nothing against this lady” but wanted to defend his “heritage and patrimonial rights”, noting that his family was granted its title by King Louis IX.
Count Loïc Chiroussot de Bigault de Cazanove’s great-great grandfather – Charles Gabriel de Cazanove – founded the Charles de Cazanove Champagne brand in 1811.
It was later sold to Martini & Rossi in the late 1950s and was briefly owned by the Moet-Hennessy group in the 80s. The brand then passed on to a company called SA Magenta Epernay before it was bought by Champagne GH Martel, owned by Rapeneau family, in 2004.
The Champagne house confirmed its partnership with Morgane last year and released a limited edition Clara Morgane Cuvée Brut Rosé in November 2017.
In a statement, the house Charles de Cazanove defended their decision and supported Morgane stating: “The House Charles de Cazanove proudly assumes its very appropriate collaboration with Mrs Clara Morgane, for the highlighting of this emblematic product of the terroir, tradition and French excellence, that is the Champagne wine”.
Responding to the controversy, Morgane, who left the porn industry in 2001, wrote on her Instagram: “This gentleman, great nephew of the family, should have asked the question of the will of his ancestors before the sale of their name a long time ago”, before offering the count a bottle of her cuvée.
The case will go before a court on 9 January in Lille.