Lou Dugua, Young French Champagne Entrepreneur

Miami may not seem like a natural environment for champagne entrepreneurs to flourish, but there’s a few, such as Lou Dugua, and you may want to raise a glass. Dugua is a young apprentice in the world of champagne entrepreneurship, who is trying to follow in the footsteps of her Aunt Eve Bordarier, the south-east U.S. regional manager for Louis Roederer Champagne.

Louis Roederer is best known for its French luxury quality champagne, Cristal. It is sold around the world, but can most commonly be found in Florida.

“Maybe it’s being outside the well-known champagne-making locales that innovative ideas can ferment more freely,” said Dugua.

Lou left her home town in Ardeche, France, to find opportunities down in Florida with Bordarier. That means outsourcing tasks, tasting rooms, and finding innovative ways to bring the drink to small towns and big cities, rather than having to own or manage the expensive vineyards, which slowly produce the fine quality champagne back in France.