Historia
Our history starts with Robert Schlumberger who was born on the 12th of September 1814 in Stuttgart. After the early death of his father, Robert Schlumberger had to abandon his studies and went on to become a merchant. His trade ended up leading him to Reims in France, a place from which he would not leave for a while. It so happened that he found his vocation in the oldest champagne winery of the country and was promoted cellar master at „Ruinart Père et Fils” in a very short time.
Until one day in the year 1841, Robert Schlumberger met an enchanting Viennese girl on a Rhine cruise and fell head over heels in love with her: Sophie Kirchner. Another sparkly event that led to a decisive turn in his life as Sophie´s anxious mother did not want to see her daughter move to France. Consequently, young Robert decided to leave his secure and well paid position behind, bid farewell to “Ruinart” and start a new existence with his young wife in Austria. Shortly before the 1843 grape harvest, Robert Schlumberger and “his Sophie” moved to Vöslau, the only place where he had found ideal conditions for his own champagne.
This went along with Robert Schlumberger's great passion: Producing premium sparkling wines by adhering strictly to the champagne-method. Only three years later, his successful experiment of producing “mousseux wine in the champagne style“ from Austrian wines was awarded a medal at the Trade Exposition of 1845. In 1862, on the occasion of the World Fair in London, his “Vöslauer Schaumwein“, which he called by this time “Sparkling Vöslauer“, was found appropriate to be included in the wine menu of Queen Victoria of England. Schlumberger had reached courtly status.
“Schlumberger Champagner“, as this beverage was called right until the Peace Treaty of Saint-Germain in the year 1919, grew to be the favourite beverage of the Viennese society of the late 19th century. A visible sign of Schlumberger´s ongoing success, the founder of the company ascended to hereditary nobility as “Edler von Goldeck“.