Harvesting at Caroline Ledédenté

September 06, 2023 - 0 comments

Caroline Ledédenté, a winemaker in Artemare, warmly welcomed the entire Raisin team for a weekend of grape harvesting in the Bugey.

Caroline discovered the world of organic wine in Paris, where she worked as a waitress in several renowned restaurants (such as Clown Bar and Sauvage) and began attending wine expos and visiting wine producers.

The encounter with organic wine was an instant love affair, and in 2018, after receiving training in the Jura region and gaining experience with notable winemakers like Gregoire Perron in the Bugey, Caroline decided to establish her roots in this magnificent yet lesser-known region with stunning landscapes and abundant biodiversity. Thus, her Grain par Grain project came to life.

For her inaugural vintage, she had only one vineyard plot of Chardonnay, procuring the rest of the grapes from trusted local farmers. Presently, she cultivates approximately 3 hectares of land and is on the verge of relocating to her new winery. There, she collaborates with her partner Nicolas, a photographer and cook, who recently treated us to unforgettable vineyard lunches and poolside dinners.

All of Caroline’s wines boast distinct flavors, meticulous craftsmanship, a palate-tingling acidity, and exceptionally pure fruit. Like Caroline herself, the wines exude tremendous energy!

These are the wines we had the pleasure of tasting:

Pile: a blend of Mondeuse and Jacquère grapes
Premier Grain: Chardonnay
Table: Molette
Face: Mondeuse
Face plus: an experimental wine crafted from Gamay and other grape varieties, intended for harvesters

We assisted Caroline in harvesting jacquère, mondeuse, and gamay grapes from two different vineyard plots nestled amidst woodland teeming with wildlife. In the cellar, we eagerly participated in foot-crushing the jacquère grapes and witnessed the pressing and racking processes in the vat. Caroline not only enlightened us on the art of selecting the finest grape clusters in the vineyard and potentially leaving some fruits for a later harvest, but she also engaged the entire team in all the cellar activities. She meticulously explained the white and red grape vinification processes, as well as the cuvée Pile, which blends 70% mondeuse with 30% whole cluster jacquère. We learned how to utilize a refractometer to assess grape sugar levels and determine the optimal moment for harvesting. We learned about her new automatic vertical press, which had replaced the old wooden one, and the importance of precision and cleanliness in producing natural wines without sulfites.

We had an incredible time sharing this pivotal moment of the year with Caroline, a talented female winemaker. We highly recommend tasting Caroline's wines as they are truly remarkable. You're sure to fall in love with them. Thank you, Caroline, for the amazing experience! High five!