Champagne’s first female chef de cave marks 20 years
Pioneering winemaker Sandrine Logette-Jardin will mark 20 years as chef de cave at Champagne Duval-Leroy this year.
As the first female head winemaker of a Champagne house, Sandrette Logette-Jardin’s appointment marked a significant step change in a traditionally male-dominated industry. For the past two decades, she has played a pivotal role in raising the House’s status, overseeing the development of numerous cuvées, advancements in organic viticulture, and the success of its prestige blends.
It took “seven phone calls” before Logette-Jardin was offered an interview at the House – an early indication of her determination to work in the industry. First appointed to a lab position in 1991, she subsequently became responsible for quality control before taking on the role of chef de cave in 2005. As the first woman to hold such a role in the region, she had more to prove than most incoming chef de caves.
“At first, it felt like a huge responsibility, almost overwhelming,” she told the drinks business. “But I approached it step by step, methodically. The main challenge was proving that leadership and expertise transcend gender. The opportunity was to show that a woman could bring both precision and vision – and inspire others.”
Champagne Duval-Leroy, founded in 1859 in Vertus, a village in the Côte des Blancs, is a family-owned Champagne house run Julien, Charles, and Louis Duval-Leroy. The three brothers recently took over from their mother, Carol Duval-Leroy – one of the few women to have been at the helm of a major Champagne house, and the first and only woman to date to be appointed president of the Association Viticole Champenoise.
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Logette-Jardin joined under Carol Duval-Leroy’s tenure, and the duo became a formidable force in the House’s evolution. “Working alongside Carol was both inspiring and reassuring,” she explains. “She gave me a rare opportunity and her trust, and together we built a dynamic that was unique in Champagne – a woman president and a woman cellar master, shaping the House’s future side by side.”
A signature style
Over the past 20 years, Logette-Jardin has transformed the House’s approach, introducing parcel-based vinification, refining the use of oak, and developing a clear, precise style that has become Duval-Leroy’s signature. “My approach has always been about adapting – never standing still,” she adds. “Over the years, I’ve reduced the use of oak to preserve Chardonnay’s purity, refined our reserve wine management, introduced parcel selection, and worked with fewer additives. All of this is to ensure that our Champagnes remain precise, balanced, and expressive, even as climate and conditions evolve.”
Committed to sustainability, Duval-Leroy produces a line of organic wines and was the “first Champagne house to produce a certified organic Brut Champagne.” More broadly, the House makes cuvées under its Classic, Prestige, and Precious labels. Its key focus is on Premier and Grand Cru vineyards, particularly in the Côte des Blancs, and it is known for its Chardonnay-driven style. But Logette-Jardin is most proud of Duval-Leroy’s Femme de Champagne label, which includes a Grand Cru vintage Rosé and Brut Champagne made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes selected from the best parcels – particularly the 2008 vintage, which she says was an exceptional year that “perfectly reflects balance, precision, and purity”. “The Femme de Champagne label encapsulates all the evolutions I introduced –precision, parcel vinification, judicious oak, and thoughtful dosage. It remains for me the most faithful expression of Duval-Leroy’s style.”
What would she tell any budding winemakers out there – particularly women?
“This profession requires resilience, precision, and humility – but also brings immense rewards. Don’t be afraid to innovate, and always trust your own sensitivity and intuition.”
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