March is Women’s History Month, and the French Winophiles (#Winophiles) are celebrating the Women of Champagne.

Why Champagne?  Champagne has a rich heritage, and there were many women who are an inextricable part of its rich historical fabric.  Many of these women were widows, (“veuve” in French) thrust into leadership by tragic circumstances.

You may be familiar with the stories of women like Lily Bollinger (Champagne Bollinger), Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt (Laurent-Perrier), and Madame Clicquot (Veuve Clicquot).  The impact these women had on Champagne can not be overstated.

But, as I thought about our theme, I realized I wanted something more contemporary.

I wondered, “Who was the first female chef de cave in Champagne“?

Her name is Sandrine Logette-Jardin.

As it turns out, her story is part of the narrative of a modern-day widow thrust into a leadership role by fate.

Her name is Carol Duval-Leroy.

Born Carol Nilens in Belgium, she married  Jean Charles Duval-Leroy in the 1980s.  The were the proud parents to three sons – Julien, Charles and Louis.  But in 1991, Jean Charles lost his battle with cancer at the age of 39.  Days before he died, Jean Charles made Carol promise to take care of the business and keep it in the family.

Madame Duval-Leroy, at the young age of 35,  was now in charge of Champagne Duval-Leroy.  Her first decision was to name the prestige cuvée that her husband had just developed, but not named. She decided to call the wine Femme de Champagne (woman of Champagne),  since it was her responsibility to lead the firm.

Carol is a very resilient woman, very courageous, very ambitious, and she wants to keep her independence. She’s a lion—that’s literally what people have said about her – Sandrine Logette-Jardin

Her second pivotal decision was to create a new position in the firm, Head of Quality Control.  She appointed 23-year-old Sandrine Logette-Jardin, who had just completed her enology degree to the position. That decision paid dividends, because Duval-Leroy was the first ISO 9002 certified (for its quality management system) Champagne house.  In 2005, Logette-Jardin was the first female to be appointed Chef de Caves (the French term for cellar master or head winemaker).

The two women have continued overcome the odds against them.

Duval-Leroy was the first Champagne house to produce a certified organic Brut Champagne, which is still made today (wine made from grapes grown organically and Ecocert FR-BIO-01 certified), and Carol Duval-Leroy was the first and currently only female to be appointed President of the Association Viticole Champenoise. Duval-Leroy Champagne is served at many of the top Michelin-starred restaurants around the world; when Carol was young she dreamt of becoming a chef, and so, she has a great admiration for the top chefs around the world according to Cathrine Todd of Dame Wine.

Today, Carol Duval-Leroy, working closely with Logette-Jardin, continues to lead the family-owned company, with her three sons, Julien, Charles and Louis.

The Wine

The multi-vintage Brut Reserve, crafted since 1859, is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  It is enriched with around fifteen crus and generous quantity of reserve wines.

My tasting notes follow:

Color – Pale straw yellow
Aromas – Sourdough toast, green apple, pear, lemon cream with hint of white flowers and chalk
Body – Medium-bodied, elegant and round with a creamy mousse
Taste – Green apple, Asian pear, raspberry, lemon meringue and subtle spice accented with a bit of chalky minerality
Finish – Medium-long

12% abv|SRP – $39.99|90pts

About Champagne Duval-Leroy

Champagne Duval-Leroy was founded in 1859 when the Duval and Leroy families joined together with a mission to create Premier Cru and Grand Cru Champagnes of exceptional elegance and finesse.  The House of  Duval-Leroy has been located in Vertus, in the heart of “La Cote des Blancs”, since its founding. They cultivate about 200 hectares, much of which is devoted to production of high quality Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes.  It is one of the few remaining 100% family-owned Champagne firms and is ranked in the 15 top Champagne houses.  Duval-Leroy was the only Champagne selected for Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in 2008.

Duval-Leroy, well-known in the world of gastronomy, is poured in more than 250 Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, and is a respected partner of the global sommelier community.   Duval-Leroy also practices sustainability at every level of vineyard management and winemaking, with a commitment to preserve the land while producing wines of incomparable quality and consistency.

Carol Duval-Leroy, the most popular woman in Champagne, leads the family-owned company, with her three sons, Julien, Charles and Louis

Be sure to read, comment and like what my fellow writers have discovered about the fierce Women of Champagne!

• Julia from Julia Coney.com speaks on “Women of Champagne Making Shift Happen”
• Pinny from Chinese Food & Wine Pairings whips up “Women Who Make Champagne AND Woman Who Helps Us Learn About Champagne #Winophiles #tastelikehappy”
• Cynthia and Pierre from Traveling Wine Profs talk about biodynamics with “Biodynamic Grower Champagne with Make-Your-Own Sushi Dinner”
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator talks about champagne with halibut with the “Wonderful Women of Champagne and Halibut 3 Ways for #Winophiles”
• Jill from L’Occasion writes about “Working With the Classics: Advice from Women in Champagne”
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles asks the question, “Where Are the Women in Champagne?”
• Camila from Culinary Adventures with Camila makes you hungry with “Glazed Beet & Burrata Toasts + Alice Paillard”
• Nicole from Somm’s Table talks frommage with “Champagne Dames, Lamiable Extra Brut, and a Hot Cheesy Mess”