Oriane Carreau

Region: Celles-sur-Ource, Côte des Bar
Vineyard area: 6 hectares
Grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc Vrai
Focus: Single-vineyard selections, vintage champagnes, rare grape varieties
Organic farming: 2 hectares certified; first certified harvest in 2024

In the southern part of Champagne, in Celles-sur-Ource, Oriane Carreau carries on a winemaking tradition that dates back to the 16th century in her family. Her father, Lionel, began producing Champagne under his own name in 1990. Oriane has been working alongside him since 2012 and, under the label Dame de Carreau, is developing her own deliberately concentrated collection.

Her path to winemaking was not a foregone conclusion. Oriane studied international trade in North America and England before returning to the Côte des Bar. She then acquired her knowledge of the vineyard and the cellar working side by side with her father. The name “Dame de Carreau” is a personal nod to her two sisters and also symbolizes Oriane’s own place within the family’s history.

The focus of their work is not on a specific winemaking technique, but on the quality of the grapes. The vines are closely monitored, interventions in the vineyard are deliberately limited, and work is adapted to vegetation and weather conditions. The goal is to produce healthy, expressive grapes that require as little intervention as possible in the cellar. Nevertheless, vinification is carried out with precision: exclusively first-press juice, selected yeasts, stainless steel tanks, and long aging periods on the lees.

The collection is based on three distinct pillars: the character of individual plots, the distinctiveness of particular vintages, and the preservation of rare grape varieties. Bâtarde blends Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc Vrai from three different vineyards. Bonnes Bondes is dedicated entirely to Pinot Noir from the historic Les Bondonnots plot. Blancs Vrais focuses on the rare Pinot Blanc Vrai from Les Parmailles.

Organic viticulture is also being gradually expanded. The transition began in 2021; in 2024, the first certified organic harvest was brought in from two hectares. It is a long-term process that reflects Oriane’s philosophy: not to make grand promises, but to take tangible steps in the vineyard.

All three champagnes are vintage-specific, dry in dosage, and produced in small quantities. They differ significantly in grape variety and character, but share a common thread: distinct fruit, precise freshness, long aging, and a terroir that is not masked by excessive dosage.