Did you know that each vintage of Frisant pays tribute to a natural ally of Vignoble de l'Orpailleur? Through unique and characterful labels, local artist Stéphane Lemardelé skillfully illustrates these precious presences that are part of our ecosystem.

And that's not all: each label is also inspired by a carefully chosen historical work of art, creating a subtle yet amusing nod to the past.

Curious to discover the story behind each of these illustrations? Follow us... we'll reveal everything!

2021 Vintage - The Touch of the Ladybugs

Why the ladybug is honored on our first vintage

For our very first vintage, we chose to highlight a small insect that is as pretty as it is useful: the ladybug. Naturally present in the vineyard's ecosystem, it plays an essential role in protecting our vines.

By feeding on harmful insects like aphids, the ladybug contributes to the natural balance of our plots. It perfectly embodies the spirit of our sustainable viticulture, where natural allies are favored over chemical interventions.

It is therefore only natural that it appears on the label of this first vintage – in homage to its discreet but valuable contribution.

A ladybug preying on a colony of aphids, which are harmful to the vine.

Artist's inspiration

Our ladybugs touch paws like The Creation of Adam, which is one of the 9 frescoes painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums in Rome.

2022 Vintage - The Young Tendril with the Blackbird

For our 2022 vintage, we chose to highlight an emblematic bird that is unfortunately in decline in Quebec: the Eastern Bluebird.

Present in our ecosystem thanks to the nesting boxes we have installed around the vineyard, this insectivore plays a valuable role in the natural protection of our vines. During nesting season, a single Eastern Bluebird can consume over 1,000 insects per day!

Its prey includes several vine pests, such as the grape flea beetle, red-headed flea beetle, scarabs, weevils, and grape berry moth caterpillars. Its appetite makes it a valuable ally in our sustainable viticulture approach, which relies on natural balances rather than pesticides.

 

 

Artist's inspiration

Our bluebird poses like The Girl with a Pearl Earring, an oil on canvas painting by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer around 1665.

2023 Vintage - The Swallows' Home

For the 2023 vintage, we're honoring the Tree Swallows — a nod to these winged allies that we welcome in large numbers each year thanks to the hundred nesting boxes installed in our vineyards.

Our goal: to preserve and enhance the biodiversity around us by creating wildlife-friendly habitats while supporting our agricultural production. Since natural cavities are rare in vineyards and their surroundings, we encourage the establishment of beneficial insectivorous birds by providing them with suitable nesting boxes.

Tree Swallows play a valuable role in our agroecosystem:

• They help regulate harmful insects naturally;
• They contribute to the health of the vines and the resilience of our crops;
• They promote increased local biodiversity, essential for the balance of our environment.

These elegant aerial insectivores are avid consumers of insects and perfectly embody our vision of sustainable viticulture in harmony with nature.

 

Artist's inspiration

Our swallow couple poses in front of their sloping-roofed home, like the painting American Gothic by Grant Wood from 1930.

2024 Vintage - Mona the Fox

For our 2024 vintage, we highlight a discreet but valuable ally: the red fox. Naturally present in our environment, it is an integral part of the vineyard's living biodiversity.

Each year, several foxes make their home on our land and raise their young near the plots. Their presence is far from insignificant: by feeding on voles, among other things, they play an essential role in protecting our vines. These small rodents, if not regulated, can cause significant damage by gnawing on the vine stocks under the winter covers.

Through their simple natural activity, red foxes thus contribute to our sustainable cultivation approach, ensuring an ecological and effective regulation of pests.

They perfectly embody our desire to work with nature, not against it.

A small fox cub emerging from its den at the edge of the vineyards.

Artist's inspiration

Our vixen poses like the famous Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci's renowned portrait.

2025 Vintage - The Phacelia Field

For our 2025 vintage, we're highlighting a flower - phacelia.

Each year, we sow phacelia in most of our fields. Its flowering, which lasts about 3 weeks, is a real spectacle for the eyes! It's beautiful, but also very useful and an integral part of our sustainable farming methods. 

With its periwinkle blue and long stamens, it's a melliferous plant that attracts not only bees and bumblebees, but also syrphid flies, which are aphid predators. These naturally feed on vine pests, allowing us to regulate insect populations naturally.

Phacelia also attracts the Tachinidae Istocheta aldrichi fly, which is a natural predator of Japanese beetles. This fly feeds on phacelia pollen before laying its eggs on the beetles.

Phacelia is also an excellent source of green manure for our vines. At the end of flowering, when the plants are very rich in nutrients, they are crushed and incorporated into our soils to enrich them with minerals such as potassium, an essential nutrient for the vine.

Its great strengths, in addition to its beauty, are its ability to cover the soil, eliminate weeds, and resist drought! We are charmed.

Artist's inspiration

Our phacelia is depicted taking inspiration from Monet's painting "The Poppies," painted in 1873.