Damien Guadagnolo
Jura, France
Damien Guadagnolo is the newest vigneron to join the ranks of natural winemakers in Jura. Today, he farms 2.8 hectares of biodynamic vines in the quiet village of Orbagna in the southern part of Jura and makes pure expressions of Chardonnay, Savagnin, Trousseau, Poulsard, and Pinot Noir.
Damien Guadagnolo knew that becoming a vigneron would not happen overnight. He began his journey twenty years ago at the tender age of 14 when he bought a micro parcel of vineyards in his home of Jura. Through his school years, Damien also vigorously pursued his other passion of boxing. He would become a European champion in his twenties, all while also studying and working alongside the most renowned natural winemaker in Jura.
Jean-François Ganevat took Damien under his wing when the ambitious boxer was still in his teens. Damien learned the art of biodynamic and organic farming, natural winemaking, and long elevage with zero additives including sulfur at any point in the process. Damien worked alongside Jean-François in his own vineyards and would incorporate the same green and regenerative principles in his own parcels. During the years of Ganevat’s tutelage, Damien sold the grapes from his vineyards to his mentor all while assisting in the winemaking in the cellar.
After seven years with Ganevat, Damien made his first vintage in 2019 from his vineyards in limestone, clay and marls of Orbagna. He has joined the minimalist intervention winemakers of Jura like his neighbor, Katie Worobeck of Maison Maenad, who was also a student of Jean-François Ganevat.
At age 30, Damien decided to hang up his gloves and now devotes his energy entirely to his vocation of a vigneron. He often reflects that his two passions of winemaking and boxing have proven to have more in common than he imagined – the fights in the ring and through vintages would present spectacular victories, unexpected challenges, and the occasional defeat. Hail and frost continue to be endemic in the Jura and in several vintages, most recently in 2024, have Damien without any viable grapes to produce a vintage.
Ever the pragmatist (and fighter), Damien recently began a small negoce project, sourcing grapes in Beaujolais to offset losses from the recurring inclement weather in Jura. He makes his gamay in the same method as his Jura reds, full carbonic maceration with indigenous yeast and no added sulfur at any point.
