Aurélie Hardy, Head of the Exact Laboratory in Murlin, as told by Stéphane Ebel

The Alliance of Chemistry and Wine.

Don’t ever tell her the wine is corked! “It’s one of the first things I learned when I arrived at the lab in April 2017. If the wine has a cork, it’s corked.” Aurélie, just under 30, heads the Exact analysis laboratory, a specialist in the agri-food sector, which belongs to the Charlois Group and is located at the Murlin site.

A spontaneous application, an interview shortly after, an immediate hire, and a start just two days later. “We ended up in Nièvre almost by chance with my husband in 2017. He works in Château-Chinon, we bought a house in Saint-Sulpice, and I found this job with the Charlois Group—all within barely two months.” A rare alignment of the stars.

Living in the Countryside.

Originally from Isère, where her parents still live, Aurélie settled with her husband and horses just steps away from the Bertranges Forest in Saint-Sulpice. “I love nature. For my husband and me, living in the countryside was an obvious choice.” A chemical engineer specialized in coating products, the young mother took on the role of lab manager just a few months after starting as a lab technician. A real challenge. “I love challenges, work, searching, understanding, rolling up my sleeves. Working under pressure is a good kind of stress, pure adrenaline.” In a former life, she had dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist. “I was interested in finding the cause of death when it’s unexplained or incomprehensible—that’s what intrigued me about the profession.” After two years of medical studies, followed by a BTS in Aesthetics (“It wasn’t really my thing”), Aurélie ultimately turned to a chemical engineering school in Lyon, where she found her true calling. Three years later, she graduated.

Hunting for the Molecule.

At Murlin, in the Exact laboratory, they hunt for the molecule, analyze, search, and find. “The primary mission of the lab, the reason it was created, is to test corks used to seal wines and detect, if necessary, the molecule 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole, which gives the cork its musty taste.” In this field, analysis can turn into expertise: “A wine that tastes like cork? Is it the responsibility of the winemaker or the cork manufacturer? We look for the root cause of the issue, it’s a bit like forensic medicine,” she explains.

Another area where the Exact laboratory intervenes is in the control and analysis of the wood used to make barrels, and the sensory aspects of wine. “We hunt for the details, the infinitesimal. Wood is a living material. It’s in contact with the wine, giving it its aromas, but it can also alter its taste.”

Exact also handles the search for pesticide residues (on grapes, musts, and wines), fire residue diagnostics (detecting smoke residues on vines, in wines, or storage areas…), and the identification of unknown compounds from the winemaking process… The areas of intervention are vast.

Understanding what’s happening, researching, analyzing… that’s what drives Aurélie, among other things. “It’s really an incredibly interesting job. Every morning, it’s a pleasure to come to work and do the job I love, especially in a group that gives you the means to do your job well and the opportunity to develop new analysis and research techniques”.

Three questions for Aurélie Hardy ?

When you’re asked what your profession is, what do you answer? 

It’s sometimes a bit tricky to explain. Even my husband took some time to understand (laughs). I say that I work in a lab that analyzes wines and everything related to this universe that I’ve learned to discover. Winemakers, oenologists, coopers, stave makers, cork makers, producers of wood for oenology… It’s fascinating, and I could talk about it for hours, it’s truly fascinating.

CIs this a universe you were familiar with?

Not at all. I discovered it with Michel Dumoulin, who was in charge of the Exact laboratory and whom I succeeded. I also took oenology courses, which are essential. It’s an industry I continue to explore, that interests me, and that I truly enjoy. Now, when we go to a restaurant, I’m the one who chooses the wines.

You’re the head of the Exact laboratory, is that a big responsibility?

Yes, but I’m not alone. I work with two experienced lab technicians, and there’s the group behind me. I’m naturally curious; I love digging, searching, finding, and I’m a perfectionist. I’m attentive to both the analysis aspect, which is the core of our work, and the regulatory side, which we must comply with and adapt to. This is the case, for example, with phytosanitary products, or more recently, endocrine disruptors. We don’t have time to get bored, and that suits me just fine!

Photo © Christophe Deschanel