Julien Merle is a Beaujolais guy, who also took over his parents’ estate. His parents, like most Beaujolais winemakers sold their grapes, and in some cases bulk wine, to larger negociant producers. When he took over the winery, he became friends with Jean Foillard and Guy Breton who encouraged Julien to begin bottling his own wine. Over the years he has introduced horse plowing, natural yeasts, and now makes the wines totally without additives. Simple, elegant and straight forward gluggers.

He also ages most of his wines in old Burgundy barrels instead of the concrete or fibreglass tanks you see often in Beaujolais. This way his wines tend get more depth.