Julien Merle
Beaujolais, Légny, France
 

Julien Merle is a fifth generation farmer, following his father and grandfather onto the family's land in Légny, in the Pierres Dorées area of southern Beaujolais.
 

He trained at the agricultural college in Belleville-sur-Saône before taking over the estate in 2003, farming just over seven hectares on granite soils, mostly Gamay with a little Chardonnay. He converted the vineyard to organic farming from day one, and by 2006 had dropped chemical inputs altogether, a decision sharpened by a health scare in the family. Today the vines are worked with the help of his mare, Nougatine, who ploughs the soil just a few centimetres deep to keep its microbial life intact.
 

In the cellar Julien still uses the concrete vats his grandfather installed, adapted over the generations. The wines are made with whole bunch, semi carbonic maceration, a classic Beaujolais technique, fermented with nothing but the grapes' own yeasts and no sulphites added at any stage.
 

He calls his domaine Lubrifiant Social, wines made to be light, juicy and shared with friends.