Julien Frappa

Name: Julien Frappa
Estate / Project: L’Oiseau de Passage
Region / Location: Beaujolais & Mâconnais, France

Background & Transition
Julien had an earlier career in the cultural sector in Lyon before transitioning fully to wine. He founded L’Oiseau de Passage in 2019, initially as a side project while working in museum programming and scientific curation. Upon disruptions in event-based work (notably during COVID), he moved fully into viticulture.
He relocated from urban life to the Beaujolais region to immerse himself in vines and winemaking.

Vineyards & Viticulture

• The estate works across top terroirs in Beaujolais and the Mâconnais, with Gamay as the primary variety.

• Vines are farmed organically (or in conversion), with ecological practices such as soil care, planting of hedges and bird boxes, and working under vine (horse, treuil) in steep or difficult terrain.

• The approach emphasizes recreating a dynamic agricultural ecosystem rather than treating the vineyard purely as production land.

Winemaking Philosophy & Methods

• Fermentations are done with indigenous yeasts, minimal intervention, and the use of minimal sulfur.

• The cellar regime is delicate: light remontages and pigeages, gentle pressing, and parcel-by-parcel work.

• Depending on cuvée, élevage may take place in grès jars or oak, always with the intention of preserving purity, terroir, and elegance.

Signature Approach & Goals
Julien aims for micro-cuvee, high-attention wines that express nuance, site specificity, and vintage variation. He avoids corrections to acidity or alcohol, and keeps total SO₂ targets low (approx. 30 mg/L).
His project is often described as a “haute couture” philosophy in wine—bespoke, delicate, expressive.