Nathalie Banes
& Julien Merle
From jewelry bench to vineyard row. Since 2015, Nathalie has traded precious metals for precious Gamay, with Julien as her partner and mentor. Together they farm 3.8 hectares of clay-limestone vineyards with two mares and zero tolerance for artifice.
Nathalie Banes began in the jewelry industry before walking away in 2015 to pursue wine. Julien Merle, her partner in both life and wine, guided her transition. Today they represent a new wave of southern Beaujolais producers proving that terroir once dismissed as "simple" can produce profound, serious wines.
Nathalie Banes
Left the jewelry trade in 2015 to become a vigneronne. Brings meticulous attention to detail from her previous craft—every vine treated like a precious stone setting.
Julien Merle
The guiding force behind the domaine. Also produces his own cuvée "Bord d'Aile de Merle." Known for stunningly pure, sturdy wines that reward serious study.
"Sans Intrus Ni Intrants, Sans Artifice Ni Maléfice"
No intruders or inputs. No artifice or sorcery.
The Horses & The Land
3.8 hectares of clay-limestone soils in Legny, the heart of the Pierres Dorées. Certified organic, farmed entirely by hand and horsepower.
Two mares (including Hulot) handle all tillage and transport. No tractors, no compaction—just animal energy and intimate knowledge of each row. The philosophy extends to the cellar: no carbonic maceration (unlike typical Beaujolais), just destemmed grapes, short maceration, and aging in large barrels or concrete.
"Stunningly pure and sturdy wines of the sort that renew my confidence that Beaujolais is worth a book-length study."— Aaron Ayscough, Not Drinking Poison
The Cuvées
Gamay-only production with zero added sulfur. Each wine reflects specific parcels of the Pierres Dorées—limestone-clay soils that give a different expression than granite Beaujolais.
Moulin la Blanche
From parcels near the farm buildings. Destemmed Gamay with 4 months élevage. Fresh red berries, clove, dried petals, aromatic herbs. Silky tannins with Pinot-like texture. No filtration, no sulfur.
Destemmed
Clay-Limestone
La Saoulée
Bursting with juicy Gamay joy but layered with savory, spicy complexity. Bright peppery flavors and floral aromatics. A wine that satisfies both the hedonist and the thinker.
Peppery Finish
Zero SO₂
Julien Merle Bord d'Aile
Julien's own cuvée—light, tasty, with discreet licorice and red fruits. Excellent example of carbonic Gamay done with precision. Pure pleasure in a glass.
Carbonic
Light & Tasty
Visit & Contact
Located in Legny, in the southern Beaujolais' Pierres Dorées region. By appointment for serious wine lovers and those seeking zero-intervention Gamay.
Location
Legny
Pierres Dorées
Southern Beaujolais
Vineyard
3.8 Hectares
Clay-Limestone
Organic Certified
Grape
100% Gamay
Destemmed
No Carbonic
Special
Horse Power
Zero Sulfur
Biodynamic