clara &
simon.
grappe entière.
Les Vignes de Paulette is the story of two friends, Clara Cauquil and Simon Mialon, who joined forces to cultivate 3.5 hectares of organic vines at the northern frontier of Beaujolais. Named after Clara's grandmother who sparked the adventure, they took over the vineyards of their mentor Pierre Boyat in 2022, continuing a legacy of natural winemaking in the Leynes zone [^28^][^33^].
Des vins naturels, sans compromis
"Nous souhaitons élaborer des vins le plus naturellement possible, et nous nous limitons à l'utilisation du SO2, si c'est réellement nécessaire." We wish to elaborate wines in the most natural way possible, limiting SO2 use to only when truly necessary. In 2022, only one cuvée saw sulfur—during vinification only [^28^].
"Paulette était la grand-mère de Clara, c'est grâce à elle que tout a commencé !"
— The estate's namesake and inspiration [^28^]
Clara Cauquil, formerly a wine retailer, and Simon Mialon, trained under Pierre Boyat, met and decided to farm together. Their complementary backgrounds—Clara's commercial experience and Simon's technical training—create a dynamic partnership [^33^].
All grapes (except the Viré-Clessé) are macerated whole-cluster and inerted with CO2. Maceration duration varies based on daily tastings of the juice. No fining, no filtration, native yeast fermentation [^28^].
Granite & clay-limestone, Beaujolais-Mâconnais border
The estate spans two distinct terroirs: 2.6 hectares of Gamay and 0.6 hectares of Chardonnay in Leynes on granitic soils—where Gamay takes on a blackness and concentration reminiscent of Auvergne—and 0.5 hectares of Chardonnay in Clessé on clay-limestone, farmed organically since 2022 [^28^][^33^].
- Leynes Granitic soils
- Clessé Clay-limestone
- Beaujolais-Villages Northern frontier
- Viré-Clessé Mâconnais appellation
- Cover Crops Rye, clover, mustard
- Herbal Teas Comfrey, horsetail
"Few zones of Beaujolais-Villages have the sheer personality of Leynes, at the northern frontier of the Beaujolais."
— On the distinctive character of the zone [^33^]
Playful, honest, expressive
The wines epitomize the spirit of Les Vignes de Paulette: playful, honest, and expressive. Whole-cluster carbonic maceration brings out the juicy, vibrant character of Gamay, while careful farming and minimal intervention allow the terroir to speak [^27^][^28^].
Winemaking Notes: All grapes are hand-harvested in boxes. Maceration durations vary based on daily tastings—ranging from 3 days for the lightest cuvées to 21 days for deeper extraction. Aging occurs in stainless steel, fiberglass, enamel tanks, or 8-year-old foudre. Cover crops (rye, clover, mustard) are destroyed or laid down as mulch. Treatments limited to copper, sulfur, and biodynamic herbal teas [^27^][^28^].
The continuation of Leynes natural wine
Les Vignes de Paulette represents the latest chapter in Leynes' significant history of natural winemaking, spearheaded in the late 1990s by Philippe Jambon and continued by neighbors including their mentor Pierre Boyat. Clara and Simon are among the latest natural wine talents to emerge in this distinctive zone [^33^].
ECOCERT organic certification obtained in 2022. Biodynamic-inspired practices including herbal tea applications (comfrey, horsetail, willow, yarrow) and biodynamic preparations [^27^][^28^].
Farming at low density with ongoing focus on cover crops, gentle methods, and expressing the unique granitic character of Leynes Gamay alongside the clay-limestone elegance of Viré-Clessé [^28^].