Raphaël & Emélie
Punk rock natural wine from the far south of Beaujolais. Alsace meets Quebec in a cellar on the outskirts of Lyon. Whole bunch, zero intervention, old vines from the 1950s.
Recycled Bottles
Since 2017
Alsatian precision meets Quebecoise energy ★
Raphaël Beysang
Châtenois, AlsaceSon of hotel owners, grandson of an oenologist. Trained at viticultural school in Obernai, then cut his teeth with Patrick Meyer in Nothalten (where he met lifelong friend Jean-Marc Dreyer). Cut his punk rock teeth working for Vincent Marie (No Control) and Patrick Bouju in the Auvergne. A towering figure with a top-knot, overflowing beard, and perpetual grin [^114^][^115^].
Emélie Hurtubise
Quebec, CanadaArrived in the Auvergne in 2016 for an internship and met Raphaël while working with the same tribe of winemakers. Joined the project in 2018, bringing business acumen and experimental courage. Together they form a dynamic partnership—"incredibly committed, firm attention to detail, but definitely not afraid of having fun" [^112^][^117^].
We are integral members of Team Sud Bojo, an informal collective of radical natural vignerons in the south Beaujolais organizing a new wine salon: Le Ah! Ah! Ah!
— Raphaël Beysang, 2024
Zero intervention, whole bunch, recycled stars
Working 4.5 hectares in Saint-Germain-Nuelles on the northwestern outskirts of Lyon—far south Beaujolais where the granite meets the Lyonnais suburbs. The vines were planted in the 1950s by retiring natural vigneron Nicolas Dubost, whose cellar they acquired [^114^][^117^].
The Vineyards
Varied terroirs—limestone, granite, and "pierres bleues" (blue stones). Organic farming with biodiversity corridors. Old vines ranging from 30 to 80 years old, planted on sandy soils and pure limestone [^117^].
- 100% whole bunch maceration (3 weeks)
- No pigeage, minimal pumpovers
- Élevage in massive foudres (25-30hl)
- Zero sulfur, zero additives
- No fining, no filtration
- Recycled 1L bottles with star shoulder
- Early bottling for purity
The Style
"Tremendously fresh and energetic, often with a dark, almost-blue shade of fruit, and drink incredibly well with food, particularly at a slightly lower temperature" [^117^].
Team Sud Bojo & Le Ah! Ah! Ah!
Raphaël and Emélie are integral members of Team Sud Bojo, an informal collective of radical natural vignerons in the south Beaujolais. The group organizes Le Ah! Ah! Ah!—a wine salon promoting the promise of south Beaujolais in the natural wine world, and promoting natural wine within the conservative Lyonnais suburbs [^114^].
The perplexingly-named salon aims to put south Beaujolais on the natural wine map while bringing natural wine culture to the Lyon suburbs. A manifesto in laughter and liberation.
Bottled in recycled stars ★
All wines see whole bunch fermentation with ~3 weeks skin contact, élevage in large old foudres, and bottling without fining or filtration. Some cuvées are bottled in distinctive recycled 1L traditional bottles from the region, sterilized locally, featuring a star on the shoulder [^117^].
Nouveau Litre
Gamay / 1L Recycled BottleFrom sandy soils in Saint-Germain-Nuelles. Two weeks whole bunch maceration, bottled unfiltered in recycled 1L bottles with the iconic star shoulder. Fresh, crunchy, with that dark "almost-blue" fruit character.
Sandy soils
2 weeks whole bunch
Zero sulfur
Paltieries
Côte de Brouilly / Pure LimestoneAlmost pure limestone soils. One section planted 30 years ago, another section around 80 years old. Whole bunch fermentation, 3 weeks maceration, one year in very old foudre. Recycled 1L bottles.
Pure limestone
12 months élevage
Large old foudre
Ernest
Beaujolais + Alsace BlendA collaboration with Jean-Marc Dreyer (Raphaël's mentor and close friend). Jean-Marc contributes a blend of red and white fruit from Alsace (which changes yearly), to which Raphaël and Emélie add their gamay. Deep, classical, serious, with various shades of white, red, and dark-red fruit [^117^][^128^].
Jean-Marc Dreyer collab
Changes yearly
Multi-dimensional
Pét-Nat
Gamay / Multiple SitesPétillant naturel from several different sites. Mineral with spicy aromatics and vivid, slightly sweet red berry fruit. Some vintages include a touch of Pinot Noir for complexity.
Indigenous yeast
Bottled during fermentation
Disgorged or undisgorged
Enculés
Gamay / Sandstone AmphoraAn experimental cuvée made by Emélie. Gamay vinified as whole bunches in sandstone amphora, bottled in magnum. Dark-red fruit, resolved structure, with gentle sappiness from the stalks and distinct minerality [^117^][^123^].
Whole bunch
Magnum format
Emélie's cuvée
Rivière
Gamay / SandstoneNamed after a river in Quebec (Emélie's homeland). Gamay vinified as whole bunches in sandstone and bottled in magnum. A tribute to Emélie's roots—dark-red fruit with resolved structure and gentle sappiness [^117^].
Sandstone élevage
Magnum only
Whole bunch
Also Look For
Gamay from Theize — From vines planted in 1955 near Mâcon, fermented as whole bunches with élevage in foudre. Lighter, elegant years show crisp red fruit; warmer years display dark, fleshy primary matter [^117^].
L'Octavin Collaborations — Alice Bouvot (Jura) has made wines from Raphaël's grapes, including "Raph-Noel" (2017) where she drove the grapes back to Arbois for 45-day whole bunch maceration [^120^].