Exploring the Juliénas AOC

Following Côte-de-Brouilly and Chiroubles, Laetitia Allemand invites us to explore the Juliénas AOC. Covering the southern and southwestern slopes of Mont de Bessay, the Juliénas vineyard is located at the northernmost tip of the Rhône department, bordering Saône-et-Loire and the Mâconnais vineyard.

The village of Juliénas

Laetitia Allemand takes us to Juliénas, to discover the Juliénas AOC! Here, we are in the village center of Juliénas, located south of the appellation of the same name. The commune is said to owe its name to Julius Caesar himself. Quite impressive! However, Juliénas's reputation is primarily attributed to the quality of its wine, whose grapes benefit from the sunny slopes of Mont de Bessay, in the northernmost part of Beaujolais.

Here, we are in the village center of Juliénas, located south of the appellation of the same name. The commune is said to owe its name to Julius Caesar himself. Quite impressive!

I am standing in front of the old church, which, as you can see, was converted into a winery in 1954. Victor Peyret, a winegrower and wine merchant, initiated this project. At that time, he also significantly contributed to the renown of Juliénas wines by introducing them in Paris, particularly to journalists from Le Canard Enchaîné.

The Juliénas AOC vineyard

However, Juliénas's reputation is primarily attributed to the quality of its wine, whose grapes benefit from the sunny slopes of Mont de Bessay, in the northernmost part of Beaujolais.

The vines are thus cultivated on hillsides between 230 and 430 meters in altitude, on predominantly poor and stony soils that yield small harvests. The resulting grapes are rich and concentrated, producing structured and harmonious red wines that can be aged for up to 10 years.

Tasting recommendations for Juliénas AOC

You will thoroughly enjoy pairing a Juliénas with grilled red meats such as a fine ribeye steak or a sirloin!

Discover Juliénas AOC wines on Les Grappes!