Julien Sunier

Julien Sunier is a first-generation winemaker whose path to Beaujolais was anything but conventional. Born in Dijon to parents who worked as hairdressers, he first discovered wine through the world of Burgundy, going on to work with revered domaines including Georges Roumier and Jean-Claude Rateau before gaining further experience in Portugal, California and New Zealand.

After studying winemaking, and even interning with Jasper Morris in London to understand the commercial side of the trade, Julien arrived in Beaujolais more than two decades ago in a campervan, with little money but a clear sense of purpose. In 2008, he founded his own domaine, beginning with just a couple of hectares of vines. Today, he farms around nine hectares across some of the region’s most expressive Gamay terroirs.

From the outset, Julien has worked organically, focusing on close-planted, narrow vineyards and farming with a deep respect for soil life, biodiversity and the rhythm of each vintage.

The cellar mirrors the same philosophy. Julien transformed an old farm into what he describes as an open-door, climatic winery, working outside without temperature control. Fermentations rely on native yeasts, with élevage in concrete and neutral oak, and the whole process is framed around letting the nuances of each vintage talk.

Now run by Julien with the help of just one part-time colleague in the vineyard and cellar, the domaine remains deliberately hands-on and human in scale. His wines are defined by freshness, transparency and drinkability: precise, lifted Beaujolais with a Burgundian sense of detail that offer great drinking pleasure.

As Julien puts it, the aim is simple: “We want to see empty glasses.”