DES JUS ET DU LIEN / JULIEN ROUSSELOT

Rablay-sur-Layon, Loire Valley

After years of running one of the Loire’s favorite wine bars on the Île de Souzay, near Saumur, Julien Rousselot was offered some old vines and decided to fulfill his dream of making natural wine in Anjou. Thus, Des Jus et du Lien (The Juice and the Link) was born. Although still in its early years, Julien’s micro domaine has grown to comprise over 3 hectares of vines over four plots surrounding the villages of Rablay-sur-Layon and Beaulieu-sur-Layon. There is a mix of expositions and soil types, and a diversity of varietals that include Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau Noir, Grolleau Gris, and Gamay.  

In Layon, Chenin is the star, and Julien takes full advantage of this, bottling multiple expressions that employ various methods of elevage in both still and sparkling. He produces a snappy Grolleau, a fresh and quaffable iterations of both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a few sparkling wines that change year-to-year based on production levels.

Everything in the vines and the cellar is done naturally and by hand: no chemicals, additives or other extracurriculars, except the occasionally dose of SO2 at bottling (never more than 10mg total). The result is a range of truly transparent and convivial wines that are a joy in the glass. Julien’s wines are raw, expressive, convivial, and evoke a sense of place and imagination. They can at once be deeply contemplated and drunk directly from the bottle.