In the vineyard and the cellar, Julien’s practices as a winemaker are informed by a belief that the act of putting wine in the bottle should be as natural as possible. To achieve this, he employs traditional, low-manipulation winemaking methods—always preceded by carefully considered viticultural decisions. “There’s a lot of anticipation with my decision-making on the ground,” Julien explains. “Great wine is the natural product of grapes, so my creed is vineyard-centric.”

Sourced from sites in Yountville and Coombsville, this wine is aged for 18 months in approximately 60% new French oak. Winemaker Julien Fayard's own label, established in 2017, delivers a beautifully bright freshness with blackberry, blackcurrant, and fig paste, accented by a hint of walnut husk. The palate is wonderfully full and rich, showcasing pure fruit flavours alongside nuances of mocha spice and sweet cedar. Firm yet inviting tannins provide a solid foundation for the supple dark-toned fruit and spice to linger—and they do, for quite some time—a remarkably well-balanced wine in this challenging vintage.

Production - 453 cases