At first sight Raphael CHOPIN seems a totally affable, respectable individual replete with the camaraderie and friendliness that all Beaujolais vignerons possess. Delve a little deeper behind the courteous façade though and you unearth an adventurous renegade. He pays lip service to convention and has his own idiosyncratic approach to viticulture and winemaking. Indeed, his buccaneering project transcends his organic philosophy in the vines and spills over into the winemaking : all cuvées are fermented without Sulphur. If this is easier said than done, Raphaël also ensures the wines are subsequently protected from the outside environment allowing the full potential of natural yeasts to be released. Indeed, The REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE even called Raphaël the « little Prince of Régnié “ The vineyards were put into conversion to organic viticulture in 2019.The Beaujolais soils don't lend themselves easily to ploughing and care must be taken not to penetrate more than 10 or 15 centimetres in depth. "Funambule" is a unique blend of Gamay and Gamaret. Gamaret is a cousin of Gamay (crossing between Gamay and Reichensteiner) and is grown mostly in Switzerland with just about 400 hectares. Raphael loved it so much when he discovered it at a winemaker friend over there that he decided to plant some on is granitic terroir of Lantignié in the Beaujolais. In the winery, the wine is aged in concrete, not filtered and with no sulphur added. The result of this blend is a delicious lighter and vibrant natural wine.