Juliénas, a village of mythical places
On arriving in Juliénas, you will quickly notice what looks to be a heresy: two churches stand proud at the centre of the village.… In truth, only one of the buildings is really a church. The other was one until 1868, but it was deconsecrated. It was only in 1954, under impetus from Victor Peyet, one of the Cru’s ambassadors, that this old place of worship was turned into a tasting cellar: the Cellier de la Vieille Eglise.
The oldest part dates from the end of the 16th century. It’s Italian style facade, that is typical of the Renaissance, shows how very rich and powerful its owners at that time were. However, the Maison de la Dîme was not particularly appreciated by the people at the time. In point of fact, the vinegrowers had to remit a twelfth of their harvest to the Catholic Church. This tax, often seen to be unfair, required large storage areas, hence the proportions.