Yves Roy arrived in the Jura in 2014 and apprenticed under Valentin Morel at Les Pieds sur Terre, learning to work the region's distinctive indigenous varieties. He chose the name Nøvice deliberately, a reminder that mastering a craft is a lifelong process rather than a fixed destination.
Backstory
Roy settled back near his home town of Poligny with his partner Christelle and established Domaine Nøvice, releasing his own label from the 2020 vintage. It is one of the most compelling new chapters in the Jura's natural wine scene.
The Region
The estate is in Poligny, in the heart of the Jura in eastern France, on the limestone-rich hillsides surrounding the village.
Vineyards and Farming
Roy farms about 5 hectares, much of it planted to extremely old vines of Savagnin and Poulsard, some up to 120 years old. He has also planted Chardonnay, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. Farming is organic and biodynamic.
Winemaking
In the cellar there is no place for any oenological product during fermentation. Roy uses native yeasts, adds no sulfur, and neither fines nor filters. Wines typically age around a year, beginning in vat and finishing in barrel.
The Wines
The range runs from Poulsard reds such as Merci to chiseled whites, even appearing in cans, all reflecting the collaborative, zero-intervention spirit of the estate and the limestone terroir of Poligny.
