Beaujulie, an artistic winemaker by nature is a graphic novel created by Romanesque illustrator Delphine Chauvin. Based on testimonies from friends, this drawn work is a poetic evocation of the journey and personality of Julie Balagny, winemaker who died in July 2023.It was a friend who started this comic book project.indicates Delphine Chauvin, with the idea of telling anecdotes about Julie“.
Testimonials from friends and winegrowers of Julie Balagny
Started in December 2023, the realization of this graphic novel required several months of work to harvest, in the form of “informal discussions“, of the testimonials and memories from friends and winegrowers “who once crossed his path“, as mentioned in its preamble.
“I wanted to keep the spontaneity of the spoken word, with each person's little personal music, without rewriting, to tell different aspects of Julie's life.continues Delphine Chauvin. It is a simple and accessible object, not an editorial stunt. With a little Julie in the words.”
Structured around several illustrated chapters, the text evokes, in a humorous tone, the beginnings of Julie Balagny as a winemaker near Nîmes or her installation in Beaujolais in 2009, her approach to life through vines, wine and nature, but also the place where she lived, worked and hosted at “249” in Romanèche-Thorins.
Dedications to come
“This project was complicated. Julie would have hated people talking about her. It was important to respect both his privacy, his modesty and his humility“, testifies Delphine Chauvin. Between her and Julie Balagny, it is a story of friendship and a collaboration which lasted almost ten years.
Indeed, from 2014, it is she who creates the labels of the winemaker's different vintages, such as “Simone“, “Mammoth“, “Sex appeal“, “And Remont”, “Minouche“, “Françoise” or “Dancing Queen“. “It was a process of reflection between the two of us in advance, based on Julie's instructions, to illustrate her ideas.“, remembers Delphine Chauvin.
And as if to bring the place back to life once again, it is at “249” that Delphine Chauvin and friends of Julie Balagny have chosen to organize the launch of the book dedicated to him, on 1is last November, in the presence of numerous winegrowers, gathered for the occasion, around a tasting.
Published on behalf of the author, the book will be distributed during signings at wine merchants in Lyon or Paris in the coming months. Please note that the next dedication will take place on Thursday, November 14, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the reading café and wine bar La Mine in Romanèche-Thorins where the book will also be on deposit. A book to enjoy and share.
