
JOY HILL
FRELIGHSBURG, QUEBEC
Located at an altitude of 300 metres, at the top of the famous “Joy Hill” coast in Frelighsburg, Québec, the vineyard of Maison Agricole Joy Hill benefits from a south-facing orientation, multiple hillsides, magnificent and varied flora and fauna, as well as the influence of the majestic Mount Pinnacle to the east. It is a place where the sunsets are flamboyant and where nature is beautiful and generous. It was in 2017 when Justine Therrien and Julien Niquet bought this land, with the ambition of making it a place where life, sharing and joy would take precedence over everything else. It was therefore natural for them to name this precious place with the same name as the coast that runs along it, the coast of joy. There, Justine and Julien planted 37,000 vitis vinifera vines over the course of 3 years. The selection of grape varieties was made naturally, simply by thinking about the grape varieties that they like to drink. Their instinct told them that these varieties would grow well on Joy Hill, and indeed, they did not disappoint! Their vineyard consists of Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, Gamay, Gamaret, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay, planted in soils made up of sand, silt, clay and shale. It is a stony soil, filled with metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, which is a delight for the vines and their roots.
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​When it comes to viticulture and winemaking, the ethos is “simple.” The better the soil is treated and the more the ecosystem is enriched, the better the vine will be and the better the grapes will be. This is why Justine and Julien cultivate organically and are in conversion to biodynamics. They see nature as a whole of which we are an integral part. It has challenged them to find sustainable and regenerative solutions to the many problems encountered in viticulture, while inspiring them to become better winegrowers, and ultimately, better humans. When it comes to winemaking, there is a natural segue from vineyard to cellar, where they favour a less-is-more approach, no filtration or fining, and minimal-to-no sulphur additions. In both the vineyard and the cellar, instinct prevails over scientific correctness. As growers and winemakers, Justine and Julien are constantly evolving from one vintage to the next, which is why the vintages are expected to change over time as well.