O2Y began as a collaboration between Olivier Guala, Yves Roy and Yoshi Kuroda, a trio originating from France and Japan, making wine in the town of Poligny, Jura. Yves now has his own winery, ‘Nøvice’, and Yoshi works for Emmanuel Houillon at Domaine Overnoy. Olivier continues at the helm of O2Y, working with Romain Doerler, a young winemaker from Alsace. Olivier, originally from Jura, has a long-standing passion for wine and cars. His previous career saw him restoring and distributing classic automobiles and in the O2Y cellar, barrels and vats stand alongside vintage cars. Finding vines in Jura is a challenge due to both the popularity of the region and the changing climate, and it’s unsurprising that O2Y began by using négoce grapes, meticulously sourced from biodynamic vineyards across Alsace, Savoie, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Jura and Languedoc-Roussillon. In 2023, O2Y acquired its own small selection of vines in Arbois and Poligny, planted with Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau and Savagnin.
Nez Ô Bulles 2023 is the first pétillant naturel from O2Y, a 50/50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Belleville-en-Beaujolais. Roussanne is named after the colour of its ripened, reddish-gold grapes, from the French roux meaning russet. A key grape for white blends in northern Rhône and traditionally blended with Marsanne, although typically a higher proportion of Marsanne is used.