'En roue libre' translates to 'freewheeling,' or cycling in a neutral gear: a nod to Ducroux's passion for competitive cycling, as well as hands-off, freewheeling viticulture and winemaking. The grapes are hand-harvested and then undergo the traditional whole-bunch carbonic maceration. Spontaneous fermentation, aging on fine lees in concrete vat for 8 months. 

Thibault Ducroux

Thibault Ducroux grew up with vines as a constant presence. The son of legendary Beaujolais vigneron Christian Ducroux, he spent his childhood in the cellar, absorbing the rhythms of harvest and fermentation long before he considered winemaking a profession. What began as familiarity quickly became fascination, and by the time he was old enough to choose a path, the direction was already clear.

After completing a classical viticulture and enology education in Beaujolais, Thibault began to question the conventions he had been taught. The turning point came through the writings of Jules Chauvet, whose work offered a radically different way of thinking about wine — one rooted in observation, restraint, and trust in the living systems of vineyard and cellar. Chauvet’s ideas resonated deeply and led Thibault toward the circle of Beaujolais growers who were quietly redefining the region, including Jean-Claude Lapalu, Michel Guignier, Isabelle and Bruno Perraud, and Valentin Morel in the Jura.

With his studies complete, Thibault apprenticed with Julien Sunier, where he refined his approach to organic farming and low-intervention winemaking. In parallel, he acquired his first parcel of vines — just 1.25 hectares in the Beaujolais AOC — releasing his inaugural wine in 2019. Named En Roue Libre (“Freewheeling”), the cuvée reflects both a hands-off philosophy in the cellar and Thibault’s lifelong love of cycling, a passion that still shapes his weekends when time allows.

The domaine took a significant step forward in 2020 with the long-term lease of an additional five hectares of old Gamay vines in the Morgon and Fleurie crus. Farmed organically and awaiting certification, these vineyards are planted at high density and average around fifty years of age, conditions that naturally lend depth and structure to the wines. In the cellar, Thibault works with whole-cluster carbonic maceration, indigenous yeasts, and a light touch, allowing each site to speak clearly. The resulting wines are precise, energetic, and unmistakably Beaujolais — grounded in tradition, yet shaped by a new generation with a clear sense of purpose.