2022 Jean Bouteille Pirate
WINEMAKER: Jean-Baptiste Courdesses
REGION: Barossa Valley, SA
VARIETAL: Merlot, Semillon
VITICULTURE: Organic
Easily the best yet from JB, very impressive stuff, Romuald Valot-esque. "Pirate is a field blend of 80% Merlot with 20% Semillon from Jeff organically farmed vineyard in Vine vale, East of the Barossa. Vines grown on deep sand over red clay and benefits from a good diurnal temperature to help phenolic ripeness. Jeff has been managing his vineyard organically without any herbicides, pesticides, fungicides & other chemicals for more than 20 years. Spray of Sulfur & Copper are very few due to a dry & windy growing season which help keep the disease pressure low.
Both grappes are hand picked on the same day & whole bunch tipped into a stainless steel tank to undergo a carbonic maceration for one week & topped with some straight press Merlot juice. After that week the fermentationcstarted & the ferment had one day of foot stomping to extract some colour & aromatic & break down the carbonic effect. Pressed in a horizontal bag press and finish the fermentation in stainless tank." - JB
After years lapsing around the world making wine / beer /sake / farming, Jean-Baptiste Courdesses created a winery in Basket Range since 2020, crafting wines exclusively from organically grown grapes, focus on regenerative practice and made naturally without any additions, fining nor filtration but only grape juice : Pur Jus Wines. Based on intuitive reaction & natural instincts decisions, our wines reflect the place and the character of the grape variety only permitted by a farming respectful of the environment and the fauna, flora.