Jean-Baptiste Duquesne and the Vignerons Bordeaux Pirate. “We will no longer make wine the way we used to” | Les quatre saisons du vin

By César Compadre et Mathieu Hervé

Jean-Baptiste Duquesne, owner of Château Cazebonne in Saint-Pierre-de-Mons since 2016, is the guest on the podcast "Les quatre saisons du vin". He presents his vision of Bordeaux wine and his involvement in the collective "Union des Vignerons Bordeaux Pirate". Duquesne believes that the Bordeaux wine industry has failed to innovate and showcase talented winemakers. He advocates for a reinvention of the craft, challenging the legal definitions that, in his view, stifle creativity.

Jean-Baptiste Duquesne, at the helm of Château Cazebonne in Graves since 2016, is interviewed on the podcast "Les quatre saisons du vin". He shares his philosophy on Bordeaux wine, asserting that he does not produce a traditional "Bordeaux" but a "Bordeaux pirate". This iconoclastic approach lies at the heart of his commitment within the collective "Union des Vignerons Bordeaux Pirate", which he co-founded in 2019 alongside other winemakers such as Laurent David of château Edmus, Laurent Cassy of Château Chillac and Fabien Lapeyre of Château La Peyre. The collective now brings together around forty members. Duquesne strongly criticises the Bordeaux region for its inability to create a "third way" that would spotlight innovative winemakers and wines offering excellent value for money. He denounces the sector's inertia, which he attributes in part to the legal definitions of wine that hinder creativity and the modernisation of the profession. His message highlights the necessity of reinventing winegrowing practices in the face of an evolving market, and breaking away from traditional methods to adapt to consumer expectations.