The Côte-Rôtie appellation, with vineyard origins dating back to Roman times, is one of the oldest in France. Divided between the softer, more supple Côte Blonde and the more structured Côte Brune, this mosaic of terroirs gives rise to wines of remarkable complexity. The Pirate cuvée is Jean-Luc Jamet’s free-spirited interpretation: sourced from parcels just outside the Côte-Rôtie appellation but farmed to the same exacting standards, it brings together vines from nearby sites on granite and schist soils. These poor, well-drained soils lend the wine its minerality, tension and depth. Vinification follows traditional methods, with manual harvests, partial destemming depending on the vintage, and fermentation in stainless steel vats with gentle punch-downs to preserve the fruit. The wine is then aged in oak casks, including a proportion of new oak, for around 18 months.
In the glass, the wine displays an intense ruby hue with purplish glints. The expressive, refined nose reveals aromas of violet, black pepper, dark fruit and a subtle smoky note. Slender and precise on the palate, the wine shows fine tannins, vibrant tension and a long, saline finish.