Jean-Baptiste Courdesses

The French-born Basket Range winemaker shares the influences behind Jean Bouteille Wines.

- WORDS GEORGIA CONDON

Was wine always on the cards for you? No! I'm from the southwest of France, about 45 minutes north of Toulouse, which is the HQ for Airbus. After leaving school, I did engineering and aeronautical studies, but I was bored, so I left. I randomly walked into a little wine shop, they offered me a job, and that was my introduction to the industry. I very quickly got the bug, and went on to study winemaking in Bordeaux. You can spend a lifetime looking for your passion, so I feel quite lucky that it happened this way.