Name: The Bywaters 2019 Bretaudeau | La Justice Recipe
Cook time: 72 h
Total time: 72 h
Yield: 26 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 20 kg Melon de Bourgogne grapes (whole cluster); 5 ml Winemaking sulfur dioxide (50% solution); 5 g Yeast nutrient (di-ammonium phosphate or commercial nutrient); 5 g Selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (dry); 1 g Potassium metabisulfite (for SO2 target adjustment); 0.5 g Tartaric acid (for acid adjustment, if needed); 1 g Pectolytic enzyme; 2 l Cold water (if diluting for small lab batch); 3 g Fine bentonite (for protein stability, optional); 1 unit Neutral oak staves or old French oak barrel (for élevage); 0 g Potassium sorbate (if sweetening/stabilizing, optional); 30 mg Sodium metabisulfite (for final SO2 addition); 26 unit Corks or screwcaps

Jacques Lassaigne | La Colline inspire Brut Nature

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

(richer style of) Muscadet | Melon de Bourgogne

Harvest Melon de Bourgogne grapes at target ripeness (approximately 10.5–12.5° Brix for a classic Muscadet with bright acidity). Immediately sort fruit on arrival: remove any damaged, raisined or unripe clusters. Keep fruit cool and process same day to preserve freshness.

Harvest and sorting

Crush or leave grapes whole-cluster depending on desired phenolic extraction. Add 5 ml of 50% SO2 solution to the receiving bin (approx. 30 ppm target on a 20 kg small-batch scale) to limit oxidation and microbial spoilage prior to pressing.

SO2 addition

Add 1 g pectolytic enzyme to the must to improve juice yield and clarification. At inoculation, add 5 g of yeast nutrient to support a healthy fermentation and 5 g of active dry Saccharomyces cerevisiae rehydrated per manufacturer's instructions.

Enzyme and nutrient additions

Press grapes gently using a basket or pneumatic press. Aim for a slow, incremental pressure run to collect free run first, then a light press fraction. Collect total juice volume (expect roughly 12–14 L from 20 kg depending on press efficiency). Keep juice cold (10–12°C) prior to fermentation to limit phenolic uptake.

Pressing

Measure TA and pH. If acidity is low, adjust with up to 0.5 g tartaric acid dissolved in a small portion of juice and mix thoroughly. If protein stability is a concern, dose bentonite (3 g) as a bench trial and treat if necessary. If additional SO2 is needed to reach a free SO2 of ~30 ppm, add appropriate potassium metabisulfite (approximately 1 g on this small batch) and measure.

Juice analysis and adjustment

Allow juice to cold-settle at 8–12°C for 12–24 hours to clarify. Rack off gross lees to a clean fermentation vessel, leaving heavy solids behind to avoid off-aromas.

Settling (débourbage)

Bring clarified juice to fermentation temperature 15–18°C for a cool, aromatic fermentation. Inoculate with the rehydrated yeast. Maintain temperature and monitor Brix/°Baumé daily. Fermentation should be slow and steady, taking 7–14 days for completion to dryness (residual sugar <2 g/L). Add yeast nutrient as needed per fermentation kinetics.

Inoculation and primary fermentation

When fermentation is complete and volatile acidity is acceptable, rack wine off gross lees into a clean vessel. Optionally transfer to a neutral French oak barrel or add neutral oak staves to emulate Bretaudeau's richer, slightly textural Muscadet style ('La Justice').

Post-fermentation racking

Age the wine on fine lees (sur lie) for 6–9 months at cool cellar temperatures (10–15°C). Stir the lees gently (bâtonnage) periodically — for a richer style do bâtonnage monthly or every 2–3 weeks for the first 2–3 months to build mouthfeel and complexity. Avoid excessive oxygen exposure during rackings.

Sur lie ageing (elevage)

After élevage, cold stabilize if necessary to prevent tartrate crystals. If protein instability remains, consider a light bentonite fining trial and apply minimal effective dose. Taste and measure free SO2; target a free SO2 of 25–35 ppm for bottling. Add sodium metabisulfite to reach target (30 mg on this small batch as a guideline).

Final adjustments and filtration

Clarify and sterile filter if desired. Bottle under inert gas to minimize oxygen pickup. Use quality corks or screwcaps. Fill approximately 26 standard 750 ml bottles from this 20 kg bench batch (yield assumptions vary). Label and allow at least several weeks for bottle integration before release; for optimal expression of a richer Muscadet style, allow 3–6 months post-bottling.

Bottling

Melon de Bourgogne grapes (whole cluster)

Winemaking sulfur dioxide (50% solution)

Yeast nutrient (di-ammonium phosphate or commercial nutrient)

Selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (dry)

Potassium metabisulfite (for SO2 target adjustment)

Tartaric acid (for acid adjustment, if needed)

Pectolytic enzyme

Cold water (if diluting for small lab batch)

Fine bentonite (for protein stability, optional)

Neutral oak staves or old French oak barrel (for élevage)

Potassium sorbate (if sweetening/stabilizing, optional)

Sodium metabisulfite (for final SO2 addition)

Corks or screwcaps

2019 Bretaudeau | La Justice

Mint julep

Sazerac

Hurricane

encouraged us to order a cup for dunking, which turned out to be a key component to fully enjoy these puffy fried pastries.

Verve coffee

will convert anyone who claims not to like this dessert.

Chocolate bread pudding

the broth made with shrimp and sausage sitting below the crisp-skinned fillet.

Red snapper courtbouillon

Make 2019 Bretaudeau | La Justice Recipe in just 72h . (richer style of) Muscadet | Melon de Bourgogne

2019 Bretaudeau | La Justice Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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