Domaine Arretxea Cuvee Haitza Irouleguy 2021 750 ML

The Basque country lies along the southwestern border of France and Spain, deep in the dramatic Pyrenees mountains. The vineyards are planted at 400m above sea level. Although Irouleguy was awarded its own A.O.C. in 1970, by the late twentieth century, most of the remaining vignerons were selling to the local cooperative. nnMichel Riouspeyrous is a native Basque. He met his Alsatian future wife Therese while on a charity mission to Africa. On their return to France they got married and decided to start their own domaine by renting two hectares of vineyards. Domaine Arretxea (meaning the stone house) was born. Since 1993 they have eradicated the use of chemicals, pesticides and any synthetic sprays in their vineyard. Once certified as organic, Therese and Michel pushed on towards the next logical progression: biodynamics. Therese and Michel Riouspeyrous work everyday as a team in the vineyard, in the cellar or in their tiny but well frequented cosy tasting room. They are the most generous people you could ever meet and the love for their work, their vineyards and their wines shines through.n”If the mother of the wine is the soil, then the climate is the father.” This is how the Riouspeysrous explain the way vines in a same small parcel of land react differently and even produce different grapes. It is all due to the vast mosaic of soils and to the different aspects of the terroirs – that they have very closely studied. That’s what gives a unique taste to their magnificent wine.