Vineyards & Viticulture
Irouléguy, an AOC since 1970, is a tiny Basque appellation on the foothills of the Pyrénées in southwest France. Jean-Claude Berrouet purchased 2.8 hectares in nearby Ispoure, 0.9 of which is planted to red varietals, naming it with the Basque words for country (herri) and homesick (mina) in 1992. The vines are planted on the steep, 60-degree (on average) south-facing slopes no higher than 120 meters above sea level, and no chemicals have been used since 2002. The vines enjoy the climatic influence of the Atlantic, but are protected from cold north wind and receive more sunshine than most other French vineyard regions.

Soils
Sandstone

Harvest & Vinification
Grapes are manually harvested into small crates and carefully sorted. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, then matured in barriques, 10% new. The wine is aged for 16 months, with racking every four months, then bottled after gentle filtration.