Domaine Arretxea - Haitza 2013
Domaine Arretxea (which means "stone house" in Basque) is located in the town of Irouléguy, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region. It is one of the smallest vineyards in France, and the only one in the Basque country. The Estate was created in the 1990s, with the first vinification in 1993. Today, Arretxea cultivates 5 hectares of vines, in terraces and hillsides at the foot of the Jarra Mountain: 3.5 hectares of White, 4 hectares of Red and 1 hectare of Rosé. The vineyard has been certified in organic farming since 1998 and now works in biodynamics.
The cuvée Haitza (“oak” in Basque) is a blend of Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon harvested manually and cultivated on a terroir made of sandstone, schites, ampelites and ophites. The grapes are destemmed then fermented with indigenous yeasts, without inputs. The maceration lasts 3 weeks and is followed by aging on fine lees in wooden tuns for about 18 months. This wine has an aging potential of 10 to 20 years, and it is advisable to decant it before tasting.
Grape variety: Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon