Domaine Arretxea - Haitza 2021
Domaine Arretxea (which means “the stone house” in Basque) is located in the town of Irouléguy , in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is one of the smallest vineyards in France, and the only one in the Basque country. The estate was created in the 1990s by Thérèse and Michel Riouspeyrous, with the first vinification in 1993. Today, Arretxea cultivates 5 hectares of vines, on 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 organic since 1998 and now works biodynamically .
Haitza is a blend of Tannat (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%) , grown on red sandstone terroir. Maceration and fermentation take place in concrete vats . The wine is aged for 18 months in barrels .