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2020 Irouléguy Blanc “Hegoxuri”
Domaine Arretxea
Any lover of whites from Chablis or the Loire should try this white made of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu. It is brimming with energy from its fresh acidity, which is backed by a generous structure and hints of citrus and green almond. I love to pull the cork now to experience the invigorating aroma of crushed stone, but I also know that a few years of age will give something of supreme, exotic complexity. Either way, your guests will be dumbfounded as to the origin of this wine.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Gros Manseng, 35% Petit Manseng, 5% Petit Courbu |
Appellation: | Irouléguy |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southwest |
Producer: | Maison Arretxea |
Winemaker: | Thérese & Michel Riouspeyrous |
Vineyard: | 15 to 20 years, 3 ha |
Soil: | Sandstone |
Aging: | Fermentation and aging in foudre, 600-L demi-muid (40%), and the rest in stainless steel |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
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About The Producer
Maison Arretxea
About The Region
Southwest
Tucked away beneath Bordeaux and buffeted by the Pyrenees to the south, this expansive region of France, commonly known as the Southwest, is home to a diverse number of viticulture and gastronomic traditions as well as cultures. Though Cahors might be the most well known (and easiest to pronounce) appellation from the Southwest, the importance and influence of French Basque culture cannot be underestimated. Irouléguy, the primary appellation of the Basque region of France produces full-bodied, hearty red wines, produced from Tannat grape (known for its tannic qualities). Dry whites from Irouléguy are also produced from Petit and Gros Manseng. Northeast of Irouléguy is the sweet wine-producing appellation of Jurançon. These moelleux wines made from Petit and Gros Manseng have a storied history in France, from being the first wine region to have a vineyard classification, which dates back to the 154th century, to being preferred wine of royalty dating back to the 16th century as well as the French poet Colette.
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Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch