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2021 Irouléguy Rouge “Cuvée Haitza”
Maison Arretxea
Hello darkness, my old friend…We’re talking inky black and purple hue here, so dark you’d think it’d stain your glass, not to mention your teeth. But surprise, surprise, it’s not the brooding beast you expect it to be, but is rather chock-full of peppy acidity, bursting with fruit while being deliciously and devilishly drinkable! Rustic and jovial all at once.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 70% Tannat, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Appellation: | Irouléguy |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southwest |
Producer: | Maison Arretxea |
Winemaker: | Thérese & Michel Riouspeyrous |
Vineyard: | 20 years, 2 ha |
Soil: | Sandstone |
Aging: | Aged for 16 months on the lees in foudre and 400 to 600-L demi-muid |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Irouléguy Blanc “Hegoxuri”
France | Southwest
Any lover of whites from Chablis or the Loire should try this white made of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu.

2023 Cahors
France | Southwest
September Adventures Club ~ Today, the 2023 is a robust, tightly coiled rouge balanced by notes of dark fruit, plum, earth, and eucalyptus. It’s sure to unfurl slowly over the next twenty years.

2023 Irouléguy Rouge
France | Southwest
Imagine a red straddling the Loire, Médoc, and Madiran with Basque flair and a Pyrenean freshness. You’ll see that Irouléguy is in a world apart.

2021 Irouléguy Rouge ”Dolia”
France | Southwest
This inky, tooth-staining Tannat blend is structured and deep, with a bright acidity and an abundance of wild dark fruits and black cardamon.

2023 Cahors
France | Southwest
La Grave is one of the rare Cahors to consist exclusively of the native Malbec. Without any Merlot to soften it, this Cahors is decidedly old-fashioned.
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