Irouléguy

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical area lies in Basse-Navarre at the foot of the Pyrenees, approximately forty kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean, in a mountain sector whose peaks reach between 800 and 1,200 metres in altitude.
• The red Triassic sandstones, found notably in the Arradoy massif that dominates Saint-Jean Pied de Port, create steep relief with sharp gradients and soils that are acidic, poor, and free-draining.
• The ophites — basic rocks of volcanic origin dating from the Triassic — form heavily weathered hillocks associated with leached, acidic soils rich in mineral elements.
• The Jurassic limestones, present locally notably in the commune of Irouléguy, form steeply sloping terrain and soils that are stony and well-structured.
• The climate is characterised by an annual rainfall of 1,500 millimetres and a warm, dry southerly wind of foehn type, the Haïze Hegoa, which blows on average one day in three in late summer and autumn.

• At the end of the thirteenth century, the monks of the monastery of Roncevaux built the priories of Irouléguy and Anhaux and established vine cultivation there on well-exposed and sheltered slopes.
• The vineyard reached more than 1,000 hectares in the nineteenth century thanks to its reputation, with wine exported through the port of Bayonne, before falling to just 30 hectares in 1950 under the combined effects of fungal diseases and the wars; wines are currently produced over approximately 230 hectares.

• The red wines are often deeply coloured and tannic, and possess good ageing potential owing to their structure, with dominant tannins in youth that soften after élevage.
• The aromatic expression of the red wines, generally centred on fruit, often evolves towards complex aromas of candied fruit and spice.
• The rosé wines develop fruity aromas and a good balance between richness and acidity, thanks to the use of plots selected for their good ripeness and healthy fruit.
• The white wines are marked by aromatic intensity, often recalling exotic fruits on the nose, with a richness well balanced by an acidity characteristic of the influence of the local climate.

• The warm, dry foehn wind known as the haize hegoa, which blows frequently in autumn, promotes grape ripening while preserving the healthy condition of the harvest.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 27 février 2024
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — IVSO — Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest