Domaine Arretxea - Sandstone 2022
Domaine Arretxea (which means "the stone house" in Basque) is located in the commune of Irouléguy , in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is one of the smallest vineyards in France, and the only one in the Basque country. The Domaine 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 .
Grès is a blend of Petit Manseng (70%) and Gros Manseng (30%) from mass selection . This vintage represents the micaceous sandstone terroir, exposed to the west and southwest at the foot of the Jara mountain. The wine is aged in 1,200-liter tuns for 10 months , followed by 12 months in the bottle .
Grape varieties: 70% Petit Manseng, 30% Gros Manseng