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Herri Mina, Irouléguy Blanc

Other, France 2013 (750mL)
$29.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol
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Herri Mina, Irouléguy Blanc


If you were to head east from the Spanish town of San Sebastian and cruise the winding roads into the Pyrenees, in about an hour, you would arrive in the French appellation of Irouléguy. Granted AOC status in 1970, the Irouléguy appellation is contained in a mere 250 acres of cultivated vines. On the soaring slopes of the Pyrénées, this Basque wine is as distinct and independent as the region’s culture itself. One of the most awe-inspiring sites in Europe, the Pyrenees create something of a natural border between France and Spain as it extends from the Atlantic in the west to the Mediterranean in the east. The history of winemaking in the area goes back to at least the 3rd century when the Romans wrote of the quality they found in the region. A stone’s throw from the French-Spanish border, this microscopic AOC is firmly rooted in Basque culture and delivers all the flavorful wine and culinary delights that go along with it. The pull of this charmed local is so great that Jean-Claude Berrouet left Bordeaux after thirty years as winemaker of the legendary Château Pétrus to return to his native soil in Irouléguy. Here he founded his labor of love, “Herri Mina,” which translates from Basque to, “homesick country.”
 
Jean-Claude’s riveting white blend of traditional varietals Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Corbu delivers a wine like nothing you have ever tasted. Rooted in fairly steep south-facing slopes of the Pyrénées at around 400 feet in elevation, these grapes enjoy an ideal sunny aspect as well as climatic and flavor influences of the Atlantic Ocean. This astutely crafted wine is truly one of the best unoaked whites you will ever experience at its price. A sommelier’s dream, this bright and incredibly complex Irouléguy Blanc is infinitely versatile with food and delivers a price-to-quality that is an unbelievable value. 
 
The 2013 Herri Mina Irouléguy Blanc exhibits a bright yellow core with green reflections on the rim. The nose is powerful and mineral-driven with aromas of preserved salted lemon, white green peach pit, lime zest, lemon blossom, yellow mango peel, cantaloupe rind, white button mushrooms, lees and finely crushed white rocks. To describe the aromas is not easy because the complexity, minerality, and concentration almost is incomprehensible. The medium-bodied wine drives deep into the palate with earth, high acidity and focused minerals. It unleashes flavors of green peach, yellow apple, preserved lemon and lemon blossoms, kaffir lime zest, green pineapple core, unripe papaya and delivers an incredibly long finish. Although this wine is simply stunning, you must love acid and minerality in your wine. This will undoubtedly scare off your typical California Chardonnay drinking friends, I assure you. This wine is in dire need of air when you remove the cork. So, decant for one hour and serve at cellar temperature in Bordeaux stems to properly experience the lovely texture and full aromatic spectrum. This wine should drinking beautifully over the next decade and will hit its peak in 3-5 years. However, there is no guilt in consuming this wine now as long as you give it enough air. A simple salad with citrus vinaigrette will evolve into the best greens you have ever tasted with one sip. However, I recommend this recipe for Salmon Belly that will blow the minds of your guests when paired with this wine.

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Country
France
Region
Other
Sub-Region
FranceIrouléguy
Soil
Sand, Clay and Iron
Blend
Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu and Petit Manseng
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
Organic

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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