ABOUT THE PRODUCER: La Cave d’Irouleguy
La Cave d’Irouleguy, the smallest cooperative in France, was founded in 1952 by a handful of passionate men. It is the first producer of the AOC Irouléguy (recognized in 1970) and is essential to the economic vitality of the area. It represents 60% of the appellation’s vineyards – 150 hectares to date, and around 40 winegrowers. They give the coop the totality of their production, renouncing any individual bottling. For the consumer, this is the guarantee of a high and constant level of quality.
There are as many terroirs as there are winegrowers. This is the particularity of the Irouléguy mountain vineyard : a multitude of small plots on very diverse soils (light soils on red sandstone of the Trias, clay soils on ophite of the Keuper, limestone soils, schist soils,…). The vineyard is located on the southern slopes of the Western Pyrenees at an altitude between 200m and 400m. Two thirds of the vines are planted in terraces, which impose the tradition of manual work. The grapes are all harvested by hand. The winegrowers follow specifications that are more restrictive than those of the appellation, particularly in terms of yield and preservation of nature.
Farming practices: Several winegrowers have committed themselves to organic farming. Today, 50 hectares are Certified Organic and a few dozen more are in conversion. The Kattalin range (rosé, white and red) is organic and the Gabe is an organic red wine without added sulfites.
