Thérèse and Michel Riouspeyrous returned to the heart of the Pyrenean mountains in 1989 to revive the family farm. Previously, it was not mixed farming and livestock that sustained it, but vines, in the village of Irouléguy – today the only AOP in the French Basque Country. The couple took over Michel’s grandfather’s estate.
Following painstaking work involving terracing, planting new vines and developing the winery, the estate now extends over 12 hectares. The vineyards are planted to Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for the reds, and Petit and Gros Manseng alongside Petit Courbu for the whites. The estate adopted of both organic and biodynamic practices long before such approaches became widespread. Through passion and perseverance, the Riouspeyrous – now joined by their sons Iban and Téo – have become a benchmark of Irouléguy and a leading reference in South West France, celebrated for its expressive organic and biodynamic wines.

Nestled in the heart of the Basque Country, Irrouléguy is one of the oldest vineyards in South West France. Pantxuri fully expresses the unique Basque identity. Ideally exposed to the south and south-west, the Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng vines grow on well-drained, low-fertility schist soils, which bring mineral tension to the wine. Manual harvests are followed by careful sorting to retain only the healthiest, ripest bunches. In the winery, fermentation is carried out by native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. Ageing on fine lees, partly in vats and partly in seasoned casks, contributes fullness and complexity.
In the glass, the pale yellow hue introduces a floral, fruit-driven nose offering notes of white flowers, apple, pear and fresh herbs, lifted by a fine mineral edge. On the palate, a generous and precise structure reveals a perfect balance between saline tension and delicately fruit-driven flavours.