Irouléguy is an appellation in extreme southwest France, in the Pyrenees Mountains and right on the border with Spain. This is French Basque Country, ethnically and historically connected with El País Vasco in Spain. Thérese & Michel Riouspeyrous, and now their sons Iban and Teo, farm their steep, terraced, mineral-rich vineyards organically. Their Irouléguy Rouge is majority tannat, with dashes of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Tannat is the star variety of Irouléguy (and nowadays the most widely-planted variety in Uruguay, where it was brought by Basque immigrants in the 19th century.) It’s a grape that gives deep color, tannin, and acidity, all deftly balanced in this wine: dark berries, spice, mouth-watering acidity, discreet tannins, and a whiff of forest-floor earthiness. Think slightly rustic Bordeaux with its hair tousled. It’s a good, heartier addition to the Thanksgiving table, or drink it with cassoulet.
