Domaine Brana "Ilori" - Irouléguy Blanc 2021

Domaine Brana is located in the tiny appellation of Irouléguy, in the extreme southwest of France in the Pyreness within the French Basque country. In 1984, Étienne Brana was one of the first to plant vines on a meaningful scale in over a century in this area. The vines are planted along very narrow terraces cut out of the steep hillsides. Today the estate is run by Étienne's children, Jean and Martine, who often work with Jean-Claude Berrouet, the former winemaker at Château Pétrus. Jean Brana’s farming philosophy could be called bio-diverse: encouraging the natural flora and fauna to co-exist with the vines. The result has been the return of insects and birds that haven’t been seen in the vineyard for years, as well as one hundred and ten plant species that co-habit with the vines. To celebrate this development, Jean redesigned all the wine labels so that each one features one of the indigenous birds found in the vineyards. The estate is HVE (Haut Valeur Environnementale) certified: a French three-tiered system that focuses on increasing biodiversity, decreasing use and impact of pesticides and fungicides, managing fertilizer use and improving water management.

Brana’s Ilori blanc displays a brilliant pale gold with green reflections and golden highlights. Expressive on the nose, this wine opens with ripe pear and white peach laced with citrus. A deeper inhale reveals hints of honeysuckle, dried flowers and alpine herbs. The palate is vivid and harmonious, offering a beautiful marriage of ripe white fruits, a textured floral beeswax component and mouth-puckering grapefruit acidity. Secondary notes of quince and honeydew unfold over a crisp mineral backbone, finishing long with a subtle, saline edge. Versatile on the table, pair with most seafood dishes, light pastas or herb-roasted chicken.