Irouléguy AOC

It was boosted by monks of the Abbey of Roncesvalles in the 11th century who planted the first large scale vineyards to provide wine for pilgrims travelling along the Way of St James.

The 18th century saw relatively high levels of employment in the area due to increased mining activity, further boosting the consumption and thus production of local wine.

But the following period was marked by constant decline and the vineyards were hit hard by the Great French Wine Blight in 1912 and by the 1980s, only some 70ha were still in cultivation.

[2] Prior to AOC certification, a much larger number of varieties were grown, including Kroxenta, Pikapota, Kamalua, Mantzinga, Bordalesa, Erre Mantxaua and Pino beltza.

This has led to the development of special growing and terracing techniques by Basque wine-growers to enable the cultivation of vines on these slopes.