Imanol Garay

History of Imanol Garay

Imanol Garay's story begins far from the vineyards, in the offices of a cooperage. Originally from San Sebastián, in the Spanish Basque Country, he spent nine years as commercial manager at Tonnellerie de l'Adour, traveling through France meeting producers. It was during these encounters that he discovered the world of natural wines and his vocation became clear. The meeting with Richard Leroy, an emblematic figure of Loire chenin, would be decisive: it opened his eyes to another way of making wine, respectful of life, guided by instinct rather than recipes.

In 2012, Imanol produced his first wine, Abiatu, a Madiran négociant wine, with the help of a friend. The success was immediate, the approach confirmed. He multiplied the cuvées, developed relationships of trust with partner winemakers, notably Jean from Domaine Pichard, whose grapes he vinifies in his own way. In 2016, he definitively left the cooperage to devote himself entirely to his craft as a winemaker. Gradually, he acquired his own vines: first 75 ares in Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, at the gates of the Irouléguy appellation, then a parcel in Orthez planted with Tannat and Raffiat de Moncade. Today, Imanol Garay produces around 9,000 bottles per year, divided into a range of cuvées as diverse as they are coherent, all driven by the same philosophy: let the terroir express itself freely.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Imanol Garay

What makes Imanol Garay's approach unique in the French wine landscape is his ability to embrace several terroirs at once, without borders or hierarchy. His vines and sourcing cover a geographical arc from Madiran to the Pyrenean foothills, from Navarre to Spanish Biscay, via Irouléguy and Béarn.

In France, the estate vines grow on two complementary terroirs. The Orthez parcel, on clay-limestone soils of the Béarn piedmont, hosts Tannat and Raffiat de Moncade, an extremely rare indigenous white grape variety whose name honors the founder of the city in the 13th century. The Irouléguy parcel, in Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, benefits from schistous terroir and altitude that bring freshness and minerality to the wines. For his négociant cuvées, Imanol sources from trusted winemakers in Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, territories of the Hautes-Pyrénées appellation where Tannat reigns supreme.

In Spain, he works with winemakers in Navarre, notably on high-altitude parcels producing exceptional Grenache and Tempranillo, and in Biscay, in the Bizkaiko Txakolina appellation, about thirty kilometers southwest of Bilbao. These vines, cultivated biodynamically since 2017, cling to 30% slopes between 200 and 285 meters altitude, offering slow and intense maturation conditions. All of these Pyrenean terroirs share a common signature: mineral soils, generous light, and an Atlantic breeze that preserves the natural freshness of the wines.

Vinification of Imanol Garay

Imanol Garay's winemaking philosophy can be summarized in one sentence: let nature express itself, without constraint. No chemical inputs, no artificial manipulation, at most a very small dose of sulfur depending on the vintage. The grapes are harvested by hand, carefully selected, and vinified with total freedom that gives each bottle its uniqueness.

In his cellar in Maslacq, near Orthez, Imanol experiments tirelessly from one year to the next. Degrees of maturity at harvest vary according to the years, blends evolve, maceration durations adapt to the vintage character and grape varieties worked. This intuitive approach, inherited from his numerous encounters with great natural winemakers, produces wines of disarming sincerity.

The diversity of aging vessels is a trademark of Imanol Garay: stainless steel tanks to preserve fruit and freshness, barrels to bring structure and depth, amphorae and stoneware jars for a silkier texture and enhanced minerality. Some cuvées undergo several types of aging throughout the experimentation process. This total freedom in technical choices gives each wine its own identity, a unique vibration. And if we had to mention one last distinctive feature, here's something that always surprises: Imanol cradles his wines to the sound of his piano, convinced that music, like the vine, participates in the life of the bottles.

The Cuvées of Imanol Garay

Abiatu: The founding cuvée, the most emblematic of the estate. Born in 2012, this red Vin de France is made from Tannat from the Madiran terroirs. Far from the harsh tannins sometimes associated with this grape variety, Imanol's Abiatu reveals a rich, structured wine, but with surprising elegance and freshness. Its aging, carried out depending on the vintage in tank, barrel or amphora, gives it a rare depth. A great aging cuvée, Abiatu is a reinvented Madiran, vibrant and generous, that can age serenely for several years in the cellar.

Ixilune: Imanol Garay's signature white. A variable blend around Petit Courbu, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, sometimes enhanced with a touch of Chenin or Tannat depending on the vintage, Ixilune is a Southwest white with power and minerality that rival the great Loire references. Some vintages are vinified as slightly sweet pétillant naturel, with fine bubbles and aromas of citrus and exotic fruits. A characterful wine, both festive and profound.

Clandestinus: Imanol's Spanish wine, crafted in Navarre from Grenache Noir and Graciano. After a maceration of about three weeks, it is aged eight to nine months in barrels. The result is a juicy, fruity, spicy red, with beautiful freshness and great drinkability. Perfect to accompany tapas or quality charcuterie, Clandestinus embodies Imanol's Iberian side with disarming naturalness.

Clandestinum: The amphora-aged version of Clandestinus. Same blend of Grenache Noir and Graciano, but aging in clay transforms the wine's texture: silkier, more mineral, more taut. The freshness is accentuated, the palate gains finesse. A more contemplative version, for lovers of meditation wines.

Hegan Egin: A cross-border and collective cuvée, born from Imanol's collaboration with two Spanish Basque winemakers, Alfredo and Guillermo, in the Bizkaiko Txakolina appellation. A blend of Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu) and Izkiriota Txikia (Petit Manseng), this atypical Txakoli comes from a one-hectare parcel cultivated biodynamically, on steep slopes between 200 and 285 meters altitude. The wine is golden, aromatic, taut, with citrus notes, ripe acidity and remarkable volume on the palate. An Atlantic white of great originality.

Saguzara: A Pinot Noir crafted in Navarre, with unexpected finesse and elegance at these latitudes. Fresh, delicate, with silky tannins, Saguzara reveals a more Burgundian facet of Imanol Garay. A wine of immediate pleasure, but with real aging potential.

Bi-Xoro: A collaboration cuvée between Imanol Garay and winemaker Matthieu Moulic. A rare blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat, macerated in open barrels for three to four weeks, then aged in amphora. A characterful wine, both powerful and elegant, that pushes the boundaries of appellations and conventions.