Herri Mina | Irouleguy

Jean-Claude Berrouet is an Irouléguy native who left home in the early 1960s to serve as the winemaker and chief technical director at Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix. He made wine at Château Pétrus for over 40 years before he retired and decided to return back home to the 4.5 acres of vineyard he had purchased and planted during the late 1990s.

Many of the region's wines are labeled in the Basque language, and Berrouet chose a Basque name for his wine: Herri Mina. Herri means Country and Mina means homesick, thus together the name Herri Mina stands for 'nostalgia'. Berrouet explains: "The choice of this name was very symbolic. I am sentimental, and buying this property was the best way for me to rediscover my roots. I am the youngest son of a Basque family from Itxassou, who gave me a love of our beautiful region with its strong cultural heritage. I wanted to return there to explore my passion for wine and the vine.”