Imanol Garay

The Imanol Garay estate

Tasting the wines of Imanol Garay is like meeting the winemaker in person, you won't feel indifferent! Almost common portrait with our founder Clément Chevrier, passionate about cycling, lover of encounters with those who make natural wine, Imanol Garay is an authentic, frank and endearing character. Like his wines from the Pyrenean and Basque regions. To discover absolutely if it is not already done!

The story of Imanol Garay

It is in the South-West that Epi-curieux.com went to look for wines with overflowing energy. Imanol Garay is not the son of a winegrower, but he learned over the years, over the meetings he was able to make, that this was what he wanted to become; a natural winemaker. Imanol has experienced the "dark side", as he likes to say, of chemicals. He first graduated in Industrial Chemical Engineering, before starting his retraining phase. He was initially a salesman for the Adour cooperage. It is thanks to this part of his life that he has been enriched by the encounters he has been able to make, in the world of natural wine. In particular with a great gentleman in the middle, Richard Leroy. Meetings that have, over time, brought him the love of the Earth, of the living, of clean wine, and of the people who make it. Imanol Garay is originally from San Sebastian, but it is indeed on the lands of Madiran, in Orthez, that he settled.

The artist Imanol Garay

He first began his emancipation as a winegrower, by creating his trading activity in the South West. Not wanting to choose with his country of origin, and the one where he puts his suitcases, Imanol Garay will buy grapes from the Spanish side (high altitude grapes in Navarre, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, etc.) and in France. Now a friend, he will also buy grapes from Jean, from the Pichard estate, a different vision of wine, but a certain mutual respect. Imanol then decided to make Jean's grapes in his own way, in a natural and respectful way.
He produces his wines over the course of his encounters, on the lands of the Pyrenees. But Imanol Garay did not stop at buying grapes, he also took off, and planted vines in the Irouléguy appellation, as well as a small plot in Orthez (Tannat and Raffiat de Moncade, a grape variety rare autochthonous). Very sensitive to nature, to the connections he may have with, Imanol is more than respectful. He listens to his vines, they are free to express themselves. Based in Orthez, in his cellar, where his creativity explodes, Imanol Garay experiments with each of his vintages. The degrees of maturity of the grapes evolve, the blends differ, the aging is carried out in different containers such as stainless steel vats, sandstone jars, barrels or even amphorae. And in addition to pampering his vines, pampering them to their true worth, Imanol cradles his wines to the sweetness of the musical notes of his piano. A cellar worth the detour!
Just for you, here are the different vintages of Imanol Garay, selected by your favorite Epi-curieux.com team.

The Imanol Garay wines

Imanol Garay has produced a juice with overflowing energy, with destabilizing aromas, with the Ixilune bottle. This blend of Raffiat de Moncade, Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng is a great white wine from the lands of Jurançon, a wine that deserves to be kept in the cellar for a while.
Imanol does not forget his roots, and it is in the Spanish Basque Country that he went to get the grapes for this bottle. Clandestinus is vinified directly there by the great Imanol Garay, then it is repatriated to France during the aging period. Half Grenache Noire, half Graciano, this 3-week maceration is aged 8 to 9 months in barrels before being bottled. Fruity, spicy, the perfect juice to pair with tapas!
He still surprises us with this Tabularaza bottle, produced in tandem with Matthieu Moulic. Tannat, yes but not the one you know, only 12 hours of fermentation, before pressing, and 10% more Sémillon, for a fluid, fruity, dangerously delicious wine!
Hegan Egin is the alliance of three winegrowers: Gile, Alfredo and Imanol, under the Bizkaiko Txakolina appellation, 30 kilometers away south-west of Bilbao (Spain). Blend of Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng, to make this impressive wine. A perfect set (power, fruit, pure, etc.) for a wine to keep for years.
Bi-Xoro is Imanol Garay's second bottle produced in tandem with Matthieu Moulic. It is a rare blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat, maceration in open barrels (3-4 weeks), aged in amphora… In short, another atypical bottle! Not to be confused with Clandestinus, Imanol Garay created Clandestinum! The difference? It is played on breeding, Clandestinum is raised in amphora. Freshness guaranteed! Altelmativa is Imanol's Sparkling Wine! A juice with fine bubbles, with a color similar to a Pinot Noir, this sparkling Tannat (very colorful grape variety) remains very fresh and thirst-quenching.
Very very limited edition on this Infusion of Raffiat from Imanol! Everything is said, a maceration of this rare grape variety carried out in an amphora, for a nice journey through this wine. Abiatu, THE bottle of Imanol Garay from the soils of Madiran. Tannic due to its grape variety, but above all not aggressive, it is a deep, elegant wine, with freshness, as Imanol knows how to do. Captivating!
Imanol Garay is a singular character, an artist, a creator of wines that are as personal as they are vibrant! He is connected to his vines, his land, his grapes. A connection that is felt through natural wines with a disconcerting energy. To discover absolutely, the moment of tasting will be sensational.