Emmanuel Poirmeur, the winemaker of the impossible

In the latest episode of Thalassa, he's dubbed the "winemaker of the impossible." Emmanuel Poirmeur, winemaker at Domaine EgiaTegia, is clearly fearless. He took on the challenge of settling and cultivating vines in the Basque Country. EgiaTegia is now the only vineyard on the French Basque coast! But Emmanuel didn't stop there: he also dared to try his hand at underwater viticulture in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. A profile of this extraordinary winemaker.

Emmanuel Poirmeur 's audacious gamble: vineyards in Ciboure, in the Basque Country

It all started with a challenge with my grandfather on the beach at Saint-Jean-de-Luz. For me, all the conditions were there to plant vines on the French side of the Basque Coast. So, with the advice of a friend who was knowledgeable about wines, I decided to plant the vines facing the ocean, and that's how, in 2008, after finding the ideal spot for the vineyard, the adventure began for EgiaTegia ("the workshop of truths" in Basque).

At the time, it was considered heresy by many Basques. Nobody believed in my crazy project. But I persevered, and I invested in the 2 hectares I had previously chosen to create the first wine of the French Basque Coast.

Emmanuel Poirmeur makes hiswine underwater in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

I certainly didn't want to stop there. With my background as an agricultural engineer and oenologist, I wanted to make the most of the conditions this region offers. So, in 2007, I filed a patent for the underwater immersion and aging of wines. This surprised more than a few people. On the Basque coast, vines were planted until the 1930s, particularly in Anglet, which was known for its sweet white wines. But no one had yet dared to vinify their wine underwater!

I'm often asked why I dared to try this unusual winemaking method… The answer is simple. Underwater winemaking offers unique aromas and a singular effervescence. I rely exclusively on the basic physical conditions that the sea provides. By placing my wine underwater, I'm looking for four things: temperature stability, natural agitation from the water's currents, pressure, and natural darkness underwater. The pressure is generated by the changing tides. For me, it was simply a matter of taking advantage of this rather unique ecosystem offered by the Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

After trying this type of winemaking with my Dena Dela white wine, I wanted to experiment with red wine. So I decided to submerge 12 vats (300 liters each) of red wine underwater to make it sparkling. Submerging red wine underwater had been done before, but always in bottles. So this was a first!

Immersion of a tank in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Submerging the tanks to a depth of 15 meters requires a phenomenal amount of work, even though the descent itself only takes about ten minutes. Aside from a close-knit team of sailors and colossal technical resources (after all, 7 tons of product need to be handled), an underwater robot is also necessary to find a sufficiently flat spot on the bottom of the bay so that the tanks can be positioned safely. Before submerging, I add a mixture of sugar and yeast to the red wine to encourage fermentation. It's the same technique used in Champagne , and it's also the same technique I used for my Dena Dela white wine. Submerging the tanks is a special and very worrying moment for me: as long as the tanks haven't touched the bottom, anything can happen, and there's a risk they could tip over. After all, I'm entrusting my entire production to the ocean!

Dena Dela, the vintage of all possibilities from the EgiaTegia estate

Dena Dela is an extraordinary wine because it was made in a very special way.

After initial fermentation in the estate's cellars, the wine continued its vinification in the Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz at a depth of 15 meters. This oceanic fermentation imparts aromas that cannot be found elsewhere, such as during a traditional fermentation.

Dena Dela ("whatever happens" in Basque) clearly reflects my mindset and philosophy regarding viticulture. Despite people's opposition, despite the fact that no one believed in my project, it's always possible to propose innovative things. It's always possible to try... whatever happens!

Shamini (The Grapes)