Emmanuel Poirmeur, the Winemaker of the Impossible

In the latest issue of Thalassa, he’s dubbed the “winemaker of the impossible.” Emmanuel Poirmeur, a winemaker at the EgiaTegian estate, is clearly not one to shy away from a challenge. He took a gamble by settling down and cultivating vineyards in the Basque Country.

Emmanuel Poirmeur’s bold venture: vineyards in Ciboure, in the Basque Country

It all started with a bet I made with my grandfather on the beach in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. As far as I was concerned, all the conditions were right for planting vines on the French side of the Basque Coast. So, with the advice of a friend who is a wine connoisseur, I decided to plant the vines facing the ocean, and that is 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. No one believed in my crazy project. But I stuck to my guns, and I set out to cultivate the two hectares I had previously selected to create the first wine from the French Basque Coast.

Emmanuel Poirmeur makes his wine 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 has to offer. So in 2007, I filed a patent for the immersion and aging of wines underwater. This surprised quite a few people. On the Basque coast, vines were planted as recently as the 1930s, particularly in Anglet, which was known for its sweet white wines. But no one had yet dared to make wine underwater!

People often ask me why I dared to try this unconventional winemaking method… The answer is simple. Winemaking underwater yields unique aromas and a distinctive effervescence. I rely exclusively on the basic physical conditions provided by the sea. By placing my wine underwater, I’m seeking four things: temperature stability, natural agitation from the water’s currents, pressure, and the natural darkness underwater. The pressure, meanwhile, comes from the changing tides. For me, it just felt natural to take advantage of this rather unique ecosystem that the Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz offers us.

After trying this winemaking method with my Dena Dela white wine, I wanted to try it with red wine. So I decided to submerge 12 vats (each holding 300 liters) 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!

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

Lowering the tanks to a depth of 15 meters requires a tremendous amount of work, even though the descent itself only takes about ten minutes. In addition to a close-knit team of sailors and massive technical resources (after all, we have to handle 7 tons of product), an underwater robot is also needed to find a sufficiently flat spot at the bottom of the bay so the tanks can be positioned safely. Before submersion, I add a mixture of sugar and yeast to the red wine to promote fermentation. This is the same technique used in Champagne, and it’s also the same technique I used for my Dena Dela white wine. Lowering the tanks into the water is a special and very nerve-wracking 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 wine that embodies endless possibilities from the EgiaTegia estate

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

After an initial fermentation in the estate’s cellars, the wine continued to ferment in the Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz at a depth of 15 meters. Oceanic fermentation imparts aromas that cannot be found elsewhere through traditional fermentation methods.

Dena Dela (“whatever happens” in Basque) clearly captures my mindset and philosophy when it comes to winemaking. Despite people’s opposition, despite the fact that no one believed in my project, it’s always possible to come up with innovative ideas. It’s always possible to try… whatever happens!