Yet another session of Greek wines!
And to those who are interested of our previous Greek sessions, they are:
Drinking lemons, rocks, salt and acid
Xinnin’ time!
Wines of Crete etc.
Nykteri vs. Xinomavro
We gathered last fall at Gran Delicato, a wonderful little wine bar / tavern in Helsinki specializing in Greek wines and dishes. All the wines were from Gran Delicato’s cellar and they were served with an outrageously delicious selection of meze.
This was the first flight (we actually had that 2021 Vino di Sasso as an extra in the end after the reds, when I had already put my notebook away, so no TN for that one. I just remember it being softer, more primary and less interesting than the 2020 version, so I thought getting details for that one wasn’t necessary).
- 2020 Sclavos-Zisimatos Vino di Sasso Robola of Cephalonia - Greece, Ionian, Kefalonia, Robola of Cephalonia (6.11.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Robola. Fermented spontaneously. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels quite dry and a bit closed with aromas of smoky reduction, some ripe citrus fruits, light herby notes, a little bit of sweet yellow fruit and a hint of struck flint. The wine feels dry, ripe and quite broad on the palate with a moderately full body and vibrant, slightly wild flavors of stony minerality and chalk dust, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of waxy and slightly leathery funk, light smoky notes of phenolic spice, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of struck match. Curiously the acidity feels like it is a bit on the low side, yet the overall feel is still firm, fresh and precise! The finish is dry, long and a bit wild with flavors of sweet yellow fruits, some leathery funk, light reductive notes of smoke, a little bit of phenolic bitterness, hints of stony minerality and chalk dust and a crunchy touch of fresh yellow apple.
A very characterful, distinctive and enjoyably funky little Kefalonian white. Well, not that little - the wine does pack some richness, ripeness and substance. The most interesting side here is that the wine doesn't really feel that high in acidity, yet it isn't lacking one bit in freshness, firmness or structure! I wonder if the wine is actually higher in acidity than it appears, but the rich texture and the flavors somehow mask away the acidic zip? Whatever the case, this is a lovely effort. It is drinking really well right now, but most likely the wine can evolve and improve for a handful of years more. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2019 Sclavos-Zisimatos Robola Lacomatia - Greece, Ionian, Kefalonia, Robola of Cephalonia (6.11.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed single-vineyard Robola. Fermented spontaneously in oak, aged in an old 1500-liter foudre. Vinified without any added SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Bottle no. 538.
Deep, somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, somewhat sweet and a bit concentrated with wonderful sense of breadth and layered aromas of juicy yellow fruits, some sharp lemony tones, a little bit of creamy oak and leesy richness, light pineapple nuances, a hint of chopped Mediterranean herbs and a reductive touch of smoke. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and quite punchy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe yellow stone fruits, some waxy funk and leather, a little bit of pineapple, light creamy oak tones, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of savory umami. The wine is quite high in acidity, but there's also a vague phenolic feel, lending the wine a slightly textural, tannic presence.The finish is long, dry and slightly sauvage with a firm, savory aftertaste of ripe yellow fruits, some leathery tones and waxy funk, a little bit of savory umami, light phenolic spicy tones, a hint of wet stone minerals and a touch of tangy salinity.
A very impressive, characterful and complex white wine that is a step above the "lesser" Sclavos Robola, Vino di Sasso - which is a lovely, mineral wine in its own right. This Lacomatia seems to be even more mineral than Vino di Sasso, but it also shows noticeably more fruit and general sense of concentration, along with somewhat higher acidity that helps the wine to stay effortlessly in balance. The overall feel is a bit funky, somewhat phenolic and quite angular, so it might not be the most accessible white wine out there. However, if you love structured, idiosyncratic white wines (like I do), this is definitely up your alley. At four years of age the doesn't really show much evolution, so I can imagine the wine will age wonderfully for a good deal of years more. Distinctive stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2022 Petrakopoulos Robola Classic Prephylloxera Fagias - Greece, Ionian, Kefalonia, Robola of Cephalonia (6.11.2023)
I'm not sure if this wine is the same as the regular Robola labeled as "Classic" as the label also reads "Prephylloxera Fagias". This is 100% organically farmed Robola made with fruit sourced from prephylloxeric vineyards located at the altitude of 650 m above sea level in the district of Fagias, on the steep slopes of Mount Ainos. Fermented spontaneously, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Bottle #1737 of total 5300 bottles.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels very primary with candied aromas of pear drops, some pungent sweaty notes, a little bit of ripe golden apple, light earthy notes of sandy soil, a sweet hint of ripe grapey fruit and a touch of banana marshmallows. The wine feels youthful, primary and quite linear on the palate with a light body and somewhat understated flavors of stony minerality, some candied primary notes of pear drops, a little bit of salinity, light mineral hints of chalk dust and a touch of sandy soil. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness to the wine. The finish is dry, short and simple with youthful flavors of stony minerality, some grapey tones, a little bit of mealy yellow apple and a hint of chalk dust.
Thanks to its very pronounced and quite candied primary aromas - dominated by the pear drop and banana marshmallow notes of isoamyl acetate - the wine feels very generic and anonymous. I guess there might be a distinctive, characterful Robola lurking underneath all those primary flavors, but at this stage the wine drinks like a young, cheap white wine that could come from anywhere and be made with any kinds of white varieties. I really do hope the wine loses its candied primary flavors with age, as the wine feels very uninteresting now, unfortunately.
(80 points) - 2019 Petrakopoulos Robola Palia Armakia - Greece, Ionian, Kefalonia, Robola of Cephalonia (6.11.2023)
100% organically farmed Robola made with fruit sourced from two 70-yo prephylloxeric vineyards located at the altitude of 500 to 800 m above sea level in the district of Fagias, on the steep slopes of Mount Ainos. Fermented spontaneously, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Bottle #1196 of total 1300 bottles.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels odd and a bit oxidized with pungent, slightly green-toned notes of acetaldehyde (reminiscent of Fino Sherry) along with aromas of juicy golden currants, a hint of ripe Granny Smith apple and a touch of VA. The wine feels ripe, soft and a bit wild on the palate with a rather full body and juicy yet slightly aldehydic flavors of sweet yellow fruits, some green almond and sorrel notes of acetaldehyde, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of waxy funk. The modest acidity doesn't really lend much freshness to the wine. The finish is dry, waxy and somewhat wild with a medium-long aftertaste of ripe yellow fruits, some green aldehydic notes, a little bit of waxy funk, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of salinity and a sharp touch of Granny Smith apple.
There's lots of everything going on in this wine, but that somewhat distracting streak of acetaldehyde makes me think the wine was just a bit off. I'm quite sure this wine isn't supposed to smell and taste like Fino Sherry (of the three Petrakopoulos Robolas we tasted, this was the only one showing any acetaldehyde) and as Robola is known for its propensity to oxidize, I think it's possible we just had a dud bottle. Or then this wine wasn't built to survive for four years after the harvest - but that's something I seriously doubt. Leaving the wine unrated due to its iffy qualities. - 2019 Petrakopoulos Robola Thymari Petras - Greece, Ionian, Kefalonia, Robola of Cephalonia (6.11.2023)
100% organically farmed Robola made with fruit sourced from a single vineyard located at the altitude of 600 m above sea level in the district of Lakomatia. Fermented spontaneously, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Bottle #813 of total 900 bottles.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels quite reticent and understated with light yet subtly nuanced aromas of ripe yellow fruits, some wild waxy tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light fragrant herby tones and a hint of stony minerality. The wine feels dry, firm and balanced on the palate with flavors of pronounced stony minerality, some fresh red apple and cantaloupe tones, a little bit of salinity, light zesty citrus fruit notes, a wild hint of waxy funk and a woolly touch of lanolin. The rather high acidity makes the overall feel quite fresh and structured. The finish is ripe, dry and quite broad with a long, nuanced aftertaste of cantaloupe and white currant, some mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of waxy funk, light saline nuances, a hint of crunchy red apple and a fragrant touch of aromatic herbs.
A very attractive, harmonious and fine-tuned Robola that isn't particularly expressive, but instead more about freshness, minerality and subtle nuances. An attractive effort that drinks really well right now, but shows some potential for further development - at least over a handful of years more. Nice stuff, recommended.
(90 points)
The second flight:
- 2019 Diamantis Winery Moschomavro Magoutes Vineyard - Greece, Macedonia, Kozani, Siatista (6.11.2023)
100% Moschomavro from a vineyard in the Magoutes district, planted at the altitude of 845 to 890 m above sea level. Fermented spontaneously, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Pale, translucent cherry-red color with an evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels fragrant with aromas of ripe red berries, some fresh wild strawberries, light cherry tones, a little bit of developed meaty character, a brambly hint of raspberries and a touch of chopped herbs. The wine feels savory and quite reticent on the palate with a light-to-medium body and light, understated flavors of flavors of sour cherries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry and a hint of earth. The wine is rather high in acidity with quite light and supple tannins. The finish is dry and rather short with a light, understated aftertaste of wild strawberries, some cherries, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of earth and a developed hint of savory meat.
I guess this might've been a nice and fresh little everyday wine in its youth, but it feels that the wine wasn't built to age, as it feels like it is already starting to fade - despite being just four years old. The fruit profile comes across as pretty understated and diminished and there are some developed nuances. Apart from coming across as pretty reticent and a bit more evolved than I expect a wine this young to be, there is nothing wrong with this wine. It is just pretty underwhelming, that's all.
(84 points) - 2017 Diamantis Winery Xinomavro Parcel Selection Magoutes Vineyard - Greece, Macedonia, Kozani, Siatista (6.11.2023)
100% organically farmed Xinomavro made with fruit selected exclusively from very old (70-90 yo) bush vines in the Magoutes vineyard, plated at the altitude of 850 m above sea level. Cold-soaked for 2 days, then fermented spontaneously and macerated for 30 to 40 days in large oak vats, then aged for 12 months in new 500-liter demi-muids and 24 months in old 500-liter demi-muids. Finally the barrels are blended together and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, somewhat translucent dark cherry red color. The nose feels ripe and quite dark-toned with aromas of sweet black cherries, some tobacco, light sour cherry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of red licorice and a touch of sun-dried tomato. The wine feels lively, very crunchy and bone-dry on the palate with a rather light body and focused flavors of fresh cranberries and tart lingonberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light crowberry tones, a hint of tobacco and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine is very high in acidity with moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and quite long with a bright aftertaste of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light crowberry notes, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth.
The nose leads one to believe this is a ripe, juicy and dark-toned Xinomavro, but on the palate the wine turns out to be a very delicate cool-climate red with a noticeably lean, acid-driven and bone-dry overall taste with bright and crunchy red-fruited flavors and a firm tannic frame that doesn't feel too tightly-knit for the relatively light body of the wine. I'm pretty sure the wine could benefit from a few additional years in a cellar, but it is drinking quite nicely already now. A lovely effort for the fans of dry, acid-driven reds. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2018 Dougos Old Vines Rapsani - Greece, Thessaly, Rapsani (6.11.2023)
A blend of organically farmed Xinomavro (65%), Krasato (25-30%) and Stavroto (5-10%) harvested in mid-October from a vineyard planted in 1952. Aged for 18 months in old, low-or-untoasted 300-liter French oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate red color. The nose feels ripe, sunny and quite dark-toned with rich aromas of black cherries and juicy strawberries, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of wizened dark fruit, light cherry marmalade tones, a hint of asphalt and a touch of developed meaty character. The wine feels ripe, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and bold flavors of ripe black cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light balsamic notes of VA, evolved hints of wizened dark fruits and gamey meat and a touch of asphalt. The overall feel is pretty firm and muscular, thanks to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is rich, long and quite grippy with a chewy, dark-toned aftertaste of black cherries, some earthy tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light evolved nuances of dried dark fruits, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of asphalt.
A surprisingly big, ripe and hefty effort for a Greek wine, but not without good sense of structure and nice balance. Although the wine is mostly composed of Xinomavro, you don't get much of that "Nebbiolo" similarity here. Instead this wine feels more like a Greek take on a Southern Rhône wine, like a Vacqueyras or Gigondas - only with less alcohol and more acidity! This wine is similarly rich, big and sunny with a slightly sweet-toned, marmaladey or jammy overall feel, but with better firmness and harmony. An enjoyable and enjoyably serious wine.
(90 points) - 2017 Tatsis Goumenissa - Greece, Macedonia, Goumenissa (6.11.2023)
A blend of biodynamically farmed Xinomavro and Negoska. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, aged for 12 months in old oak barrels. Bottled infiltered. 14% alcohol.
Dense, dark and rather opaque blackish-red color with an evolved brownish hue. The nose feels pungent, wild and "furry" with aromas of dark forest fruits, some acetic notes of VA, light animale notes of wild funk and a hint of burnt hair. The wine feels dry, wild and funky on the palate with a medium body and rather sauvage flavors of crunchy crowberries, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light burnt hair tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of leathery funk. The wine is high in acidity with quite rustic and grippy tannins. The finish is dry, quite grippy and rather acid-driven with a very disagreeable, unclean and noticeably mousy aftertaste of rancid nuts and grainy Cheerio notes, some meaty umami, light acetic notes of VA and a tart hint of lingonberry.
A rather unbalanced naturalist Goumenissa that feels a bit too thin and funky on the palate and gets horribly ruined by mousiness in the aftertaste. A disappointment. If opened now, I highly recommend not letting the wine aerate at all - this is to prevent the mousy notes of THP from emerging.
(62 points) - 2019 Tatsis Limnio - Greece, Macedonia, Goumenissa (6.11.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Limnio. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 6-8 months in old oak, vinified without any SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent, slightly evolved and a bit hazy raspberry red color. The nose feels somewhat wild and slightly pungent with aromas of cherries, some raspberry juice, light acetic notes of VA, a little bit of smoky reduction, funky hints of burnt hair and animale and a touch of cherry pits. The wine feels light, wild and airy on the palate with a bit unclean flavors of brambly raspberries, some wild strawberries, light vinegary notes of VA, a little bit of rustic funk and damp earth, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of burnt hair. The wine is quite high in acidity with moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a rather long and quite sauvage aftertaste of crunchy crowberries, some sour cherry tones, a little bit of acetic VA, light tart lingonberry nuances, a hint of red plums and a rustic touch of animal funk. The longer the wine is in the glass, the more I'm starting to feel this wine is turning mousy.
A somewhat balanced but a bit too wild and natty red that really could use a little bit of SO2. I don't mind brett or reduction, but the elevated levels of VA are getting a bit too much here, and I'm quite sure the wine will turn mousy with enough air. I heartily decanting the wine carefully off the lees as it is a bit hazy, but drinking it immediately afterwards - just to keep the wine from getting mousy with air. All in all, a decent effort, but definitely not my favorite.
(81 points) - 2007 Domaine Gerovassiliou Avaton - Greece, Macedonia, Epanomi (6.11.2023)
A blend dominated by Limnio and supported by Mavroudi and Mavrotragano. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged for 16 months in 5000-liter oak vats. 13% alcohol.
Dense, fully opaque and quite inky blackish-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels ripe, sweetly-fruited and somewhat evolved with dark-toned aromas of wizened dark plums, some black cherry tones, a little bit of raisiny fruit, light earthy notes, a hint of balsamico, a touch of dried figs and a tertiary touch of gamey meat. The wine feels dry, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and somewhat tertiary flavors of gamey meat and wizened dark fruits, some raisiny tones, a little bit of balsamic VA, light black cherry nuances, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth. The overall feel is still quite tightly-knit due to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and rather tannic with a complex, evolved aftertaste of balsamico and wizened dark fruits, some raisiny tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light earthy notes, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
This is a stern, tightly-knit and impressive Macedonian red at its peak. The wine is starting to feel quite evolved and tertiary, but isn't falling apart yet. Seeing how the fruit profile is so developed, I really don't see the wine calling for any additional aging, but most likely the wine isn't going to get over the hill anytime soon. Drink or keep - preferably sooner or later. A fine, harmonious and enjoyably structure-driven effort; recommended.
(92 points) - 2012 Domaine Nerantzi Koniaros - Greece, Macedonia, Serres (6.11.2023)
100% organically farmed Koniaros (or Koiniariko) from a vineyard planted at the altitude of 150 m above sea level. Aged in Balkan oak casks for 24 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent dark pomegranate red color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels big, polished and somewhat toasty with rich aromas of sweet oak spice, some cherry marmalade, light balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of vanilla, dried-fruit hints of raisins and wizened figs and a touch of cloves. The wine feels ripe, polished and silky on the palate with a full body and rich, oak-driven flavors of sweet cherries and strawberries, some toasty notes of milk chocolate and mocha coffee, a little bit of vanilla, light raisiny nuances, a hint of cloves and a touch of balsamic VA. The overall feel is on the soft and supple side, thanks to the medium-plus acidity and ripe, gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is long, rich and gently grippy with a juicy aftertaste of sweet black cherries and strawberries, some toasty mocha tones, a little bit of vanilla, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried figs, a hint of cloves and a touch of jammy dark berries. The wine ends on a rich and moderately warm note.
I think it's always interesting to taste new grape varieties I've never had before - and it's always disappointing when they taste like any ripe and anonymous wines drenched in new oak. With its marmaladey fruit notes and oak-heavy flavors of vanilla, cloves, toasty wood spice and milk chocolate, there was nothing particularly Greek in this wine. Not really a bad wine per se, just a rather boring and somewhat clumsy disappointment.
(87 points)
Posted from CellarTracker