Over ten years ago, I had my first Greek wine, an Alpha Estate, ‘Hedgehog’ Xinomavro. It captivated my palate back then and started my Greek wine journey.

Greece has a long history of production, dating back to at least 2000 BC. In the 20th century, the wines weren’t well regarded. That has changed in modern times. I am too new in the wine industry to remember the age of underperforming Greek wine. Modern Greek producers are crafting wines of outstanding quality and Alpha Estate is one of the ringleaders. They are also wines that are readily available around the world.

Alpha Estate – A Greek Wine Star

This 180-hectare estate is located on a plateau in Macedonia, in the wine region Amyndaio. While Naoussa is the appellation in Greece that is most popular with Xinomavro, the high elevation of Amyndaio also produces fragrant, elegant examples. While Alpha Estate shines with Xinomavro, they do everything well. I’ve tasted their wines for years and have never come across a bad bottle.

Alpha Estate is the brainchild of vintner Makis Mavridis and winemaker Angelos Iatridis. I have noticed a slight change in their labels over the last few years, with a shift towards highlighting single-vineyard wines. Angelos prefers to use the term “Ecosystem” for the top range of wines. He feels it’s more all-encompassing than the word “terroir” – and it’s a Greek word. It’s a move that I applaud.

Whatever line you choose from Alpha Estate, you can buy with confidence. These wines are clean, well-made, express the varieties well, and are affordable. If you see a bottle of Alpha Estate on the shelf, don’t hesitate. Being able to recommend every wine in a producer’s portfolio is a rarity, which is the ultimate compliment to Alpha Estate.

Wine Recommendations:

• Alpha Estate, ‘Turtle Vineyard’ Malagouzia 2019

The Alpha Estate, ‘Turtle Vineyard’ Malagouzia is a single-vineyard white that saw only stainless steel. Straw color with an explosive nose. Hints of lychee, white flower, baked apple, white pepper, and a touch of flintiness. Almost like a subdued Gewürtz with some Riesling-like notes. Very complex for a fresh white wine. The palate matches the nose with intense, mouth-coating flavors. The acidity isn’t especially high but the wine is lovely. A very good example of the grape. Score: 90/100

• Alpha Estate, ‘Aghia Kiriaki’ Assyrtiko 2018

The Alpha Estate, ‘Ahia Kiriaki’ Assyrtiko is a gorgeous Assyrtiko grown at high elevation in Macedonia, Greece. The wine saw a few hours of skin contact. It’s got an intense and focused nose of lemon, white flower, white pear, and flint flavors. Intense on the palate with laser sharp focus and acidity. Persistent length for a fresh white with a limey finish. This goes exceptionally well with shellfish. Score: 91+/100

• Alpha Estate, ‘Hedgehog’ Rosé 2019

The Alpha Estate, ‘Hedgehog’ Rosé is a saignée rosé made from 100% Xinomavro. Notes of strawberry, watermelon, and Greek yogurt, with intense salinity. At first glance (or taste), this acts like another good to very good rosé styled after those from Southern France. The real beauty of this wine lies in the subtle tannins and mineral finish. The wine also has impressive length, making it more than a simple poolside sipper. This is the best rosé I tasted in 2020. Score: 91/100

• Alpha Estate, ‘Hedgehog’ Xinomavro 2017

The Alpha Estate, ‘Hedgehog’ Xinomavro is 100% Xinomavro aged in oak for 12 months. The nose has notes of cranberry, sour cherry, tomato leaf, tar, and a touch of clove. It really smells like a modern Nebbiolo. Silky mouthfeel upfront with some big tannins on the back end. This wine always delivers fantastic value for money and this vintage is no different. Thanks to the acidity and tannin, it should age beautifully but is accessible now, just make sure to have some spare meat. Score: 91/100

• Alpha Estate, S.M.X. 2017

This is 60% Syrah with the remainder being equal parts Merlot and Xinomavro aged in new oak for 18 months. The wood jumps out here but in a good, toasty way. Fruit flavors include blackberry, pepper, rare steak, violets, and dried cranberry. The Syrah really stands out on the nose. The palate is a lot less woody as the fruit jumps out. The nose is all Syrah while the Xinomavro stands out on the palate thanks to plenty of red fruit and tart acidity. Fine-grained tannins. Delicious now and with the ability to age well, this punches above its price point. Score: 92/100

• Alpha Estate, ‘Barba Yiannis Vielles Vignes’ Xinomavro Reserve 2016

The Alpha Estate, ‘Barba Yiannis Vielles Vignes’ Xinomavro Reserve is made from a patch of old-vine Xinomavro and aged for 24 months in wood. Very pretty smell with notes of cherry, cranberry, rose petal, and a touch of tobacco. The palate is layered and super complex. The red fruit comes bursting out of the gate but it followed up with earthy complexity and cedar on the backend. High acidity and small Nebbiolo-like tannins. Serious wine. Score: 93+/100

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

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Alpha Estate provided tasting samples. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Alpha Estate: Greek Wine With Style appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated.

Monemvasia, Malvasia 2012

We first met the owners of Monemvasia, Elli & George Tsibidis, in Croatia. They were both visiting the annual Vinistra show. We had dinner with them and our friend Ivica Matošević. Elli & George impressed us immediately with their enthusiasm.

Just a few months later, we met Elli & George again at the 2019 Balkans International Competition & Festival. At the festival, we had the chance to taste the entire portfolio from Monemvasia. Many of the wines impressed us, but one stole our hearts.

Historically, Greece was known in the past for exceptional sweet wines. That tradition carries that day, especially the beautiful Samos wines and Vinsantos from the island of Santorini. The latter are considered to be among the world’s greatest sweet wines. Monemvasia Winery isn’t located on the island of Samos or Santorini, but it does produce a wine to rival both.

The Monemvasia, Malvasia 2012 is straw dried for 12 days and aged for 24 months. This is a rustic, old school style of sweet wine. There are notes of dried fig, dried citrus fruit, walnuts, apricots, and toffee. The nose is incredibly complex. It’s rich and luscious on the palate but not heavy like I would expect. The toffee notes stand out here. This doesn’t have very high acidity but there is enough to wipe the palate clean. Long and complex finish, this has a long life in the cellar.

Score: 93/100

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

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If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind the scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

Monemvasia provided tasting samples. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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In the Spring of 2019, Charine and I were invited to the 8th Annual ‘Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival’ in Sofia, Bulgaria. The contest is open to wineries from all countries located in or around the Balkan Peninsula. In addition to the contest, this year featured a three-day, open-air festival where around 100 wine cellars poured over 1,000 wines.

Although we weren’t on the judging panel this year, we did participate in ] masterclasses, dinners, and the open-air festival. We cherished the opportunity to reconnect with the latest vintages from producers in countries like Serbia, Greece, and Turkey. It was also a great opportunity to get our first, in-depth taste of what’s happening in Bulgarian wine.

Bulgarian Wines: Our Impressions

We have a lot of experience with the wines of Eastern Europe. The countries that are our blind spots are Ukraine, Russia, and Bulgaria. This festival and competition was a fine opportunity for us to discover the wines of the latter. During the week, we tasted the medal-winning wines from the competition and examples from producers pouring at the festival. Here are a few quick thoughts:

The Good

• Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (both varietal and blends) showed correct flavors and high amounts of complexity
• There are several local red grapes that show promise including Rubin, Mavrud, Shiroka Melnishka (aka Shiroka Melnik), and Melnik 55 (a cross based on Shiroka Melnishka)
• There are fantastic wines at competitive prices compared to Western Europe

The Not So Good

• The five main international varieties still dominate (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot) which equate to many generic wines
• Many reds suffer from bad oak management

Best Wines From The Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival

Top wines from Balkan countries can stand toe to toe with great wines from more renowned countries. There were some stunning wines at the festival. Greece had a strong showing as many iconic producers were represented. There were also a few familiar faces from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Turkey. One of our favorite wines from Serbia captured the ‘Best of Show’ Red Wine Trophy (see below).

It is great to see that Bulgaria is an open market, with many wines from surrounding countries present – this isn’t always the case in the Balkans.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

Greek Wines

• Kechris, ‘Tear of the Pine’ Retsina

This is from a producer that wanted to make a Burgundy-style Retsina. The Kechris Tear of the Pine Retsina is made from a selection of grapes and is barrel aged. It is full in body with notes of pine needles, basil, white peach, and lemon. It smells like Retsina but acts like a rich, full-bodied white on the palate. Resin flavors are there but the wine shows a lot of harmony on the palate. Score: 90/100 

• Biblia Chora, Olivos White 2018

We love the Biblia Chora Olivos White and this vintage is another knockout. It’s a barrel-fermented wine made of Assyrtiko and Semillon with lots of potential to age. Ripe white peach, apple, passion fruit, and yogurt make up the flavors. The wood is integrated flawlessly, it’s weighty on the palate and the acidity keeps the wine alive and nervy. Long finish. Score: 92/100

• Monemvasia, ‘300’ 2018

The Monemvasia ‘300’ is a blend of Kidonitsa and Assyrtiko aged in stainless steel. It’s a Mediterranean white wine with notes of yellow flower, sage, and white peach. The body is oily and similar to a Vermentino from Sardinia, Italy. With a round body and bite from the ripe fruit flavors, this has real palate presence. Score: 89/100

• Kir-Yianni, ‘Ramnista’ Xinomavro 2013

We’ve been drinking the wines from Kir-Yianni for a long time. They do a great job with Xinomavro, a grape that we both love. This is not the current release, but it shows why Xinomavro is compared to Nebbiolo, especially Barolo. There are savory notes of tomato leaf and tobacco that go along with the red fruit and perfume. It’s medium-bodied with high acidity and grippy tannin and a long finish. If you love Barolo, it’s time to try an aged Xinomavro. Score: 92/100

Turkish Wine

• Arcadia, ‘Nareen Cuvée Michel Salgues’ Brut 2015 – Turkey

We tasted the Arcardia, ‘Nareen Cuvée Michel Salgues’ Sparkling wine during a masterclass and it impressed us. The wine is aged on the lees for a whopping 30 months and made from the grape Narince. It’s unique and well made with notes of pine, pear, white peach, and brioche and a fine bead of bubbles. For a Brut sparkler, it is a little sweeter than expected with a persistent finish. Score: 90/100

• Chamlija, Kara Sevda 2017 – Turkey

Mustafa Chamlija won a prize as the top Turkish producer at this year’s Balkans International Wine Contest. At the festival, he brought his top Papaskarasi, the Chamlija Kara Sevda. This is a fine and elegant wine with more concentration than the standard Papaskarasi bottling. There are notes of raspberry, cherry, tobacco. It’s silky, juicy and serious with fine tannins. Score: 91/100

Montenegrin Wine

• Lipovac, Tammuz Amfora 2017 – Montenegro

Lipovac is a small Montenegrin winery that produces high-quality juice. A big part of their production is made in clay amphoras. The Lipovac Tammuz is a brand new wine in the portfolio. It’s made with Kratošija (Zinfandel) fermented and matured in amphora. For a grape that is normally jammy and brash grape, this wine is very elegant. It has a pretty nose with red fruits, violets, pepper. The peppery finish and fine tannins are impressive. Score: 90/100

Serbian Wine

• Matalj, ‘Kremen Kamen’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

The Matalj Kremen Kamen 2016 won the trophy of ‘Best of Show’ Red Wine Trophy at this year’s Balkans International Wine Contest. We’re fans of this wine in every vintage. The 2016 is another fine wine (although not quite at the level as the great 2012). This Cabernet Sauvignon has cherry, tobacco, and cedar notes. The fruit is ripe and the palate is round and complex with subtle power. Polished tannins guide the long finish. Score: 92/100

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Bulgarian Wine

• Château Copsa, ‘8TH’ Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Château Copsa is a boutique winery located in the Thracian Valley. The property and vineyards are heartbreakingly beautiful. The Château Copsa, ‘8TH Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the reserve wines from the estate.

It has notes of cherry, capsicum, cedar, and sweet cedar. This medium-bodied Bordeaux blend has fantastic barrel integration. The wood is used judiciously and the tannins are fine. Some may complain this wine doesn’t have a ‘sense of place’ but it’s delicious. Score: 90/100

• Edoardo Miroglio, ‘Elenovo’ Cabernet Franc 2016

Edoardo Miroglio is known for his sparkling wines and his reserve red wines named Elenovo. While we’re fans of the Elenovo Mavrud, Elenovo Rubin, Elenovo Cabernet Sauvignon, the Edoardo Miroglio Elenovo Cabernet Franc stole the show. It’s rich and ripe Cabernet Franc aged in oak for 24 months. It has the typical Cabernet Franc notes of cherry, black olive, oak, and capsicum. The wine is full in body with a silky mid-palate and grippy tannins. Think Chinon in a ripe year. Score: 90/100

• Orbelia, Sandanski Misket 2016

The Orbelia Sandanski Misket isn’t the greatest white wine in the world, but it’s a fine example of the Bulgarian grape Misket. This is a fantastic summer sipper. The wine is crisp and easy with notes of white flower, mineral, flint, and peach. For a grape that struggles to keep freshness, this has plenty of lemony acidity. It’s similar to a more floral Muscadet Sur Lie from France. Score: 88/100

• Zelanos, ‘Z’ Cabernet Franc 2016

While Bulgaria has the reputation of producing wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon, we had several fantastic varietal Cabernet Francs at the show, including this Zelanos ‘Z’ Cabernet Franc 2016. The wine is aged in French oak for 10 months and has capsicum, black olive, cherry notes. Full and silky with grippy tannin. Score: 90/100

• Vinex Preslav, Rubyiat 2017

Yes, it’s another Chardonnay, but this Venix Preslav Rubiyat 2017 is the real deal. Vinex Preslav one of the oldest, quality-driven wineries in Bulgaria and this is one of their reserve wines, a barrel-fermented Chardonnay. It’s a big and buttery example. There are notes of pineapple, guava, and sweet vanilla. The wine is big-bodied, but not overly fat with a long finish. Fan of Napa Chardonnay can take note of this one. Score: 91/100

• Vila Melnik, ‘Aplauz’ Shiroka Melnik 2016

The Villa Melnik ‘Aplauz’ Melnik 55 2014 was one of the first Bulgarian wines we ever tasted. That wine is solid in its own right, but we prefer the Villa Melnik ‘Aplauz’ Shiroka Melnik. This grape is the original Melnik which is a late-ripening grape (unlike the Melnik 55 which is a cross that ripens earlier). This wine has notes of wild strawberry, pepper, tobacco. It’s medium-bodied with some tannic kick and a spicy finish. I don’t have tons of experience with the grape but something about the acidity and tannins tell me this should age gracefully and drastically improve. Score: 89/100

• Ivo Varbanov, ‘Feux d’artifice’ Syrah 2011

Ivo Varbanov wasn’t at the festival, but I met him for dinner one night after the show. He brought this ‘Feux d’artifice Syrah 2011, which is a blockbuster. This Syrah spends 36 months in French oak – both in 225L and 500 L barrels. It has the typical notes of black fruit, tangerine peel, and pepper. Rich and muscular with tons of texture and extract, the wine is full-bodied with chewy tannin and a long finish. This is very similar to top-flight Syrahs from Washington State (USA). 92/100

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If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Balkan wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

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Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Thanks to the Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival for accommodation. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Fine Wines From The Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival appeared first on Wine Travel.

It’s not often that you enjoy a 4,000 Euro bottle of wine.

Liber Pater is one of the most controversial and expensive Bordeaux red wines in the world. The winery is located in the Graves AOC, within the left bank of Bordeaux. Winemaker Loic Pasquet wanted to re-create the taste of Bordeaux before the aged of phylloxera in the late 1800s. He planted ungrafted vines and varieties that existed in Bordeaux in the 19th century. On top of that, he planted his vines at high density (over 20,000 plants per hectare).

Liber Pater is made in tiny quantities and on-release sells for around 4,000 Euros a bottle. On top of that, 2009 was a legendary vintage in Bordeaux. On paper, the Liber Pater 2009 should be something special. So what does it actually taste like?

We were given a bottle of Liber Pater as a gift, with one stipulation that we taste it blind. So when we carried it with us to visit a friend in Oradea, Romania he agreed to organize a blind tasting. As the evening approached, we wondered if the wine would stand out.

The Evening With Liber Pater

The evening started with two Champagnes, a Piper-Heidsieck Brut 2006 and a Piper-Heidsieck Millesimé Rare Brut 2002. The Brut was solid but didn’t get Charine too excited, while the Millesimeé Rare Brut 2002 is another story. It’s a fine Champagne that is still a baby and worthy of at least a few more decades of aging.

After Champagne, the blind tasting commenced. We had no prior knowledge of what wines would be included except the Liber Pater. Our host shuffled and selected randomly after covering the bottles. The wines tasted in order were:

• Giardini Arimei, Da Uve Surmature Dry Passito (wildcard from Ischia, Italy)
• Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia, Macán Classico 2013 (Rioja, Spain)
• Chateau Porto Carras 2008 (Meliton Slopes, Greece) 
• Liber Pater 2009 (Bordeaux, France)
• Crama Oprișor, Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Oltenia, Romania)
• Heimann, Franciscus 2011 (Szekszárd, Hungary)
• Mapon, Kikone 2009 (Macedonia, Greece)
• Tenuta Carretta Cascina Fererro, Barolo 2008 (Barolo, Italy) 
• Fornaser Monte Faustino L’Amarone del Maestro Fornaser, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2008 (Veneto, Italy) 
• Zenato, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 (Veneto, Italy)
• J&J Ostrožović, Tokajský Výber 6 Putñovy 2003 (Tokaj, Slovakia) – not served blind

All of the wines showed well but we were most impressed with the following.

The Crama Oprișor Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is one of the finest Romanian reds we’ve tasted. It’s from Oltenia, the southwestern part of the country. When it was unveiled, we had nothing but applause for it. The wine is full of plum, walnut, black cherry, and pepper. It shows lots of nuances for a big, ripe wine. Chocolatey finish with sweet tannins. The style is in between a left-bank Bordeau and a Napa AVA-level Cabernet Sauvignon.  92/100

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The Château Porto Carras 2008 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and the local grape Limnio. It’s aged in oak for 24 months prior to bottling. This is a helluva wine, especially with the fact that the ex-cellar price is around 15 Euros. Notes of animal, meat, black fruit, and citrus peel with some olive and violet flavors. It’s complex with refined structure. The tannins are developed and are guided by juicy acidity. When it was revealed our friend said, “I visited this estate months ago and it wasn’t showing close to as well as now, it tastes like a 100 Euro wine.”

Wow, wow, wow, what a wine.   93/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 showed remarkable balance despite its high alcohol level of 16.5% abv. Notes of black cherry, sweet cedar, nutmeg, and tobacco emerge from the glass. It’s dense and big with chocolate flavors on the finish. The tannins are chewy and this still has a lot of life left in it. Time has served this bottle well.   94/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Liber Pater 2009 was shy at first but everyone immediately recognized that it was a high-quality wine. It was the wine that stirred up the most conversation. After an hour in the glass, it started singing. It lies more on the side of elegance as opposed muscle. This wine is much more accessible now than many of the high-end 2009 Bordeaux that we have come across.

The wine has notes of black fruit, violets, blueberry, and cedar. It’s tangy with firm tannins and a long juicy finish. The juiciness and elegance are what threw everyone off guard. Nobody guessed that it was nearly ten years old, it is still very youthful. Half of us loved it while others were lukewarm about it. Regardless, it was the most talked about wine during the evening along with the Chateau Porto Carras and Crama Oprișor.   94/100

Is it worth the price tag? It’s a beautiful wine, whether it is worth it or not is for you to decide.

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide. 

The post An Evening With The Liber Pater 2009 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Markovitis Xinomavro Naoussa 2012

In February 2018, Charine and I drove from Michigan to Napa Valley, California. We took Interstate 80 all the way across the country. It was a long and windy drive – 4000 Kilometers/2400 Miles. One of the major highlights was meeting up with our friends, Shaji and Vijna Matthew, in Nevada.

Our road trip took an unexpected and delightful turn (literally) that led us to Reno, Nevada and some good friends. Do you remember them, @valledetintos?

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Feb 20, 2018 at 7:36am PST

Shaji and Vigna own a wine distribution company called Terra Vigna. They have a wide selection of wines from Argentina, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. When we met up with them over dinner, they chose two wines from their portfolio to share with us.

Both wines were good but the Markovitis Xinomavro impressed us the most. Markovisits is a small producer that makes only one wine in good years, and that’s Xinomavro. He ages his Xinomavro is large oak casks. The winery is located in Naoussa, Greece, which is one of the premier regions for Xinomavro.

We love Xinomavro when it’s made in a traditional style, as it shows flavors of tomato leaf, leather, and tobacco. The grape has small, biting tannins and can taste eerily similar to Nebbiolo when done right. This wine does the grape right and hits our palates perfectly.

Charine puts it like this, “Like an intrepid cousin of (traditional-style) Barolo, Markovitis Xinomavro 2012 has a gorgeous bouquet—nutty, sweet cherry, and tomato leaf. The nose appears developed beyond its age and belies the taste, which is wonderfully bright and bouncy with youthful, sweet tannins that throw 100 brownie points to the finish. Then, there’s that mineral undertone: kind of ferrous and smoky. Stunning wine.”

This is a beauty with a flavor profile similar to Barolo from La Morra. Find it, drink it, love it.

4.3/5  (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

The 2013 and 2012 vintages are available at Terra Vigna in the USA.

The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. 

The post Markovitis Xinomavro Naoussa 2012 appeared first on Wine Travel.