Alpha Estate Xinomavro Reserve Vieilles Vignes “Barba Yannis”

Description

Alpha Estate Xinomavro Reserve Vieilles Vignes is a dry Greek red wine from the Amyndeon PDO (or Amynteo PDO) which is located in Northern Greece in the region of Macedonia. It is made in an area where some of the very best Xinomavro wines are made from a single block, known as “Barba Yannis”, of the estate’s old vines (vieilles vignes, as the label says) and is bottled unfiltered.

Alpha Estate is fast becoming recognised as one of the very best wine-producers in Greece. It was founded in 1997 by the experienced viticulturist Makis Mavridis and chemist-oenologist Angelos Iatridis, who, after years of experience in various locations of Greece, chose the Amyndeon region as the best location for producing quality Greek wines.

The vineyards are located on the Amyndeon plateau at an altitude of 620-710 metres with a northwest exposure with a total vineyard area of 87 hectares. The local climate is characterised by cold winters with good snow and rainfall which helps sustain the vines through relatively dry summers. The soils are composed of sandy clay which offers good drainage resulting in small berries with intense red colour and concentrated flavours and aromas. The old bush vines (Gobelet) have an age of 90 years plus, planted at a density of 2600 vines per hectare.

After harvest, the grapes for the Alpha Estate Xinomavro Reserve are destemmed, not crushed but were then cold soaked with skin contact. The fermentation took place at gradually increasing temperatures, before being maintened “sur lie” or on its fine lees for eight months with regular stirring. Maturation took place in Allier – Bertrange French oak casks of medium grain, for 24 months, with a further 12 months ageing in the bottle. Bottled unfiltered.

Xinomavro translates literally as “sour black”, but don’t let that put you off! Some say it reminds them of Nebbiolo, the noble grape of Barolo.