Winemaker Notes
Splendid, purple red color. Complex, typical bouquet of spices (vanilla, pepper, clove), with hints of ripe blackberry. Full mouth, with vanilla aroma, rounded tannins, balanced acidity and wood tones. Long finish with intense quince aroma.
Blend: 50% Xinomavro and 50% Syrah.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Axia red is the typical and equal blend of Syrah and Xinomavro, aged for 12 months in an equal mixture of new and second use French oak. It comes in at 13.36% alcohol. Silky in texture, this is very crisp this year, showing off its Amyndeon acidity. It is a classic food wine. This is not overly concentrated, but it is pretty intense and filled with flavor, the Syrah controlling the conversation just now. The fruit shines through, lifted and nicely defined. It finishes a little tart, but the textured finish is also very caressing in its way. The structure this year seems to be a bit better than the fruit, but the fruit is emphasized as it is slammed into the palate by the acidity. There's a backbone too. Overall, this is pretty intense for the price point, not necessarily the one you pick today to drink tonight. Yet, with about two hours of air, it did start coming around pretty well. It could benefit from another year or two in the cellar. It should hold well.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
A picturesque Mediterranean nation with a rich wine culture dating back to ancient times, Greece has so much more to offer than just retsina. Between the mainland and the country’s many islands, a wealth of Greek wine styles exists, made mostly from Greece’s plentiful indigenous varieties. After centuries of adversity after Ottoman rule, the modern Greek wine industry took off in the late 20th century with an influx of newly trained winemakers and investments in winemaking technology.
The climate—generally hot Mediterranean—can vary a bit with latitude and elevation, and is mostly moderated by cool maritime breezes. Drought can be an issue for Greek wine during the long, dry summers, sometimes necessitating irrigation.
Over 300 indigenous grapes have been identified throughout Greece, and though not all of them are suitable for wine production, future decades will likely see a significant revival and refinement of many of these native Greek wine varieties. Assyrtiko, the crisp, saline Greek wine variety of the island of Santorini, is one of the most important and popular white wine varieties, alongside Roditis, Robola, Moschofilero, and Malagousia. Muscat is also widely grown for both sweet and dry wines. Prominent red wine varieties include full-bodied and fruity Agiorghitiko, native to Nemea; Macedonia’s savory, tannic Xinomavro; and Mavrodaphne, used commonly to produce a Port-like fortified wine in the Peloponnese.