Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
The 2016 Malagouzia Turtles Vineyard is unoaked and comes in at 13% alcohol. This is a bit on the lighter side, but it is fresh, pure and wonderfully aromatic. Sometimes, I wish all consumers could taste this as young as I sometimes see it. It's a fine experience that way. Admittedly, tasting it this young does make it a bit harder to project in terms of its future, but it's worth the effort and these have held well for fresh whites, even in tougher years (see the recent re-evaluation of the 2014, here: https://www.robertparker.com/wines/dTHeoSum4KRrHrKgv). They have demonstrated some ability to hold and improve, at least in the context of wines that should be drunk relatively young. All that said, right at the moment this seems to be a very good, but not great Malagouzia. Aromatically, it is typically splendid, as noted above. It tastes great and lingers nicely in its understated fashion. Maybe it will come together a bit more with a few more months in bottle, as they sometimes do. It is still easily worth the modest price given how enticing it is.
There are hundreds of white grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles.
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.