Winemaker Notes
Its fine nose is expressive with aromas of apricot and honey on elegant layers of tropical fruit and citrus, all amplified by scents of nuts and vanilla. Rich in texture, this stylish aromatic wine is delicately balanced by a refreshing palate that leads into a complex finish.
Ovilos White matches well with firm fish on the grill, seafood risotto, sushi, turkey and other poultry, and cheese soufflé.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Ovilos is an equal blend of Semillon and Assyrtiko aged for five months in used French barriques. It comes in at 13.5% alcohol. Green, sharp and pungent, this is a wine that is remarkably lively despite the time in wood. The key feature, though, is going to be those green nuances that will remind many of Sauvignon Blanc. You'll like it or you won't, as always. This blend, though, keeps them under control and allows the fine structure and concentration to have the final say. The green nuances make it enlivening and refreshing. This is best suited to be a food pairing, but it is so well-balanced that you can easily drink it on its own too.
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.