Karavitakis Klima Merlot-Kotsifali 2011
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With time vineyards were getting bigger and enriched with many more varietals. The business was expanding till today’s owner Manolis Karavitakis reorganized everything, built the new winery in 1996 just a few hundred meters from the old one and tried to focus both in local and international grape varieties. The result was a very rich portfolio of wines, together with limited production experimental ones. Today his son Nikos Karavitakis is running sales, exports and the winery tastings program and together they cooperate for producing and releasing wines which will offer a taste of the Cretan terroir.
The winery’s philosophy is simple. Grow local and international grape varietals, but offer a cretan terroir background to them so that somebody can understand the essence of producing wines on the island of Crete. Modern viticultural methods are used and effort is given to apply minimum forces during winemaking. The result is wines without edges but yet very interesting for a tasting palate.
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.
As one of Greece’s largest island’s, its wines enjoyed high glory during the Middle Ages. Today Crete is full of ambitious winemakers with the city of Heraklion as its viticultural hub.