Winemaker Notes
Rare aromatic complexity with intense tannin structure and robust acidity. An excellent pair for red meat and game.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Ramnista was aged for 18 months in French oak (different vineyard blocks are aged separately for the first 12 months, then blended for the last six into the same barrels). It comes in at 14% alcohol. Despite being a relatively recent vintage, this is also a rather accessible one as Ramnista goes. In general, the 2012s in the region are richer and lusher, with less pure power--easier to approach. So, too, here, although everything is relative. The old school producers in the region like the 2012 vintage (everywhere, not just with Ramnista), but there is always this slight feeling of disdain along the lines of "too ripe, too modern, not enough power." This vintage won't produce the best vins de garde, to be sure, but the bottlings are surprisingly sexy for the grape and a good introduction to the wine, easier to understand than, say, the 2011. All that aside, this is pretty delicious, the fine fruit coming to the fore very quickly. Since it still is Ramnista and Xinomavro, there is power lurking. "Soft Xinomavro" is always a relative term here. Overall, this has some pizazz to it that makes it a lot of fun and it has improved since I first saw it about a year ago. If it turns out not to be the winery's greatest old bones, it will still age pretty well.
Native to Greece, Xinomavro is widely regarded the finest red wine of the country. Its name literally means “acid black”, and attains fullest potential in the country’s northwest region of Naoussa. These single varietal bottlings of Xinomavro (blending is not allowed here) are often compared to the fine Barolos of Italy for their structure, finesse and age-worthiness. While its vines are fickle and blue-black grapes grow in tight clusters, similar to Nebbiolo, Xinomavro actually appears unrelated. Somm Secret—The use of French oak can help tame Xinomavro but too much can overwhelm it. Some eschew oak entirely during winemaking; other producers use locally-grown walnut.
Naoussa is home to one of Greece’s most age-worthy reds: Xinomavro. Flourishing on the sun-exposed, southeastern-facing slopes of Mount Vermio between 700 to 1,700 feet in elevation, some say Xinomavro is Greece's red counterpart to its famous white, Assyrtiko. Others liken it to Italy's well-respected, highly perfumed and powerful, Nebbiolo.