Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very balanced and fine tannined xinomavro with cherry, dried flower and peach pit character. It's medium-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Drinkable now
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Wine & Spirits
Up to 3,000 feet above sea level—but deep inland, in the mountains of Greece’s northern border—Siátista’s vineyards lie at the edge of an ancient subduction zone. Old bush vines dot the slopes, rising just a few handspans above the ground, but sending their roots up to ten meters deep to seek water in the dry limestone crumble. Dimítrios Diamantís has made these largely abandoned vineyards, and the xinómavro he makes from their fruit, his life’s work. It’s easy to see why he might be so compelled when the wines sing like this one: in a higher register than Náoussa’s, a clean, piercing note of cherries and fractured limestone, textured with fine, chalky tannins.
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.
As one of the few continental-climate, mountainous growing areas of Greece, Macedonia produces notable, high-quality red wines. Xinomavro is its star variety, capable of making a spicy and age-worthy red.