Winemaker Notes
The wine produced has excellent density and dyeing capacity but also delicious tannins. The character is robust, winey, with a long aftertaste that evokes the aromas of ripe forest fruits and the influences of vanilla.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Mavrodaphne was traditionally used for dessert wines in Greece. Evriviadis Sclavos broke with that tradition in 1996, launching his dry version. Made from old, own-rooted bush vines farmed biodynamically since that first vintage, this 2018 is soft and velvety. It smells like a red from Cephalonia’s mountains, with notes of bay laurel, wild berries, limestone, cinnamon bark and sea salt; it feels quiet, contemplative, with nothing pushed or showy about it. It’s compelling, and sustains that interest for days after opening.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
A large southern region of Greece, the Peloponnese contains the famous appellations of Nemea and Mantineia. While connected to the mainland by a tiny strip of land, essentially the region is a large Mediterranean island and excels in the production of red wine from Agiorghitiko, white from Moscofilero and sweet wine from the Mavrodaphne grape.