An actionpacked agenda for the autumn update Much of it involved visiting topperforming addresses or emerging talent in lesserknown up and coming regions Weather
Prolonged spring rain brought downy mildew in places Summer temperatures were steady with no jarring extremes Yields were down which helped overall quality In spite of a flat market there was shortage of red grapes Harvest conditions were varied but overall healthy In some appellations showers actually helped Autumn started overcast with a notable drop in temperatures This was followed by an Indian summer Perfect for the late harvesting of red grapes Tasted wines show no alcoholic imprint Attractive in these early stages Bright fruit Balanced An opportunity for regional differences to shine Added bonus Typicity in the moredemanding grapes
Peloponnese
Achaia Walked two name places at 840 m and 920 m Mountainous horizon One peak faded onto another An idyllic setting yet far from easy to farm I learned Lack of water in these hills means overstressing of vines is an issue there are cumbersome solutions though Climate change Hot air mass waves originating from the Thessaly plain present new farming challenges It appears that nature has yet to adapt to fastpaced extreme changes Which means up here a mixed bag in contrast to an exceptionally good 2010
Nemea Quantity down by 40 from the recent average of 15000 tonnes Healthy grapes normal and smallersized berries Tasting the grapes that are delivered to wineries is instructive The tastier grape think of aroma on the palate were good No surprise that the best sites and farmers achieved this aromatic hallmark Neutraltasting grapes are destined for bulk and entrylevel labels Going carefully over the numerous cluster variations one wonders how many types of Agiorgitiko exist A trustworthy technician mentioned 280 One thing is certain Agiorgitiko has been around for a very long time Good colour charming wines oozing character
Laconia The difficult in farming white grape Kydonitsa was bar none the single most remarkable tank tasted A smoky mineral charged with gravitas fruit bomb Simply there is nothing else like it in the Greek vineyard Photographer Kostantinos Pittas who rarely comments on our daily tastings was smitten Forget Malagousia Little quince has it all Aroma fruit and acidity Minerality It transposes the windswept rocky arid environment it struggles in this eastern finger of the Peloponnese Untapped high potential
Central Greece
Hinterland of Thebes Quantities were down Delicate aromatic Savatiano showed more typicity than the blowsy 2010s Terrific new to me Assyrtiko Is this the birth of a new terroir for this star grape The obscure darkskinned Mouchtaro may not be the next best thing in the Greek vineyard Useful in blends with cosmopolitan varieties such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon for rose or dry red wines
Tyrnavos Thanks to an up and coming address another pleasant surprise Summer was cooler with marked diurnal temperature variation Rediscovered floral Limniona is poised balanced This cultivar is not to be confused with the demanding Limnio grown in Macedonia
Northern Greece
Thrace What a difference from recent previous visits A still hazy terroir has grown up slowly coming into focus Fragrant soft mouthwatering Star The difficult to ripen Limnio Have never seen this historic though now obscure grape deliver its distinctive identity Drama in all colours very impressive Lipsmacking freshness in whites Roses are pleasing with their refreshing bonedry factor Reds varietal or blends have taken this reenergised region a notch up They will be talked about
Kavala A terroir is unfolding in these foothills of Mount Pangeon influenced by the cooling breezes of the northern Aegean shoreline Vibrant freshness grapey whites A new dimension of added depth in red blends These are all worthy efforts
Naoussa In 17 years of field trips I have never tasted such attractive site translation early November Good colour Perfumed complexity Tasty ripe tannins Elegance Interesting to follow how these seductive wines develop There was a change of guard in several underperforming estates As reported elsewhere in these pages the socalled Naoussa gang 30somethings are upping their game This shrinking in acreage historic region needed this kick start Look out for forthcoming reviews from a clutch of estates in transition
Amyndeon Vineyard hygiene was not the best affected with downy mildew Diligent farmers were rewarded with a small yet highquality crop Exciting Xinomavro sparkling Blanc de noir developments emphasize the increasingly understood talents of this cooler plateau Xinomavros and blends are complete
Siatista What a change the Egnatia highway has brought to this once important historic oldvine region famous for its lateharvest Xinomavro and Moschomavro dessert wines The fur business may not be what it once was with most of the manufacturing moving to China Nevertheless I sensed a renewed interest for dry red wine Met with several younger and older farmers Soft spicy aroma Discreet Whispering not shouting A new to me Xinomavro expression Extolling the virtues of a wine made from 87 year old vines I urged vineyard owners not to uproot the precious DNA pool of surviving old vines
Aegean
Santorini Cool weather patterns sealed a terrific vintage It equals the 2009 perhaps surpasses the exceptional 2006 High standards in all the top names Citruspear aroma crisp fruit on the mineralcharged template are all highlighted from some of the highest acidities on record A keeper