Siatista is the fifth Xinomavro region Also the least known Tuckedin between the Pindos mountain range a sister mountain of the Alps and Mt Velia lies this sleeper Xinomavro terroir Wine regions prosper thanks to transport Until the arrival of the Egnatia motorway this essentially isolated mountain pass may well have been consigned to history books In the 1990s vine acreage reached 150 hectares It now stands at 35 hectares It is not all Xinomavro however The microclimate goes one better than Florinas coolerclimate Amyndeon This landlocked claylimestone slope inches closer to a fullfledged continental climate Actually it is the single coldest wine region that I know With climate change this frontier may well surpass all its currently betterknown sister vineyards While walking the vineyards of this discovery and tasting the 2011 the regions contrasted weather vagaries become illuminating Vintage variation is marked The 2009 and 2014 were rainplagued diplomatic language for a washout It reminded me of the 1990s vintage chart of Goumenissa Washout vintages were peppered with good and occasionally brilliant conditions to coax the hightannic Xinomavro grape into ripening Goumenissa has Negoska to pad out Xinomavro The subtly fragrant red Moschomavro steps up for the more famous sweet Siatista The fortunes of this promising patch are linked to the rise and fall of a far more lucrative profession Nearby Kastoria and Siatista are famous for the furriers who were allowed the privilege to wear fur hats as a social distinction during the Byzantine times Thanks to Dimitri Diamantis the winds of change are blowing again Autumn is a lovely time to visit this offthebeatenpath region Standing at the Agios Panteleimon mountain shelter overlooking the majestic fircovered Mt Bourinos 1866 m this littleknown alpine Greece comes into focus Our reward we drove up this time was a mushroom stew of freshly foraged orange terracotta hedgehogs Hydnum rufescens the word is derived from hudnonύδνον an Ancient Greek word for truffle according to the Wikipedia and stone milkcaps Lactarius salmonicolor named for its colour Enjoying this emerging address was another unique mountain experience With no glassware available we made spontaneous use of alloy cups The air was bracing and the temperature plummeting as we seized the last sunrays There are rare moments on my quest for such discoveries when it just DoesNotGetAnyBetterThanThis Fingers crossed Siatista bags a stellar vintage sooner rather than later That would be worth taking a hike up any mountain in this part of the world
A blend of trellised sixyearold vineyards and 7080 yearold bush vines Altitude 830 m A mixture of clones Harvest midOctober ABV 131 Unfiltered Initially reductive Unusual coldclimate hint of red fruit After aerating it moves into higher gear Linear and elegant A cornucopia of crushed darkberry fruit Mouthwatering acidity Insistent layered finish of great purity laden with graphite minerality A never previously encountered singular expression unparalleled in the other four Xinomavro regions And all this in a mediocre vintage The perfect ringer for a blind tasting amongst the likes of Mitteleuropa Terodelgo and Lagrein Best 20152025
Wine: Xinomavro Siatista PGI Diamantis
Year: 2011
Link: http://www.diamantiswines.com
Score: 16.5
Type: Red
Variety: Xinomavro
Area: Macedonia