As I stood in the grounds of the chapel of Ai Giorgis at the edge of Nemea the town I took in the views unfolding in front of me There is snow on MtKilini2300m Near by a row of almond trees has blossomed Fallow fields are vivid green Pruning in the vineyards has started in earnest Heading for my visit to the Zafiri winery I run into a retired farmer who I first met in the 1990s He was grinning from ear to ear There has been much rain from Xmass to early February His facial expression became pensive This fuss on climate change pause is true A dusting of snow in town is getting rarer My grandchildren have yet to witness it After more small talk I get my brief on what else wine politics and the customary invitation to the kafeneion Plenty of coffee and tsipouro to go round I dont mind either its the smoking that keeps me away
I first visited the Zafiri winery nearly a decade ago It is one of 30 wineries scattered all over town and in various villages in the appellations sprawling 2500 hectares Achileas Lampsidis of the Oktana group was renting space and helping out an Australiabased French oenologist making wine for some English super market chain The pound was stronger Greek wine was in vogue in the UK It was a different world As it happened there was no Zafiri in sight
Finally in the courtyard stood Dina Zafiri There are lots of Zs in our family followed by a lovely grin My husbands name is Andreas Zavos he is in the vineyards One my daughters name is Zaharoula We tasted all 2008 tanks Two lesser ones most rather good A small selection is cask aged and bottled The 2007s and 2008 were in cask The 2007 are atypical due to heat waves and lack of rain in two words concentrated and textured The 2008 is turning out to be good to very good Fruit and tannins in balance especially true for wine from older bush vines Kiato based oenologist Yiannis Ligas is the consulting oenologist Athens University assistant professor Giorgos Kotseridis supervises the bottled wine If only more bulk merchants would follow their approach The Zs are onto a good thing
A blend of two single vineyards Koutsi and HeraklioArhea Nemea The latter is from 40 year old ungrafted bush vines Good colour Black cherry fruit exhuding finesse More depth and complexity than most Attractive slightly rustic bite on the finish Character and individuality Priced Euro750 a bottle at the winery
Wine: Nemea Zafiri
Year: 2005
Link: http://www.zafiriwines.gr
Score: 16.5
Type: Red
Variety: Agiorgitiko
Area: Peloponnese