In this part of the world a desk stacked with copies of the Australian Wine Journal is not a common sight But then neither is oenologist Panayiotis Papagiannopoulos one of the more sensitive technicians tuned in with nature and grasping the broader picture regarding wine There are many innovative rethought backtobasics approaches at work in this address Notably a holistic approach On a recent visit their new Agiorgitiko stood out It is a star in the making The interregional Agiorgitiko race is truly on the grape now popping up as far as the coolerclimate northeast with notable results near Kavala and western Drama This effort is a little closer to Agiorgitikos historic home Nemea With all this movement there is never a dull moment and the challenges of climate change have inspired a number of thoughtprovoking realizations Several years back while I was walking the Nemea vineyards with visiting IRNAs chief ampelographer JeanMichel Boursiquot it became clear to me that some of the best terroirs have been planted to olive trees These are mostly limestone the first tier located just above the valley floor Fact is that with the contraction of the Greek economy now in its sixth year these now precious olive trees are not going to be grubbed up any time soon I am willing to wager that a brighter future lies round the corner The leading nursery local boy made good Kostas Bakassietas has been working diligently with a whole new generation of virusfree Agiorgitiko clones Perhaps they should first be planted on the aforementioned steps overlooking the valley floor So this new departure over the canyon balconies of the Gulf of Corinth is some location A single vineyard of northeast exposure at 715 m high on the nameplace of Pano Pythos Planted in 2006 on a patch of clay and gravel it is farmed organically The wine is made with minimum intervention wild ferment with a strong nod towards natural aged for four months in 5000litter upright oak tank from Grenier in Burgundy and bottled unfiltered using light sulfuring within the new lower norms of EU organic winemaking laws What struck me most was how it reminded me of what Nemea looked and tasted like in the mid to late 1990s All bluerim textured of higher acidity There are other realizations to be posted in a forthcoming longer post under Opinion In the meanwhile it is time to rejoice and enjoy this arrival
Blue rim Clovelike spiciness with floral complexity Bright cherry with a green apple bite Concentration Beguiling fruit depth Marked by texture and grippy fresh tasting concentration Uplifting vibrancy throughout An exciting source of allGreek natural wine Nemea revisited Best 20142024
Wine: Agiorgitiko Tetramythos
Year: 2012
Link: http://www.tetramythoswines.com
Score: 17
Type: Red
Variety: Agiorgitiko
Area: Peloponnese