When the temperature drops I yearn for Xinomavro No other wine is so strongly associated with autumn and winter With so much personality it needs strongly flavoured food Pheasant woodcock or deer and wild boar are the obvious choices
The maiden vintage of Ghi ke Uranos 2004 shook up the sleepy appellation of Naoussa The difference lies in the vineyards The Thimiopoulos family have several plots around Trilofos the southernmost part of the appellation Not unlike the great CocheDury estate in Burgundy they are nearly always to be found in their vineyardsThey do know how to coax this characterful grape with the ripest tannins
The 2006 is to date the most complete wine Yields are low It is a blend of old and younger vines The grapes were harvested healthy after two weeks of sporadic rains Apostolis Thimiopoulos the wideeyed oenologist adds Tannins were so ripe that it allowed us to go for a long extraction which suited more this difficult vintage than the much drier in weather 2005
If you are lucky enough to get a glass of this thoroughbred do not rush it Xinomavro loves oxygenating Rotating it around your glass is a revelation Initially there are broad strokes of fraise de bois strawberries It continues to morph with more forthcoming fruit There is a hint of allspice and sloe berries and the hallmark sweetness of this grape Very attractive tannic bite followed by a crystalline red berry fruit throughout the palate which lingers on to the finish This wine has a story Introduction subject epilogue Beautifully said It has stamina to age
Ghi ke Uranos is one of several cult wines with a larger international following Actually the majority of this vintage is to be found in trendy restaurants in New York US label is Uranos and Paris