Greek Wine

Producer Description 

100% Xinomavro sourced from Amyndeon, across the mountains from Kir-Yianni’s home base of Naoussa and a historical source for high-acid grapes for rosé. 

This is fermented to an irresistible 17 grams or so per liter of residual sugar before a Charmat-method secondary fermentation that comes out to a creamy 3.5 atmospheres of pressure.

Winemaker Description

The color is bright, deep morello cherry-red. The nose reveals aromas of blackberries, raspberries and ripe strawberries with just a touch of tobacco and spices such as clove and cinnamon. It is a medium-bodied wine with elegant structure, balanced acidity and very ripe, elegant tannins. The finish is moderately-long, dominated by red fruits and followed by sweet vanilla and black pepper. 

Expert Review

89 Points Wine Enthusiast | Clove, thyme and dried fennel aromas complement fruity black-cherry notes on the nose of this Agiorgitiko from Skouras, a 1986 winery in the Nemea region of Greece’s Peloponnese. The light-bodied palate has ripe red and black fruits plus faint cinnamon flavors, indicative of the winemaking process: This wine is fermented in stainless steel and aged in old French barriques for a year. It then sits six more months in the bottle before release. The results are easy drinking and enjoyable, with balanced fruit and acid followed by velvety tannins on the long finish.

Winemaker Description

Deep crimson color, refreshing scent of red fruit, a bouquet of finely blended aromas, tannins, and acidity. 

Winemaker Description 

Aromas of sweet citrus fruits with hints of honey and herbs lead to a full and tannic palate with notes of orange jam and bergamot.

Producer Description 

The color is bright, light cerise with pink hues. Vibrant and clear on the nose, with aromas of ripe cherries, raspberries, hints of flowers and rose petal notes. On the palate it has a medium body, moderately high acidity, and the slightest suggestion of very ripe tannins. Flavors are consistent with the aromas, with a light sensation of sweet grass and bubble gum. The finish is moderately long, with developing flavors that lead to complexity.

Winemaker Description

Concentrated aromas of fresh red fruits, herbs, leather and spices. Light-bodied with a good acidity, and soft, delicious tannins with a long, lingering finish. 

Expert Review

90 Points Robert Parker | The 2020 Liatiko Dafnios was aged for 12 months in used French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. Light in color and showing ample mid-palate finesse, this doesn't seem like a big wine, but it is ripe this year. It finishes with some baked plums and black cherries. There's a firm finish, with the moderate tannins providing support for the fruit but not getting in the way too much. This seems like a refined wine that still has big fruit and flavor. It is approachable now, but it should hold reasonably well, at least throughout the decade, probably more. No matter what, for the price, it's a good value.

Winemaker Description 

L’Esprit du Lac or ‘’the spirit of the lake’’ is the new rose wine from Kir-Yianni Estate. It captures the dynamic spirit of Xinomavro into an elegant refreshing rose wine. 

Pale salmon pink color. The nose starts with floral aromas and continues with stone fruits and strawberries, as well as delicate herbal notes in the background. Stone fruit aromas roll into the mouthfeel as well, while the vibrant acidity offers crispness and balance. Harmonious finish.

A rigorous selection of Xinomavro vines of at least 40 years of age, grown on small parcels scattered around Agios Panteleimonas, within the PDO zone of Amyndeon in Northern Greece. Continental-ish climate at the cooler wine region of Greece, located in a stunning plateau at 600 meters above sea level, with poor sandy soils, neighboring lakes and mountainous surroundings. An ideal location for Xinomavro to ripe and display its unique backbone. 

Winemaker Description 

Grapes from our vineyards but also from associated growers. This particular variety covers less than 2% of the Santorini vineyards.

Typical red vinification with skin contact for 7 days. oak Maturation in barrels for 18 months and reductive aging in stainless steel tanks for 6 months. Bottled unfiltered.

Intense red color with bright hues. Red forest fruit aromas, bitter chocolate, tobacco, and minerality. A muscular palate with a tannic character and long aftertaste.  Served at 16-18 ° c with red spicy meats, casseroles, as well as mature full-fat cheese.

Producer Description 

The style of the wines being made by Mittas is broadly traditional. Minimal-intervention farming (the vineyards are now fully converted and licensed as organic) and wine making are the general rule. Tannin management incorporates only periodic—twice daily—manual punchdowns and 500-liter French oak barrels while the fruit, acidity, and alcohol levels are reminiscent of Naoussa wines from 40 years ago. Mittas’s wines reward on release and don’t necessarily need long aging because of their elegant nature.

The grapes for this bottling undergo 15 days of skin contact, with twice-daily pump-overs. The wine is aged for a year in French oak barrels, 25% first use, and then for an additional year in bottle. On the nose, the wine shows red and dark fruit, plum, and spice notes. The wine is medium bodied, and the tannins are well integrated with the fruit. The wine opens beautifully with a bit of time in a decanter. Enjoy it with your favorite lamb dish.

"Oenos Mittas is owned and operated by Yiannis Mittas. Yiannis' family is one of the oldest in the northern Greek region of Naoussa, and while his family has been in the wine industry for generations, Yiannis is the first in his family to make and bottle his own wine. After graduating with a degree agricultural technology, he purchased a 1.8 hectare plot in the famous Paliokalias vineyard — considered one of the best Crus in Naoussa — in 2018. Planted in 1971, Yiannis' Xinomavro vines (average age of 25 years) are planted in soils of clayey-limestone with some sand; the vineyard is in the process of organic conversion. Winemaking is traditional and minimal intervention is used in both the vineyard and the cellar.

The Oenos Mittas Xinomavro is aged for one year in French oak (25% new), followed by one year in bottle. The wine displays a deep ruby red in the glass, offering aromas of dark berry and stone fruits mixed with notes of cedar, licorice and tapenade. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant, exhibiting flavors of red plum, macerated black cherries and blackberry with notes of earth and leather. There is just the right amount of acidity that interplays with this Xinomavro's moderate, yet approachable tannic structure. The finish is pleasing and persistent. This is an ideal pairing for any lamb dishes... from traditional gyros to kebabs, rack of lamb to hearty stews."