Akrathos Halkidiki Xinomavro 2020
£25.75
The wine
Expressive and complex aromas of cherry and blackberry are complemented by sweet spice and vegetal tones. Opulent, with balancing freshness, refined tannins and a long finish.
Xinomavro means acid-black, and it is northern Greece's great red grape, often compared to Nebbiolo for its pale colour, high acidity and formidable tannin. Grown on Halkidiki rather than in Naoussa or Amyndeon, and released with several years of age, which the variety requires.
The producer
Akrathos
View all Akrathos winesAkrathos began in 2007 among a group of friends who wanted to make wine on the Halkidiki peninsula, the three-fingered promontory east of Thessaloniki. They settled on a site in the municipality of Aristotle, named after the philosopher, who was born nearby at Stagira.
The peninsula is mountainous and surrounded by sea on three sides, which gives a combination of altitude and maritime cooling unusual in Greece. Mount Athos, the monastic republic that has been continuously inhabited for over a thousand years, occupies the easternmost finger, and its monasteries have made wine throughout that time.
The estate works Assyrtiko and Xinomavro, the two grapes that define serious northern Greek wine, alongside Sauvignon Blanc. Farming is sustainable and production small, and the wines have the freshness that height and sea air together provide.
