Kanakaris NOTOS Retsina NV (50cl)
£6.25
The wine
Notes of white peach and lemon alongside the unique aromatics and texture of the resin.
Retsina is Greek white wine flavoured with Aleppo pine resin, a practice that began when amphorae were sealed with it and the flavour became expected. Made properly from good fruit with a light hand, as here, it is a serious wine rather than the harsh stuff that gave it its reputation. Kanakaris work the slopes of Aigialia in the northern Peloponnese, where altitude and the Corinthian Gulf moderate the summer heat. This is the 50cl bottle.
The producer
Kanakaris
View all Kanakaris winesKanakaris is a family estate in Aigialeia, in the northwestern Peloponnese, one of Greece's most distinctive wine regions. Founded by Michalis Kanakaris in 1979 and now run by his grandsons Stefanos and Michalis, it champions the indigenous grapes of these mountains. High elevation and the cooling influence of the Corinthian Gulf shape a growing environment unlike anywhere else in the area.
The estate farms fifty five hectares planted between 450 and 1,150 metres above sea level, on steep, sandy clay slopes dotted with olive groves and citrus trees. Capturing a true sense of place is the guiding philosophy. Alongside the native Roditis, Sideritis and Mavro Kalavrytino, the brothers grow Malagousia, Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko, all hand harvested and vinified in a modern cellar.
The NOTOS range, named for the Greek word for south, offers fresh, expressive everyday wines, from crisp Roditis to a bright, modern Retsina co fermented with a touch of pine resin. Higher up, the estate's Malagousia from vines above a thousand metres is botanical and perfumed, while the oak aged Agiorgitiko, sourced from Nemea, is deep and velvety.
Kanakaris's wines are fresh, characterful and rooted firmly in their mountain home. They show just how thrilling Greek varieties can be in the right hands. This is authentic Peloponnese wine of real charm and value.
