Vintage - 2017

Country - Greece

Region - Peloponnese

Grape Varieties - Agiorgitiko 100%

Alcohol by volume - 14%

Bottle - 75cl

One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution Gaia Estate was established in 1994 by Greek winemakers Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Operating two different wineries they make cutting edge wines in both Nemea and Santorini. Gaia's main aim is to present the potential of the indigenous Greek grape varieties to wine enthusiasts worldwide.

A wet winter was followed by a rainy spring, which helped to build soil water reserves. A dry summer saw day temperatures that remained within the optimum range for growth. Some challenging weather conditions demanded vigilance in the vineyard, however ultimately the grapes were harvested in excellent health.

Agiorgitiko (pronounced Ah-yor-YEE-te-ko) is a fragrant red wine grape native to Greece's Peloponnese peninsula. The vineyards are located near to Koutsi, a semimountainous village. The vineyards here are known for their chalky soils and good drainage. The cool temperatures, the ideal sun exposure and the steep inclination of the vineyards combine to produce lower yields than other parts of Nemea, but the berries have excellent concentration of flavour.

Selected grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and crushed, followed by a cold soak for approximately 48 hours at 10°C. The must was inoculated with selected yeasts and fermented for approximately two weeks at temperatures between 22 to 26°C, with regular pump overs and some plunging of the cap. Malolactic fermentation followed and the wine was aged in oak casks for 12 months, of which 90% was French oak (10% new) and 10% was American oak (10% new). The wine was cold stabilised prior to being cellared.

Agiorgitiko is the red grape of Nemea, making silky smooth, fruit-packed reds with a velvety finish. This cuvée shows intense aromatic finesse evolving from ripe berries and gooseberry through to caramel and discreet oak nuances. Soft tannins underline a rich, well structured velvety body. Serve between 16 to 18°C with meat dishes that are rich, intensely flavoured and spicy.