Muses Estate, 'A.MUSE' White, Valley of the Muses, Malagouzia

A light and refreshing golden-hued wine with aromatic notes of exotic fruit and characteristic white floral notes through to a lifted finish.

Producer Note

His passion for wine and the millennia-old winemaking traditions of his homeland, led Nikolaos Zaharias to create a small winery in 1946 in Askri, in Central Greece, fulfilling his life-long dream. In 1967, his son, Athanasios Zaharias, entered the family business and brought with him dynamic and forward-thinking ideas, and gradually they transformed the small artisanal winery into a modern winery. In 2005, the year when ‘Muses Estate’ was created, it was time for the third generation Nikos, Stelios and Panayiotis, to take their place in the family business. Their skills, scientific knowledge and youthful ideas, combined with the family tradition and experience further enriched Muses Estate. From their vines grown on the slopes of the Valley of the Muses, at the foot of Mount Helicon, they aim to produce wines that are in perfect harmony with the ecosystem, and are representative of the historic terroir, as well as the family itself. They succeed: their exquisite wines are vibrant with mountain freshness that truly evoke the senses.

Vineyard

The vines are grown on the slopes of the Valley of the Muses at the foot of Mt. Helicon, at an altitude of between 500 and 570 metres and a gradient of between 3% and 7%. The continental climate in the region experiences cool, wet winters and warm summers, however, the proximity of the small Permisos River helps to temper extremes. The fertile soils are of a mixed composition ranging from sandy loam to clay loam, which produce wines characterised by rich aromatics. The double Cordon Royat vines are densely planted, resulting in lower yields, they have a north to south orientation which helps the grapes reach optimal phenolic ripeness and sugar concentration. Cold air currents come down from Mount Helicon, cooling the vines and allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and retain acidity. Cultivated according to the principles of integrated agriculture, in order to protect the environment, the grapes are hand-harvested, in the cool of the early morning.

Winemaking 

The grapes underwent cold skin-contact maceration for 10 hours at 8°C in an oxygen-free environment to extract aromas and flavour. Cool fermentation followed at a steady temperature of 17°C. Maturation lasted for one month in stainless steel tanks, to retain the pure fruit flavours and the nuances of the Valley of the Muses terroir.

Tasting Note

A light and refreshing golden-hued wine with aromatic notes of exotic fruit, characteristic white floral notes and bright acidity, through to an elegant finish.

Grape

Malagouzia 100%