Muses Estate, Thiva, Mouhtaro

A thrilling red wine from the Mouhtaro grape, showcasing an explosion of ripe red fruit, spice and silky tannins framing a refreshing core. A real rarity and treat.

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 very rare red grape of Mouhtaro is grown exclusively in the area of Askri, at the foot of Mt. Helicon, in Thiva, Central Greece. Muses Estate was the first producer to revive this variety thanks to the efforts of Athanasios Zacharias, who brought this variety back from near-extinction and produced the first vintage in 1998. The vines flourish at an altitude of between 450 and 550 metres and a gradient of between 3% and 7%. The continental climate in the region experiences cool, wet winters and warm summers, however, proximity to the small Permisos River helps to temper extremes. The double Cordon Royat vines thrive in fertile soils of a mixed composition ranging from sandy loam to clay loam, which produce this exquisite wine. The vines 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.

Winemaking 

The grapes were de-stemmed and underwent a cold soak on the skins for four days. Fermentation with wild yeasts lasted for 20 days, followed by 10-day maceration at low temperatures. The wine was aged in 20% new 225-litre and 300-litre medium to medium-plus toasted French oak, with 80% aged in second and third use barrels, for 12 m

Tasting Note

A thrilling red wine from the Mouhtaro grape, showcasing an explosion of ripe red fruit, spice and silky tannins underpinned by a backbone of acidity. A real rarity and treat.

Grape

Mouhtaro 100%