Theopetra Estate, Meteora, Limniona

A silky, elegant and fruity red, offering cherry, raspberry and dried fig aromas complemented by hints of nutmeg, clove and black pepper, through to a long, smooth finish.

Producer Note 

At the foot of Meteora Rocks and around the prehistoric Cave of Theopetra, signs of human existence and evolution date back to the Paleolithic era, including the discovery of grape seeds which demonstrate the ancient coexistence of Meteora with the vine and wine. In 1996, the Tsililis family created the Theopetra Estate, an iconic winery with organically grown vineyards, with the aim of reviving the vineyard to its former glory and eminence, following the Phylloxera outbreak in the early 20th century. The family combines historical tradition with cutting-edge technology in their desire to revive rare Greek grape varieties while respecting the natural environment. The family passionately cultivates the 15-hectare estate vineyard, which is located on hilly slopes surrounding the Cave of Theopetra and produces characterful wines which are wonderfully expressive of this ancient terroir. 

Vineyard

The vineyard sits on the hillside slopes of PGI Meteora around the Meteora Rocks and the Cave of Theopetra. The climate is continental, with cold winters and sunny, dry summers. Frequent northerly winds from the Pindos Mountain cool the vines and prevent the development of disease. High diurnal temperature ranges during spring and summer impart the grapes with intense aromas, high natural acidity and concentrated flavours. The soils are sandy, clay with a high presence of limestone composed of marine fossils, combined with a slate subsoil, which result in ‘shallow’ vineyards, providing excellent drainage. This particular composition of soil results in low yields and the resulting wine is characterised by high acidity and minerality. The double cordon trained and spur pruned Limniona vines are planted with an east/west row orientation and are certified organic. Strict green harvests further help to keep the yields low and the fruit is full of concentrated flavours when it is hand-harvested in the early hours of the morning. Limniona (not to be confused with Limnio) is a native Greek red variety originating in Thessalia, in Northern Central Greece.

Winemaking

The Limniona grapes were hand-picked and carefully sorted. Whole bunch fermentation took place with selected yeasts lasting for five days before being transferred to a pneumatic press for gentle pressing. Malolactic conversion took place to soften and round out the palate. The wine was aged in French oak barriques (90%) and American oak barriques (10%) mostly of second use for 12 months, before being bottle aged for a further 12 months.

Tasting Note

A supple, elegant and fruity red with aromas of cherry, raspberry, sweet quince and dried figs complemented by hints of nutmeg, clove and black pepper. Silky tannins with ripe, red berried flavours and a long, smooth finish.

Grape

Limniona 100%