Muses Estate, 'Clio, The Red Muse', Valley of the Muses

A juicy blend full of wild berried notes of blackberry, mulberry, raspberry and ripe strawberry with a hint of chocolate and violets, rounded with a deliciously moreish 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, proximity to the small Permisos River helps to temper extremes. The bush vines were planted in 1947 in fertile soils of a mixed composition ranging from sandy loam to clay loam, which produce wines characterised by rich aromatics. 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, in the cool of the early morning.

Winemaking 

Named after the Muse: Clio, the inspirational Goddess of History. The grapes were cold soaked at 8°C, followed by a seven-day maceration with selected yeasts and regular gentle punch downs to extract the flavours and soft tannins. Post-fermentation maceration lasted five days. Each variety was matured without the influence of oak for one month, before being blended and matured for a further two months.

Tasting Note

A rounded and velvety blend with ample notes of wild blackberry, mulberry, raspberry and ripe strawberry. Fine tannins and a juicy, berry-laden palate makes for a very moreish finish

Grape

Merlot 60%, Agiorgitiko 40%