Xinomavro Rose, Theopetra Estate, Meteora

A pale blush rosé, bursting with aromatic notes of sanguine orange and pink grapefruit, combined with white peach, raspberry and a refreshing herbal note. 

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. 

Vintage

Harvest took place during the second week of September, after a good growing season, with dry weather enabling the grapes to reach excellent maturity and wonderful concentration. The large canopy helped to retain acidity levels and as a result the 2021 wines show lovely purity of fruit and balance. 

Vineyard

The grapes come from the Platanos vineyard, which is located on the hilly slopes of 5 to 10% gradient at 230 metres’ elevation. 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 Xinomavro vines are planted with an east/west row orientation and are cultivated organically. 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. 

Winemaking

A pre-fermentation maceration took place for four hours to extract the colour, prior to being gently pneumatically pressed. Clarification took place by gravity, prior to fermentation of the must with selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures of 15 to 17°C. Maturation lasted for three months on the fine lees to impart texture. 

Tasting Note

A vibrant pale pink rosé, bursting with aromatic citrussy notes of sanguine orange and pink grapefruit, combined with white peach, raspberry and a refreshing herbal note on the finish. 

Grape

Xinomavro 100%