Wine Advocate 91 points!
Appellation: Naoussa, Greece
Variety: 100% Xinomavro
"A wine with a deep red color and rich red fruit aromas, such as strawberry and sour cherry on a background of tomato and vanilla from oak aging showing on the nose. Ramnista 2010 is a wine with a round mouthfeel, displaying a refreshing acidity and firm, but softer than usual, tannins, while the varietal character is more pronounced thanks to the more restrained use of barrel. The finish is filled with lingering notes of cherry, tomato and mushroom."
Kir-Yianni
"THE Greek grape xinomavro tastes like a cross between the red-fruit earthiness of pinot noir and the tongue-hugging tannic dryness of nebbiolo. I'm obviously not the only one who's made the link: this superbly complex, savoury, single-vineyard example of xinomavro recently came top in a blind-tasting in Hong Kong, where it was tried alongside nebbiolos from Piedmont and pinots from Burgundy and New Zealand."
Max Allen, The Australian, June 18, 2013
Wine Advocate 91 points!
"The 2009 Ramnista is Xinomavro, mostly oak aged, with 15% new French oak for varying times. Stellios Boutaris said to me: "Different blocks are vinified separately, some of them will see 18 months in oak, others 12, some even just six months. On average most of the wine will have around 12 to 14 months of aging." This is a fine success this year, supporting Kir-Yianni's evolving style and vinification practices with this wine. Earthy, crisp and a bit stern, it shows fine complexity of flavor, a touch of forest floor, a hint of earth and mushrooms on the nose, and a style reminiscent of classic Nebbiolo. It is very nice. The range of 2009s that I have seen often lean in that direction, that is, the earthier side of the coin, with early aromatic expressiveness, rather than sweet and fruity. They have character and they have been easy to appreciate in their style. Don't misunderstand, though, because this has very nice fruit, too, and it particularly shines through the next day. It is Xinomavro, of course, and that also means its acidity is good and there are underlying tannic bursts. It seems well-balanced and nonetheless relatively approachable this year, a nice success in a tricky year. It could still use a little time in the cellar, and it may shut down a bit. There were 44,000 bottles produced. Drink 2014-2022."
Mark Squires, eRobertParker.com #209
Oct 2013
Country:
Greece
Region:
Greece
Variety:
Wine Red - Other
Size:
750mL
