Chatzivaritis Estate Carbonic Negoska
I didn’t have a horizontal picture of this wine so I hope you enjoy this picture of Sherlock lounging in one of my serving dishes.
I’ve had my eye on Chatzivaritis for a while and would love to visit this estate. I initially fell in love with their Migma Pét-Nat and have since had the chance to try a number of their wines. One I was particularly excited to bring home was this Carbonic Negoska, Negoska being a Greek grape that I don’t know very well. And there’s nothing I love so much as learning about new grapes!
Κτήμα Χατζηβαρύτη / Chatzivaritis Estate
Chatzivaritis Estate, founded by Vagelis Chatzivaritis and his wife Olga Iakovidou is a family winery based in Goumenissa in Thessaloniki. Vagelis, a mechanical engineer, started making wine as a hobby to enjoy with family and friends. In 1994 he took the next step and planted five hectares then in 2007, built his winery.
In 2017, the second generation of the Chatzivaritis family joined the winery. After studying oenology in France and Portugal and working in wineries in France, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile, Chloi returned to Greece. She brought her passion and experience for low intervention wines with her. She immediately started making a new range of wines without intervention and experimented with new wine making techniques.
The vineyards have expanded to include 18 hectares with a special emphasis on Greek varieties Xinomavro, Negoska, Roditis, Malagousia, Muscat, and Assyrtiko (along with a handful of international grapes) under the PDO Goumenissa.
Chatzivaritis Estate Carbonic Negoska, 2020
The Negoska grapes underwent whole grape cluster carbonic maceration for 1o days before being pressed and completing fermentation. The wine then rested in stainless steel tanks (no oak at all here) for six months on the less before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with very low sulfur levels.
This Negoska was one of those wines I would have been happy to just smell forever. Absolutely beautiful bouquet full of wild blueberries, lilac, wild thyme, laurel, and a sprinkling of clay pot dust. On the palate it displayed delicate but noticeable tannins, candied flowers, blueberries, and just a touch of earthy black olive. Silky, smooth, nice acidity, and only 12% abv.
Really nice. I wish I’d bought two bottles!
February 5, 2023
Malia
Sounds delicious and a pretty label too!
February 5, 2023
Christy Majors
You had me at lilac! I’ll have to try to locate this wine. The wine sounds really intriguing
February 6, 2023
admin
It’s really lovely, I hope you can find it!