Dougos Winery Meth’Imon Acacia
Nothing can stop my love for Assyrtiko. Much as I love exploring other and new grapes in Greece, I always buy a couple few Assyrtikos when I’m there. Not usually the same wines though. I like to look for producers I haven’t tried before. On my last trip to Athens, the colorful Dougos Winery Meth’Imon Acacia label caught my eye.
Dougos Winery
Located in Thessaly at the foot of Mount Olympus, Dougos Winery was founded in 1991 by the Dougos family. Still a young winery, it’s already in the hands of the second generation with son Thanos as the agriculturalist and daughter Louiza, the chemist and oenologist.
The Dougos family vineyards sit between 550 and 700 meters on the north-east slopes of Mount Olympus. There, the family dry farms organically in iron-rich schist and sandy clay soils a combination of Greek and international grapes including: Xinomavro, Krassato, Stavroto, Limniona, Roditis, Assyrtiko, Syrah, Grenache rouge, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and finally Cabernet Franc.
Dougos Winery Meth’Imon Acacia, 2019
The winery describes this wine as Assyrtiko with a “splash” of Sauvignon Blanc. The blend includes 99% Assyrtiko so I think that splash is more like a drop. And while I’m not sure what 1% of another grapes adds to a wine, the result is unarguably delicious. The Meth’Imon Acacia gets its name, not from the grape(s), but from the barrel. It not only fermented in acacia, but also aged for nine months on the lees in those barrels.
I don’t think I’d fully read the back label so when I saw the nine months in wood note, then the deep gold color of the wine, I felt concerned. But the waves of freshly sliced fennel, pomelo, and smoked grapefruit peel decorated by lemon salt and jasmine made me so happy. Round and lightly creamy with lively acidity and moderate alcohol (12.5%) with crunchy pear joining the flavors carried over from the nose. Really very lovely. And now I cannot wait to try the winery’s other Meth’Imon wines.
I drank this with friends over homemade pizza topped with garlicy white sauce and charred lemons. Glorious!