Happy International Xinomavro Day!
Today is International Xinomavro Day! This new grape holiday was established only last year. While I missed my chance to post about it in 2019, I’m very excited to talk about Xinomavro this year. I previously wrote about Kokkinos Xinomavro (which was lovely). And while several bottles languish in my wine room, I do not often drink Xinomavro. At least not as often as I’d like! Today is a good reason to bust out some tasking notes though.
But first, let’s talk about the grape itself.
Xinomavro
Xinomavro (ksi-NO-mav-row) grows mainly in Northern Greece. The PDO most famous for this grape is Naoussa but it grows well also in Amyndeo, Goumenissa, Siatista, Velvendo, and even in Central Greece’s Rapsani. Wines made from Xinomavro generally have a paler color but can be very full-bodied and tannic. While most prized as a varietal red wine, especially for its ageing potential, Xinomavro also shows well as rosés, blanc de noirs, and in blends.
Yiannis Karasakis MW calls this variety: the Prima Donna of Greek grapes. As mentioned, Xinomavro does not have a lot of pigmentation which means that grapes must achieve full ripeness in the vineyard to get the best color. It’s also a highly vigorous variety so vignerons must take care to control yields. A large number of clones and biotypes belong to the Xinomavro family as well making clonal selection really important.
For those who do manage the grape’s capricious character well, they are rewarded with age-worthy wines that display aromas of red fruits (cherry, strawberry), prunes, black olives, roses, tomatoes, tobacco, earthy minerality and truffle.
Chrisohoou Gold Selection Xinomavro, 2013
I discovered Ktima Chrisohoou last year at Oenorama in Athens. They brought all their Xinomavro wines. This, the Gold Selection, represents Chrisohoou’s highest level Xinomavro.
Both this and the Chrisohoou Xinomavro below come from the PDO Naoussa and are 100% Xinomavro. For this Gold Selection, the wine aged for 18 months in 300 liter French oak barrels then another 12 months in the bottle before release. As expected, a bit pale on the pour for a wine this powerful with 14.5% abv. A richly expressive nose of cherry and prune with dried tomato and pepper. The combination of oak and bottle ageing tamed Xinomavro’s tannins for the palate. Still powerful but showing a more restrained power balanced by high acidity and flavors of ripe cherries, tomatoes, brown spices, and pepper.
Chrisohoou Xinomavro, 2017
For the mid-range price market Chrisohoou also offers a 100% Xinomavro from Naoussa. This wine saw significantly less ageing: 12 months in 300 liter French oak barrels and a further six in bottle. The resulting wine was less intense and powerful than the Gold Selection but still showed some of the characteristic grape aromas in the nose. Lighter, more delicate red fruits, tomatoes, olive paste, and brown spices. Tannins felt rather more aggressive and grippy in the mouth. Full-bodied with high alcohol at 14% abv. Palate flavors reflected the nose pretty faithfully.
Chrisohoou Xinomavro Blanc de Noir
This blanc de noir Xinomavro from Chrisohoou was the first of it kind that I’d encountered! Also 100% Xinomavro but the grapes came from PGI Imathia. After a gentle pressing to extract only about 40% of the juice from the grapes, the wine fermented at low temperatures of 16 – 17 C and aged in stainless steel to preserve the fresh fruit aromas.
The wine appeared mostly a pale yellow in the glass but I could detect a hint of peachiness to it. Summer garden on the nose with aromas predominately of white flowers, Meyer lemon, and lemon balm. Lively and light on the palate with cheerful acidity and moderate alcohol (12.5%). Palate flavors were, like the nose, floral and lemony. Charming and delicate but not really what I expected!
Lantidi Little Ark Agiorigtiko Xinomavro, 2014
Xinomavro may also be used in blends as with the Little Ark by Ktima Lantidis. The Little Ark is a 50/50 blend of Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro. The Agiorgitiko grapes came from their vineyards in Asprokampos Nemea while the Xinomavro from Amynteo. The wine aged for 12 months in oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered.
Deeper in color thanks to the Agiorgitiko, it showed a purple ruby in the glass. Swirling released intense red fruit aromas (cherry/berry) along with dried tomato, pepper, and cedar. Structured acidity and initially grippy tannins greeted me at the first sip with the tannins eventually smoothing out. Full-bodied with 14% abv and flavors every bit as rich as the nose promised they would be. Cocoa-dusted cherry and blackberry, pepper, and coffee with the cedar reappearing for a medium-long finish.
I love Xinomavro! Hopefully I’ll be allowed back in Greece sooner rather than later to collect a few more bottles for next year’s Xinomavro Day. In the meantime…Happy International Xinomavro Day!