Thymiopoulos, biodynamic Xinomavro from Naoussa
9 bottles, from easy-drinking red to single vineyards for ageingA Greek red with lively acidity and fine tannins, often likened to Piedmont's Nebbiolo: that is the promise of Xinomavro, and this estate delivers on it from everyday wine to bottles for long ageing. Apostolos Thymiopoulos farms his vines biodynamically in Fytia, on the slopes of Mount Vermio, above Naoussa.
Read the range in tiers: Atma to start, Alta Naoussa for altitude, Terre et Ciel for the blend of the best plots, then the Kayafas and Aftorizo single vineyards. Two whites and a Rapsani complete the section.
Thymiopoulos - Alta Naoussa 2024
A Xinomavro of altitude, all in finesse and elegance
Thymiopoulos - Terre et Ciel 2024
The flagship of the Thymiopoulos estate, one of the greatest wines of Naoussa
Thymiopoulos - Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore 2023
A complex, intense and saline blend
Thymiopoulos - Terra Petra 2020
A harmonious blend of Greek red grape varieties, grown in the foothills of Mount Olympus
Thymiopoulos - Atma Rouge 2021
A red wine from Northern Greece, combining indulgence and freshness
Thymiopoulos - Aftorizo 2020
One of the estate's Grands Crus, produced from ungrafted vines
Thymiopoulos - Assyrtiko Jeunes Vignes 2023
An Assyrtiko from northern Greece combining tension, fruit and salinity.
Thymiopoulos - OenosNature Naoussa 2022
A magnificent supple, elegant and very fragrant Xinomavro
From easy-drinking red to single vineyard for ageing
Climb the range step by step: at each tier, the vines get older, the ageing gets longer and the wine calls for more patience.
| Tier | The wine | What it brings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Atma Rouge 2021xinomavro, mandilaria | Strawberry, cherry, sun-dried tomato, juicy palate | €15.90 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| High-altitude vines | Alta Naoussa 2024xinomavro | Plum, violet, blood orange, melted tannins | €24.00 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Best plots | Terre et Ciel 2024xinomavro | Violet, truffle, graphite, taut acidity | €33.00 a bottle, in lots of 3 |
| Limestone single vineyard | Kayafas 2019xinomavro | Old vines, long ageing in oak barrels | €88.00 a bottle |
| Ungrafted single vineyard | Aftorizo 2020xinomavro | Pre-phylloxera vines on schist and granite | €88.00 a bottle |
| At the foot of Mount Olympus | Terra Petra 2020xinomavro, stavroto, krassato | Blackberry, cherry, forest floor, velvety tannins | €27.90 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Crisp white | Assyrtiko Jeunes Vignes 2023assyrtiko | Tension, fruit and salinity, aged in tank | €19.98 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Amphora white | Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore 2023assyrtiko, malagousia, vidiano, aidani | Dried peach, candied citrus, smoky stone | €42.00 a bottle, in lots of 3 |
Kayafas and Aftorizo are sold by the bottle, the other cuvées in lots of 3 or by the case of 6. To compare with other reds from the country, open the Greek wines section.
Altitude, soils and ageing potential
Another way to choose: where each wine comes from, what soil it grows on and how many years it can wait in the cellar.
| Vintage | Terroir | Ageing | Dinner's ready |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atma Rouge | Naoussa, vines at 400 m | 1 to 5 years | Grilled meats, moussaka, pizza |
| Alta Naoussa | Vines at 450 to 650 m, schist and granite | 5 to 10 years | Roast lamb, poultry with herbs |
| Terre et Ciel | Blend of plots, vines 44 years old on average | 15 years and more | Leg of lamb, mushrooms, truffle |
| Kayafas | Single vineyard at 180 m, deep limestone, vines over 50 years old | 15 years and more | Game birds, braised beef |
| Aftorizo | Heights of Fytia at 450 m, schist and granite | 15 years and more | Joint of beef, mature cheeses |
| Terra Petra | Rapsani, 600 m at the foot of Mount Olympus | 5 to 10 years | Lamb with olives, daube |
| Whites | Fytia and Naoussa, clay-limestone and Vermio hillsides | 5 to 10 years | Grilled fish, feta, spicy food |
Serve the reds at around 16 °C and decant the single-vineyard wines an hour before the meal. The way the vineyard is farmed is reflected in the biodynamic wines section.
A Naoussa bottle for every mood
Start with the occasion, and the cuvée will follow.
Discover Xinomavro
A juicy, fresh red with notes of strawberry and sun-dried tomato, to get to know Naoussa's great grape variety.
Atma Rouge 2021, €15.90 a bottle, by the case of 6The freshness of the heights
The estate's highest vines, between 450 and 650 m, give a pure, energetic red with melted tannins.
Alta Naoussa 2024, €24.00 a bottle, by the case of 6A bottle to lay down in the cellar
The blend of the best plots, aged eighteen months in 500-litre barrels, for ageing of fifteen years and more.
Terre et Ciel 2024, €33.00 a bottle, in lots of 3A single vineyard for special occasions
Pre-phylloxera vines over fifty years old on the schists of Fytia, for a rare Xinomavro to open with patience.
Aftorizo 2020, €88.00 a bottleA white for seafood
Santorini's grape variety planted on the continental soils of Naoussa: taut, saline and fruity, made for grilled fish.
Assyrtiko Jeunes Vignes 2023, €19.98 a bottle, by the case of 6A skin-contact white
Four Greek grape varieties, three of them vinified with their skins in amphora: a textured white with notes of dried peach and camomile.
Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore 2023, €42.00 a bottle, in lots of 3Compare with Nebbiolo
The same acidity, the same tight tannins, the same scent of roses and tar: taste Xinomavro's Piedmontese cousin.
The Nebbiolo sectionAll of wine-growing Greece
From Santorini to Macedonia, the other Greek estates in the selection and their native grape varieties, red and white alike.
The Greek wines section
From grapes sold to the cooperative to wine in bottle
The Thymiopoulos family has grown vines in Fytia for generations, but used to sell its grapes to the local cooperative. After graduating in oenology in Athens, Apostolos returned to the estate to bottle wine under his own name and convert the vines to biodynamics.
His raw material is Xinomavro, whose name means "acid black". Light colour, high acidity, firm tannins: it ages like a Nebbiolo and over the years takes on notes of sun-dried tomato, leather and forest floor. At the estate, the entry-level cuvées are aged in tank or used barrels to keep the fruit, and the single vineyards receive long ageing in oak barrels.
Naoussa and Rapsani
Naoussa, in Greek Macedonia, is an appellation of pure Xinomavro backed by Mount Vermio, with a temperate continental climate and cool nights. Rapsani lies further south, at the foot of Mount Olympus: there Xinomavro is blended with Stavroto and Krassato. For other European appellations, see our guide to appellations.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Thymiopoulos
Which of the estate's wines should you start with?
Start with the Atma Rouge 2021, at €15.90 a bottle by the case of 6: a Xinomavro softened by a little Mandilaria, juicy and fresh. If you like the style, step up to the Alta Naoussa 2024, at €24.00 a bottle by the case of 6, finer and more mineral thanks to the high-altitude vines.
Why is Xinomavro compared to Nebbiolo?
The two grapes share a light colour, high acidity and firm tannins that need time. They also evolve towards similar aromas: dried rose, cherry, tar, forest floor. Xinomavro often adds a note of sun-dried tomato. To taste the Piedmontese original, browse the Nebbiolo section.
What does biodynamics mean at the estate?
Biodynamics goes further than organic farming: preparations made from plants and manure, soil work in step with the seasons, native yeasts in the cellar. At Thymiopoulos, it goes hand in hand with hand harvesting and reduced sulphur. Other winemakers who farm the same way await you in the biodynamic wine section.
What is the difference between Kayafas and Aftorizo?
They are two single-vineyard Xinomavros sold at €88.00 a bottle. Kayafas grows at around 180 m on deep limestone, with vines over 50 years old and a long maceration. Aftorizo comes from the heights of Fytia, at 450 m, on schist and granite, with ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines. Limestone on one side, schist on the other: two readings of the same grape.
How long can you keep Terre et Ciel?
Terre et Ciel 2024 blends the estate's best plots, with vines 44 years old on average, and spends eighteen months in 500-litre barrels. It keeps for fifteen years and more. Young, decant it for an hour. It costs €33.00 a bottle, in lots of 3, which lets you open one now and wait for the others.
How are these wines sold?
Kayafas and Aftorizo are sold by the bottle, at €88.00. The other cuvées are sold in lots of 3 or by the case of 6: Terre et Ciel and the Blanc des Côteaux in lots of 3, the Atma, the Alta Naoussa, Terra Petra and the Assyrtiko by the case of 6. The price shown on each card is the price per bottle.
What is Terra Petra?
Terra Petra 2020 comes from the Rapsani appellation, about 50 km south of Naoussa, at the foot of Mount Olympus, at around 600 m altitude. There Xinomavro is blended with Stavroto and Krassato, and the wine ages eighteen months in old barriques. It costs €27.90 a bottle, by the case of 6, and goes well with lamb with olives.
Does the estate produce whites?
Yes. The Assyrtiko Jeunes Vignes 2023, vinified in tank, offers tension and salinity at €19.98 a bottle by the case of 6. The Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore 2023 blends Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Vidiano and Aidani, part of which macerates on the skins in amphora. It costs €42.00 a bottle, in lots of 3.
What dishes should you serve with Xinomavro?
Its acidity and tannins call for rich dishes. The Atma goes with grilled meats and moussaka. The Alta Naoussa and Terra Petra go with roast lamb with herbs. Terre et Ciel, Kayafas and Aftorizo pair with game, mushrooms and braised meats. Serve them at around 16 °C, in a wide glass.