White of the Hillsides Cuvée Amphore 2022

For the Blanc des Coteaux Amphora cuvée, the blend consists of Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Vidiano, and Aidani, sourced from certified organic vineyards located in the village of Phytia, on the slopes of Mount Vermio. The Malagousia, Vidiano , and Aidani grapes are vinified with their skins in amphorae and will remain in contact with the fine lees for 10 months. At the same time, the Assyrtiko is finely pressed in whole bunches and then fermented in 2000-liter oak barrels, where the wine will rest for 1 year. After blending, the wine is finally bottled unfiltered. This wine reveals notes of dried peach, apricot, white flowers, pine nuts, toasted cereals, candied citrus, chamomile , and smoked stones. The palate is intense and very fragrant, with a beautiful texture and balanced by the obvious freshness and minerality of the local terroirs.

Long known as small table wines, notably Retsina, a white wine infused with pine resin, Greek wines have risen in quality over the past 20 years. The history of wine is as old as that of Greece. More than 3,000 years ago, traces of the world's oldest grape presses were found on the island of Crete. After stagnating throughout the 20th century, Greek wines have experienced a dazzling improvement in quality thanks to its entry into the European Union, the training of young oenologists in very good European schools and a particular attention to international demand. It does not want to fall into the easy route of using mainly great French grape varieties such as Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon which would greatly facilitate export. Nowadays, Greece wants to continue to cultivate and promote its ancient grape varieties which are estimated to number around 300 in the territory. The very first thing to understand is that Greece is much more diverse in terms of climate than most people realize. The country clearly has everything from arid Mediterranean islands to humid, mountainous pine forests that receive snowfall in the winter. With such a diverse climate, you can expect Greek wines to be quite diverse as well. Thus, one of the best ways to get an idea of Greek wine is to divide the country into four general wine-growing zones based on their climate: Northern Greece (humid climate), the Aegean Islands (arid climate), Central Greece, and Southern Greece (Mediterranean climate). The potential and reputation is greatly underestimated today in the eyes of the general public, which may lead to some pleasant surprises!