Worthy of the country’s extensive wine heritage, during the last couple of decades modern Greek wines have been rising up to reach again at the top of the world of vines and wines.
Today Greece offers wines of exceptional value and unique varieties that promise to broaden your palate in the most delightful ways.
We are happy to announce the beginning of a new era for Lakonia Imports, introducing you to selected wines from some of the most significant Greek wine estates represented by their international, multi-awarded products.
1. Palivou Estate
2. Wine Art Estate (Tehnni Oinou)
The winery is composed of two buildings that span the two sides of the road and are connected by an underground tunnel that quarters the impressive cellars where the wine matures in French oak barrels.
Wine Art Estate is nestled in the heart of Drama wine region.
The vineyards are planted on carefully chosen slopes, situated between two parallel mountains, Mount Falakro and Mount Menikion. which create a unique growing environment for the production of distinctive wines. The microclimate of the area fosters the production of full-flavored and balanced grapes with great aromatic potential.
The soil is mainly sandy-clay over limestone layers, suitable for the cultivation of the Greek and foreign varieties planted and ideal for the development of their characteristics. Win Art Estate vineyards are located in the Kali Vrisi area, an area known since ancient times for the cultivation of the vine and the production of wines and as indicated by the ruins of a Sanctuary of Dionysus, were selected for their rich soil, as a premium wine-growing area.
The result is world-class, quality wines that embody the spirit and character of this special terroir, firmly rooted in a distinct sense of place, characterized by freshness, finesse, and elegance.
3. Gavalas Family Winery
“Gavalas Winery’s purpose is to bring into the light and share through taste, the spectacular characteristics of Santorini’s volcanic “terroir”.
Santorini’s vineyards are unlike anywhere else on the planet.
Gavalas family winery is one of the oldest wineries in Santorini and lies in the traditional village of Megalochori.
The fourth-generation winemaker George Gavalas and his son Vagelis are focused on limited production bottlings with exclusive respect to the local varieties.
George and Vagelis Gavalas father and son, standing in the middle of Santorini’s unreal vineyards.
Let’s meet the wines one by one through their varieties.
In this episode, PALIVOU ESTATE WINES
ANEMOS AGIORGITIKO – PALIVOU VINEYARDS
Agiorgitiko (Ah-your-yeek-tee-ko) is a well-known grape variety from Nemea, in the Peloponnese region. Agiorgitiko is red wine full-bodied, with flavors of sweet raspberry, black currant, plum sauce, and nutmeg with subtle bitter herbs (somewhat like oregano) and smooth tannins.
Red Agiorgitiko wines are close in style to Merlot, generous and fruity, but a tad bit spicier.
ANEMOS is a deep-colored purple wine made of 100% Agiorgitiko, with intense fruity and clean aromas and the dominated flavors of cherries, strawberries, and gooseberries.
By the words of its winemakers…
The silky mouth feel and the grape juice aftertaste give the impression that you are tasting grapes from the vineyard during September.
The 8.4 privately owned vineyard that produces the wine, is located in position Giougiza, in Ancient Nemea.
ANEMOS HAS WON 2 SILVER MEDALS 3 GOLDS and a “QUALITY CERTIFICATE IN MUNDUS VINI (Germany)
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PALIVOU ESTATE NEMEA
Protected Designation of Origine (PDO) Nemea
This single variety 100% Agiorgitiko wine is the flagship of Palivou VIneyards.
The vinification process consists of 5 days of cold maceration and then traditional red vinification using after-fermentation’s infusion methods, and strict control of temperature. Aging for 12 months in French barrels 30% news, 30% second and 30% third use, followed by 6 months aging in the bottle.
Wine tasting notes distinguish this thick, dark-colored wine with aggressive tannins, from all Agiorgitiko wines out there. Its impressive aromas of dark black cherries, vanilla with chocolate notes, and toasted wood add to a full body with good structure, rich in tannins that give a long aftertaste.
Ideal for:
Juicy red meats accompanied by rich aromatic sauces
Recommended Cheese: Cheddar
Best served at a temperature of 16 ° C – 18 ° C
This wine is accompanied by an impressive award record:
Gold Medal, vintage 1996, Selection Mondiales des Bruxelles (Belgium)
Mention Decouverte, vintage 1996, Selectiones Mondiales (Montreal)
Seal of Approval, vintage 1998, International Wine Challenge
3 stars, vintage 1999, Prowein (Germany)
Gold Medal, vintage 2000, Vinalies International (France)
Silver Medal, vintage 2001, Selection Mondiaales des Vins (Canada)
Bronze Medal, vintage 2001, International Wine Contest (Belgium)
Silver Medal, vintage2001, MundusVini (Germany)
Gold Medal, vintage 2001, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
Silver Medal, vintage 2001, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
2 stars, vintage 2003, Prowein (Germany)
Silver Medal, vintage2003, International Wine Contest (Belgium)
Quality Certificate, vintage 2003, Mundus Vini (Germany)
Silver Medal,vintage 2004, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Wines of Excellent Quality, vintage 2004, Wein Allesuber (Germany)
Silver Medal, vintage 2004, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Silver Medal, vintage 2004, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
Quality Certificate, vintage 2004, Mundus Vini (Germany)
Silver Medal, vintage 2005, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
Bronze Medal, vintage 2006, Concours Mondial des Bruxelles (Belgium)
Gold Medal, vintage 2005, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
Gold Medal, vintage 2006, Concours International du Vin (Greece)
Silver Medal, vintage 2005, International Wine & Spirits Competition (Greece)
Gold Medal, vintage 2005 & 2006, International Wine & Spirits Competition (Greece)
Bronze Medal, vintage 2008, China Someliers Wine Challenge (China)
Silver Medal, Finger Lakes International
Gold Medal, Tasters Guild, International Wine Judging
Best Red Wine, Interwine China, 2005- 2011
90/100, vintage 2011, Robert Parker- The Wine Advocate (USA)
87/100, vintage 2012, Robert Parker- The Wine Advocate (USA)
89/100, vintage 2013, Robert Parker- The Wine Advocate (USA)
88/100, vintage 2014, Robert Parker- The Wine Advocate (USA)
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WINE ART ESTATE – PLANO MALAGOUZIA
Plano Malagousia by Wine Art Estate is a wine that manages to maintain its role at the table, perfectly matching plenty of dishes from the Mediterranean cuisine, without sacrificing the well-known extroversion of the variety. A balanced and at the same time expressive Malagousia that can play all roles, moving along the tasting area between the explosiveness of Techni Alipias white and the austerity of Plano Assyrtiko.
The label featuring a drawing compass and the name ‘Plano’, ‘Plan’ in Greek, remind us of the two founders of the Estate, civil engineer Giannis Papadopoulos and architect-engineer Giannis Kalaitzidis.
In its winemakers’ words:
“Plan a wind-down routine to follow in the evening that will help you relax: A new book, your favorite music, a nice film – anything that makes you happy. Pour a glass of Plano Malagousia and enjoy your personal time.”
PLANO MALAGOUZIA has won the Gold Award in Challenge International Du Vin – France, 2021
WINE ART ESTATE – TECHNI ALIPIAS
Α dense and lush wine is the one that will keep you good company these freezing weekend evenings.
Techni Alipias red utilizes the unique and extremely successful blend of Bordeaux-originating Cabernet Sauvignon with Greek Agiorgitiko, a variety that traveled from the Peloponnese to Northern Greece and is expressed gracefully through the terroir of Drama.
Bottled wines aging at the Wine Art Estate cellars.
Techni Alipias is rich in mouth, mature, fleshy, well structured, with beautifully softened tannins that exudes the scents of red fruits, truffles, cloves, caramel, mocca and vanilla. It has a rich, rounded, fleshy taste and a good structure.
Techni Alipias has won the Gold Medal Award in Berliner Wein Trophy 2021.
About Berliner Wein Trophy:
Berliner Wine Trophy is the World’s Largest OIV* Wine Competition
* Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (French: International Organization of Vine and Wine)
Since the patronage of the OIV in 2004, the Berliner Wine Trophy has become the world’s largest wine competition and Germany’s most important international wine challenge under the patronage of the OIV and the UIOE. Berliner Wine Trophy(BWT) brings well-known producers and distributors from around the world together every year, and the number of samples submitted is steadily growing with more than 14,000 entries yearly (Winter and Summer edition).
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GAVALAS SANTORINI
Assyrtiko (Ah-sear-tee-koh) is one of the top wines in Greece, produced all over the country. Assyrtiko’s most impressive region is its place of origin on the island of Santorini. This is a lean white wine with passion fruit, flint, and lemon flavors, subtle bitterness, and saltiness on the finish.
The mountainous vineyards of Megalochori as seen from Santorini’s main settlement, Oia.
Gavalas Santorini is a single variety 100% Assyrtiko POD (Protected Designation of Origin) wine made from more than 50-year-old vineyards located at the mountainous top of the island, in the area of Megalochori.
The free-run juice ferments in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature and matures with fine lees for at least 5 months.
Close up at the Aegean sea volcanic soil of Santorini where Asssytiko grapes grow to become wine.
Following a tradition that counts five generations, 20% of the wine’s total volume will long fermate in old barrels for 2 months, and then will be reunited with the rest of the wine to mature and get bottled.
Gavalas Santorini is a wine with a full-fat body, high acidity, and a long aftertaste. The rich aromas of stone fruits and dough frame the characteristic minerality of the variety.
For this year (2021) the production reached barely 4,000 bottles.
Gavcalas Santorini’s characteristic blue bottle depicts the island’s blue sky and seas surrounding the vineyards plateau.
Tasting notes: Aromas of citrus, lemon, pear, and peach accompany the typical saltiness and minerality of Assyrtiko. Full body with high acidity and long aftertaste.
Fish, clams, seafood, and white meat make an ideal match.
Aging potential: 6+ years
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY LAKONIA IMPORTS – YOUR TRULY GREEK FOOD PROVIDER