Gaia Notios Red Agiorgitiko Syrah 2019

Agiorgitiko (pronounced Ah-yor-YEE-te-ko) is a fragrant red wine grape native to Greece's Peloponnese peninsula. This wine is produced from grapes of exceptional maturity that are cultivated in a low-yielding, non irrigated vineyard on the hills surrounding the Nemea wine region. Here, the soil structure consists of a shallow clay layer of approximately 70 to 80cm, that lies upon the lime soil. This type of clay retains humidity and releases it back to the vines when required thus helping to naturally monitor the water stress in the vine, producing concentrated flavours in the berries.

Notios in Greek means “The Southerner”. The grapes were hand-picked into 20 kilogram containers and chilled to 4°C prior to vinification. The grapes were then destemmed cold soaked for 48 hours in the fermentation vats at low temperatures fluctuating between 8°C to 12°C. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts and lasted between seven to 10 days at controlled temperatures which did not exceed 25°C. When malolactic conversion was complete, the young wine was cold stabilised. The wine was made in an unoaked style to preserve the purity of fruit.