Monemvasia Malvasia Vin Liastos, Laconia 2012 halves

The Monemvasia vineyard is situated just six miles from the sea at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres above sea-level. The terrain here is rugged, the vines are grown on a sloped terrain, in medium-textured schist and clay-loam soils with poor organic matter. The area benefits from high levels of sunshine, the Mediterranean climate delivers hot, dry summers and mild winters. The extremely dry summers, often cause drought conditions from March to October, but the ‘Meltemia’ winds – cooling breezes from the north-east enable the vines to endure the heat waves of August. The combination of poor soils and hot climate, encourage the vine’s roots to penetrate deep into the soils, where they are nourished by minerals and soil water and in turn produce wines with complexity. The vines are grown following organic principles, with minimal intervention. The vines are linearly arranged, in rows, to achieve greater aeration and the yields are kept exceptionally low. Cultivation, including harvest, takes place by hand.

The grapes were sun-dried over a period of approximately 12 days. The concentrated grape must was fermented with selected yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks to retain the intense fruit flavours. Maturation took place in 225 litre oak barriques of second-use and lasted for two years. Malvasia wine was renowned worldwide throughout the Middle-Ages, but in the 16th century under Ottoman rule, the vineyards were destroyed and production ceased. Under the restless spirit of the Tsimbidi family, the legendary wine has been revived, in its birthplace, after five centuries. The 2012 is only the second vintage of this wine.