Elegant Macedonian Xinomavro, fragrant with cherries, wild strawberries and sweet spice, complemented and complexified by savoury flavours of tomatoes, olives and cinnamon. This wine pairs ideally with meat cooked in tomato sauce, charcuterie, wild mushroom risotto, stewed peppers with cheese or ground beef, meat pies, grilled cheese.
Kali Riza – which means ‘good root’ in Greek – is a Xinomavro from 40+ year old vines, sourced from the mountainous appellation of Amyndeon. Some vineyards in this area were never affected by phylloxera due to their sandy soils. The grapes for Kali Riza are sourced partially from such vineyards (some dating close to 100 years) and partially from 40+ year old Xinomavro vines. The high altitude (600m) and the poor sandy soils of the area lead to the production of wines displaying finesse and a rare aromatic character. The four surrounding lakes that act as a buffer zone create perfect weather conditions for the cultivation of Xinomavro, more temperate than expected in this continental climate.
The grapes are carefully selected during harvest depending on their age and content in sugars, phenols and acids. Upon delivery at the winery, they are chilled to a temperature of 8-10°C. After destemming, the grapes are crushed and left to cold soak for 6 days at 10°C to extract more colour and aromas. The alcoholic fermentation lasts 2 weeks and is followed by 1 week of post-fermentation maceration. After this period, the wine is transferred to the second-use French oak barrels, were it is left to mature for 12 months. During this time, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation while it is gently stirred on its lees. Finally, the wine is bottled and left to mature for 1 additional year.