Vines of rare beauty, in many cases steep and inaccessible, which have preserved in their “innards” local Cretan varieties that deserve to stand on a global level. Southern Rethymno has unique vineyards at altitude, with pre-harvest roots that are over 100 years old and complex plantings of varieties such as Vidiano, Plyto, Thrapsathiri, Melissaki and...
A pure capture of Olivier's style that plays with the high energy levels in his wines. There is an introversion in this particular vineyard but also an austerity compared to the more exuberant examples from Burgundy (see Meursault for example). But on the other hand, the fruit is really full of finesse and supports the freshness and minerality. 12 months...
The process starts with de-stemming and without breaking the rails, followed by extraction at mild temperatures for 4 days. Fermentation is spontaneous and takes place in stainless steel tanks with simultaneous extraction. At the end of fermentation, the wine is matured in 3rd use French oak barrels with a capacity of 300 litres for a period of up to 3...
On some very old vines located in a slopping site of Bouzy, next to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, exist varieties like Pinot Gris, Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc that used to thrive in Champagne. Benoit himself hasn’t yet managed to identify all the varieties of this specific plot (among them and some not allowed any more in Champagne...
The play that Economou is making with oxygen is amazing. The wine artfully straddles oxidation, which has taken it to unique limits of complexity. The barrel is beautifully digested giving sweetness to the aromas, accompanied by nuts, memories of earthy notes and honey. Complexity, tensions, length in the mouth hit the red. The flavors in the mouth build...
