It’s called Salò, the very first label created by the Mr Vertigo team – fruity, anarchic, and ‘real.’ It is our own take on dry Mavrodaphne. Ten years on, after having created the Bacchus exhibition, countless works of art, sculptures, vinyl records, comics, and of course selling thousands of bottles through our physical stores and e-shop, the time has finally come to craft our first wine. A wine built on the very principles that have kept us ‘young’ and ‘alive’ in this field for the past decade. For Salò, we turned to our beloved Mavrodaphne from equally beloved Kefalonia – a fantastic vehicle for a new, 100% Mr Vertigo label, from a variety that always does things differently. A wine without the ‘weight’ of appellations, but also without many other things: without barrels, without interventions, without anything superfluous. Simple, direct, and we hope, truly enjoyable.
Salò is a different kind of Mavrodaphne, crafted from organically grown, high-quality grapes from own-rooted vines in the historic vineyard of Vatsa, located on the Paliki peninsula of Kefalonia. The winemaking was aimed at bringing the beautiful fruit of the variety to the forefront: the pristine grapes remained on the skins for one week in egg-shaped concrete tanks, resulting in a wine that is fresh, vibrant, and full of energy. It delivers a spectrum of forest fruits, red fruit, herbal notes, and the refined tannins of the variety. It is best enjoyed slightly chilled, as this reveals its full energy and character.
And if you’re wondering about the inspiration and design identity of the wine, both are rooted in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s infamous – and banned – film Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. Just as the use of the name ‘Mavrodaphne’ is banned on any dry wine label, regardless of origin. Salò comes to challenge exactly that: to tear down the image of Mavrodaphne as we knew it, and to rebuild it from scratch. The label, designed by Paris Chaviaras*, is as uncompromising and unconventional as the wine itself.
*Paris Chaviaras was born in Piraeus and studied painting at the Athens School
of Fine Arts. He has presented his work in exhibitions in Athens, London, Marseille,
Naples, Mandrite, and in many museums and private collections in Greece and abroad. He works using painting, photography, and objects. He lives in Athens.
