Gaia Estate Nemea Red 2021

Gaía Wines was founded in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, pioneers of the modern Greek wine revival, with wineries in Nemea and on Santorini. This wine comes from Nemea in the Peloponnese, the country's most important red appellation, and is made from Agiorgitiko, the leading indigenous red grape. The fruit is drawn from low-yielding vineyards on south-western slopes at an altitude of 650 metres, where elevation moderates the Mediterranean heat and the cool nights preserve acidity and aromatic detail while low yields concentrate flavour. The wine is aged for eighteen months in 225-litre French oak barrels, whose small format adds spice and fine tannin and rounds the structure through slow oxygen exchange. The colour is deep ruby. The nose shows ripe red fruit and plum with dried Mediterranean herbs, sweet spice and a leathery, savoury note. The palate is medium to full-bodied with fine, ripe tannin, fresh acidity and an elegant, structured finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanted if young. It suits roast lamb, grilled beef, tomato-based dishes and hard cheeses.