Tatsis Roditis-Alepou 2021

The Tatsis winery in northern Greek Macedonia is run as a natural, biodynamic and organic estate, and this wine is made from Roditis Alepou, a pink skinned clone of the native Roditis grape. The vineyards sit inland in Macedonia, which has a more continental climate than the Greek coast, with cold winters and warm summers and a wide day to night temperature range that preserves acidity and aromatic detail. The Tatsis approach is low intervention, with wild fermentation and a savoury, gently oxidative style built from time on skins and lees rather than new oak, which draws phenolics and colour from the grape skins and gives the wine grip and a dried fruit, herbal character. There is no added yeast or fining, so the wine keeps a textured, hazy natural feel. It pours deep gold with an amber tint. The nose is dried apricot, orange peel and dried herbs over beeswax and almond. The palate is dry and structured for a white, with stone fruit, nuts and a firm, tannic finish. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees.