Ktima Driopi Classic Nemea
$25.00
Out of stock
Vintage: 2017
Region: Nemea, Greece
Viticulture: Sustainable
Grape variety: 100% Agiorgitiko
Ktima Driopi Classic Nemea features generous aromas of red fruit and dried nuts. Tannins are luscious and the wine offers a velvety finish.
Song: Fo Sho by Kurt Vile
Additional information
Out of stock
Save 10% when you buy six or more bottles (mix and match)
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
About Ktima Driopi Classic Nemea
Ktima Driopi Classic Nemea is ready to drink upon release. The wine features generous aromas of red fruit and dried nuts. Tannins are present but luscious, the wine offers a velvety finish. Pair with grilled steak, lamb chops, or a charcuterie platter.
About Ktima Driopi
Nemea is internationally celebrated as the region with vines that produce the world’s best Agiorgitiko grapes. Acquired in 2003 by Giannis Tselepos, the Driopi estate is a 50-year-old 8.5-hectare vineyard comprised of clay soil located at 380 meters above sea level in Koutsi, Nemea. Tselepos replanted four hectares with specially selected clones and maintained the balance while adjusting production to meet the high standards of the Tselepos winemaking philosophy such as low yields (6 tons / per hectare) and innovative vinification methods.
About Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko is a fragrant red-wine grape native to Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula. It is one of the country’s most widely planted wine grapes after Xinomavro, and goes by a number of local synonyms. Agiorgitiko is the sole variety permitted in the Nemea appellation and performs admirably well in the hot Mediterranean climate there.
Agiorgitiko is a remarkably versatile grape variety and is used to make everything from light rosé wines to rich, full-bodied red wines with dark fruit flavors and plush tannins. Barrel maturation, not just in oak, but in a range of local and imported woods is increasingly used in Greece to assist Agiorgitiko’s aging process. When not produced as a varietal wine, Agiorgitiko blends favorably with Cabernet Sauvignon.
The variety’s versatility has led to it spreading across Greece and to other warm growing regions, but the best wine made from this grape is in the higher-altitude vineyards of Nemea. Here the semi-mountainous vineyards between 1350ft (450m) and 2000ft (650m) allow full ripeness of flavor with enough acidity and structure to keep the wine balanced. At lower altitudes, and with less care taken, Agiorgitiko wines can be flabby and uninspiring, lacking in acidity and character. It can also be rather a challenge in the vineyard, as it is susceptible to both mildew and rot.
Agiorgitiko means “St George’s Grape”, and is probably named for a chapel near Nemea. It is thought to be one of Greece’s oldest varieties, and has been historically associated with the half-god Heracles – Nemea wine is often called the “Blood of Heracles”.