Domaine Tatsis "Xiropotamos" Xinomavro Dry White '18

Domaine Tatsis is the work of brothers Periklis and Stergios Tatsis, whose first vintage was in 1996, after taking over the domaine from their father. Periklis works the land and oversees the vines, and Stergios is in charge of making the wine, although the lines often blur with this family endeavor. The wines are certified organic, with many biodynamic principals applied, but the best way to describe them is as one of the small group of original natural winemakers in Greece to pop up in the 1990s, numbering no more than three or four, at a time when international varieties, commercial yeasts, and 100% new oak were the norm in the rest of the country.

“Xiropotamos” is a still, dry white wine made from the red variety Xinomavro, the most important grape of northern Greece. Often compared to Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir, Xinomavro is typically high in tannin and acid levels, and has a reputation for being a difficult variety to grow. The brothers produce “Xiropotamos” from free-run juice, with native yeast fermentation. You can expect notes of red berries, herbs, and nuts, and a rich mouthfeel balanced by the variety’s characteristic acidity. (Background info courtesy of the importer DNS)