Sclavos "Vino di Sasso" Robola de Céphalonie '21

Sometimes it’s the wines from seemingly far-flung places that most captivate us. Cephalonia (Kefalonia), a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece, is one such place where delicious and complex wines are being made. With a population of around 40,000, the island relies on tourism and agriculture, and Sclavos is a name to know when it comes to the wines made here. Proprietor Evriviadis Sclavos owns about eight hectares (twenty acres) of vineyards in four different locations on the island, and his vines have been Demeter certified biodynamic since 2019. He also sources fruit from growers with whom he has long-term contracts. Sclavos is a producer who looks for low-yielding old vines and original rootstock, and he vinifies the grapes as naturally as possible.

“Vino di Sasso” (which translates to “wine of the stone”) comes from vineyards on the limestone slopes of Mount Ainos, in Lacomatia. It’s made solely from Robola, a variety indigenous to the island, grown on mostly own-rooted bush vines that are about 30 years old. Vinification of the wine is simple, with fermentation carried out in tank with ambient yeasts. The wine is bottled unfiltered.

Fresh, bone dry, and medium bodied, “Vino di Sasso” shows notes of fresh citrus and pear, and fresh flowers in the background, along with a rocky/stony aroma that carries over to a salinity minerality on the palate and a long, mouth-watering finish. 

“Vino di Sasso” is versatile at the table—try it with grilled fish with herbs and olives, or dishes featuring tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, salty cheeses, and a range of herbs and spices.