Greece | EpanomiKtima Gerovassiliou, Epanomi, Malagousia 2023

Ktima Gerovassiliou is the brainchild of Evangelos Gerovassiliou. He initiated the revival of the family vineyard by planting the nearly extinct Malagousia in 1981. This state of the art winery is now surrounded by 72 hectares of meticulously well cared vineyards on the slopes of Epanomi. Ktima Gerovassiliou guarantees consistent, high quality wines of international acclaim every year and his Malagousia remains the benchmark to this day.

This year was truly late and exceptional, with unusual temperatures and rainfall distribution. It was demanding for the winemakers, as the conditions favoured fungal diseases. However, with a lot of hard work and constant vigilance, we were rewarded with high-quality grapes. The winter was mild, with temperatures not dropping significantly for the season, no snow, and only a few rainfalls. The exception was the first ten days of February when the temperature reached freezing point. Spring saw relatively low temperatures for the season, averaging around 13.5°C, leading to a delay of approximately 12 days in bud break (around March 20th). There were many rainfalls during this period, promoting plant growth but also diseases, which required immediate intervention when necessary. In May, temperatures gradually returned to normal for the season, but flowering was delayed by about 10 days compared to the usual period (around May 20th). The summer experienced generally normal temperatures for the season, without extreme weather phenomena, except for a ten-day period in mid-July. There were a few rainfalls in mid-June and mid-August, beneficial for the smooth ripening of grapes (veraison: July 26th). This year's harvest proceeded smoothly without problems. The temperatures were normal for the season, aiding in the ideal ripening of the grapes.

This wine is entirely produced from the Greek grape variety of Malagousia, which was saved from extinction due to the efforts of Vangelis Gerovassiliou. Following skin contact in cold, vinification is carried out in stainless steel tanks at 18 °C, while some is vinified in French oak barrels. The wine is left with its lees for a number of months to gain structure and body.

Food pairing: seafood, poultry, pasta dishes with light sauces fresh vegetable salads, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.