Saignée Xinomavro rosé from Naoussa: savoury, spicy and textural, with pink grapefruit and dried-flower aromas, fermented and aged in stainless steel; practicing organic viticulture.
The Alkemi rosé draws on classic dark, gastronomic rosés that have the intensity to age, but with none of the overt, new-oak influence that can be prominent in those wines. Structured and spicy with pink grapefruit and floral notes, it has a refreshing streak of acidity that means it’s moreish and drinkable as well as serious.
Notes on the producer
Markos is the third generation of a family of viticulturists and winemakers at Markovitis Winery, formerly Chateau Pegasus, and the first producer in Greece to practice organics. Based in Naoussa, a region in the north of Greece, near Thessaloniki, famous for making Nebbiolo-style wines that can be just as age-worthy. Marko's grandfather planted 24 hectares of the Xinomavro grape in 1970 in the foothills of Vermio mountain, in the north-western part of the zone, on gentle slope, between a forest of oaks. Xinomavro can seem austere in youth, with grippy tannins and high acid. This structure mellows with age, the wines acquire a fragrant lift and develop complex earthy notes, not unlike Pinot Noir. Markos’ Xinomavro is the only wine made on the estate, made with 100% de-stemmed fruit and aged in old barrels.
