Kitma Papaioannou Agiorgitiko 2015

Thanasis Papaioannou was regarded as one of the most important figures of modern Greek winemaking. His belief is a combination of indigenous varieties and organic viticulture are the vital ingredients to produce balanced wines reflecting the terroir. Today, his son works with 57 hectares of organically certified vineyards, located in the Nemea region of the Peloponnese. The wines demonstrating real character at exceptional prices. Nemea is arguably Greece’s most important red-wine region, located in the northeastern corner of the Peloponnese peninsula. The village of Nemea is around 20 miles (35km) southwest of Corinth, and the appellation that surrounds the village is geographically the largest in Greece. Around 40 wineries are located there and the area has seen a huge amount of investment and growth over the past few decades. The surrounding mountains and valleys have been producing wine for centuries. Agiorgitiko is an ancient Greek grape variety mostly planted in Nemea, named for the small St George’s Church found within the boundaries of the appellation: Agiorgitiko translates as “St George’s grape“. A wide range of styles are made from this red grape variety, from lighter, fruitier wines to rich, age-worthy examples such as this. The label references the ‘Lion of Nemea’; a creature of Greek legend, killed by Heracles.

Their Old Vines cuvée is made from the estate’s oldest Agiorgitiko vines.

This dish with duck breast, Brussels sprouts with bacon and Polenta is a perfect partner for the Old Vines from Papaioannou, where the black cherry note is an ideal combination.