Apostolos Thymiopoulos is the Grand Master of Xinomavro. In 2005 he released his first wine, the modern classic Earth and Sky. He hasn’t stopped since, assembling a dazzling range that explores every facet of this Nebbiolo-like grape variety in its finest terroir - the vineyards around the town of Naoussa, Northern Greece.
At the heart of the Thymiopoulos range are three levels of Naoussa Xinomavro. The entry level Jeunes Vignes is outstanding value. It is immediately, crowd-pleasingly juicy, but still capable of gaining complexity with bottle age. Earth and Sky remains the flagship, made with fruit from two different villages - Trilofos (the ‘Earth’ at 100-200m, bringing ripeness and depth) and Fytia (the ‘Sky’ at 400-650m, for detail and freshness). At the top level are the single vineyard wines - Aftorizo, Kayafas and Vrana Petra. These are the realisation of Apostolos’ lifelong ambition to highlight the best parcels of old vine Xinomavro in Naoussa. Hugely ageworthy and complex, they are great classics of the future.
Complementing this core lineup are several other cuvées, each revealing a different side to Xinomavro and Naoussa. These include wines from particularly high altitude sites (Alta), zero-sulphur experiments (Nature) and one of the most exciting rosé wines being made anywhere - occasionally released in a special bottling with many years of age behind it.
Whether it’s the humble Jeunes Vignes, or the rare and prestigious Vrana Petra, all of Apostolos’ wines are made to the same exacting standards. In the vineyard, farming is organic with some biodynamic principles. In the winery, fermentations are with wild yeasts, minimal interventions are made and ageing takes place in neutral, large oak barrels. This simple approach produces authentic wines at every level - wines that are true to the place, the vintage, and this single, world-class grape variety.
