Xinomavro is one of Greece’s best red grapes, and Naoussa, at the foot of the Vermio Mountains in Northern Greece, is where the most classical, ageworthy versions are made. The top wines are worthy rivals to Barolo, and the grand master of the style is Apostolos Thymiopoulos.
Apostolos released his first wine, the modern classic Earth and Sky, in 2005. Since then, he has added more than a dozen cuvées, with wines that explore every facet of the grape variety and the Naoussa terroir.
At the heart of the Thymiopoulos range are three levels of Naoussa Xinomavro. The first, Jeunes Vignes, is oustanding value. It is immediately, crowd-pleasingly juicy, but still capable of gaining complexity with age. Earth and Sky remains the flagship, made with fruit from two different villages - Trilofos (the ‘Earth’ at 100-200m) and Fytia (the ‘Sky’ at 400-650m). At the top level are the single vineyard wines - Aftorizo, Kayafas and Vrana Petra, highlighting 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 with something different to say. 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.
From the humble Jeunes Vignes, to 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.
