Naoussa: Perfection in a Glass

Several months back, we looked at the intricacies of Sicily’s most adored, and dutiful reds, those from the Etna region, and how altitude affects the grapes grown around Mount Etna, specifically with regards to Etna Rosso. Narello Mascalese has been called the Nebbiolo of the south, and for good reason. Its acidic charm, unparalleled fresh cherry fruit and tarry, earthy undertones of leather, and porcini mushrooms, reminds us all that value regions can be just as consequential as their pricier, more desirable counterparts.

Naoussa is another one of these mini-Barolo regions with exceptional value; a testament to the preservation of local varieties over international invaders like Cabernet Sauvignon. Naoussa is a region flanked by mountains to the north, and the remnants of sea breezes in the south. Far from the Mediterranean climate associated with Greece, this area in Macedonia is regarded for its beautiful ski resorts, not far to depart from Naoussa.

The scenic province of Macedonia is home to only a few excellent wineries, and exports a very small amount of wine compared with Italy or France, despite this, Naoussa has gained a reputation for delightfully inviting wines, of strong acidity, brash tannin, and coarse red fruit. This may be a far more difficult wine to distinguish from Alba, than Etna. The two are remarkably similar, yet still have very distinct differences.

As far as grape production is concerned, the leading grape in northern Greece is Xinomavro, which, is a grape that is seldom talked about, or pronounced correctly. It may, however, be among the highest quality in the world. The wines produced here are ecstatic in personality, with incredible rich red cranberry and boysenberry flavors that fold into strawberry pie with cinnamon, tar, rosemary; and gravel, with notes of leather, and truffle.

The name actually means, “acid-black,” which is a reference to its thick dark skins and highly light and acetic flesh. These grapes have traditionally been grown in Naoussa for centuries, though after the scourge of Phylloxera, two world wars, and the eventual Greek Civil War, the area fell victim to a loss of producers. Unfortunately, most of Greece faded into obscurity as a wine producing country. Luckily, there were some early pioneers ready to pick up the pieces amidst the crumbling infrastructure and near total loss of the Greek economy post-tumult.

Despite the fact that Syrah has made head-waves here in recent years, these early producers helped to save Xinomavro from extinction by continuing to maintain plantings and bottle this incredible local variety. Because of their loyalty to the grape, larger producers, such as Kir Yianni that maintain single-estate vineyards have on their hands some of the oldest vines available to make wine of this sort, some of which date back to post-phylloxera plantings in the early sixties and seventies. .

In 1971, Naoussa officially got its own appellation recognition with the Greek government, and became Greece’s representative case for the proposed appellation system, which would encompass other great wine regions such as Nemea. Today, the Greeks use the Protected Designation of Origin system of the European Union, which is quite similar to the original French AOC system of regional, and growth classification.

Naoussa stretches the foreground of Mount Vermio, more often on the eastern side of this mountain, thirty miles northwest of the Aegean coast. because of its proximity to the Aegean, strong southerly winds are blown over into the Vermio mountains, pulling Mediterranean air northward to warm the grapes, and add a saline flavor to the wines. This process is called föhn winds, when winds from the north are blocked by a mountain range, this creates a vacuum of air rushing in from the south.

Rain shadow from the mountain range casts regulating weather conditions to prevent the grapes suffering any unbearable indignity, such as hail, or excess water. It also serves to help regulate the temperature at altitude. Naoussa is a colder climate, being at such a high altitude, and latitudinally not dissimilar to Friuli-Venezia Guilia, a few countries over. That’s why the combination of low stress weather, and winds from the Aegean to the south are so important for grape ripening. Despite grape ripening setbacks, they do see continuous sunlight that ripens tannins very effectively, as not to stir any green flavors into the finished wine.

Limestone soils at the Magoutes vineyard.

Another factor sustaining ripening, is the incredible soil found here. In general, throughout the majority of vineyards, one can observe, large schist-like deposits of limestone breakup. These large rocks are about as big around as a human fist, and contain quartzite crystals that reflect sunlight back up to the grapes. This is very similar to the job of the Galet Roulée of the Southern Rhone, except the rocks here are limestone shards, rather than smooth granite. Since these soils are fast-draining, and water is scarce, mercifully there is a lot of cooling, water-retaining clay amongst the limestone as well.

Magoutes is a single estate vineyard-bottled wine, very similar to a monopole here in Naoussa. The wine from this vineyard is astounding. The crisp, drying tannin emboldens the flavors of unleavened bread, and cranberry in the wine. Theres an aura of black pepper on the nose followed by new leather, and seared clutch. The flavors of rosemary, and oregano are strong throughout the sip, and then finally the wine finishes with striking acidity, and candied strawberry. This vineyard is a coveted estate monopole located in the limestone ridge on the west of Mount Vermion, roughly 880m above sea level. The site sees all-day sunlight, and limestone schist is incredibly thick. The withered old vines that produce these wines are twisted and gnarled and jet out from the landscape like iron sculptures.

A major producer in this area is the well-respected Kir Yianni, one of the first vintners to commercially sell their wines post-Civil War. They have their own delightful monopole vineyard called, The Ramnista. This wine is a well-polished red; a magnum opus or red fruit; stewed strawberry, fresh raspberry, cherry cobbler, and rhubarb, followed by road tar, and clove, with lavender, and grippy tannin. Undertones of orange peel, black pepper, and marjoram are to follow, enveloped in a smooth blanket of burnished oak. This wine comes from just outside of the village of Naoussa on the eastern flank of the mountain. These wines are tastefully aged for over sixteen months in French Barrique, and 500L Botti. Different types of oak are used for different stages of aging. These wines are then aged in bottle for a year before their release.

That's All,

~K