Noema Rapsani Reserve 2017

At the foothills of Mount Olympus, the home of the mythical Greek gods, lies the scenic vineyards of Rapsani, a small, nearly forgotten wine region named after the nearby, ancient village. With its succulent, complex flavors, Noema Rapsani Reserva 2017 will show you why this wine was once hailed as the nectar of the gods.

You would think a wine with serious flavor, structure and ageability from an ancient wine region with a world-famous landmark and perfectly situated vineyards would have no problem finding customers. In the 1980s, Greece’s economic downturn devastated the local cooperative in Rapsani. So much so, it nearly ceased to exist—there was only one producer in the region until 2005. Thanks to the resurgence of their flagship grape Xinomavro on the world stage, along with innovative new wineries like Noema, Rapsani is making a serious comeback.

The vineyards in Rapsani are planted with Xinomavro, Krasato and Stavroto in equal parts. Traditionally, the wines are an equal blend of all three as well. To craft this powerful release, acclaimed winemaker Ilias Antoniadis chose a blend of 70% Xinomavro, which provides complex fruit flavors, plus 20% Krasato for sweet fruits and leathery notes and 10% Stavroto for earthy nuance. He then aged the wine for 12 months in oak barrels and a further seven years in bottle, making for extremely smooth layers of rich plum and juicy blackberries, accented by spice, leather and tobacco notes.

Ilias suggests pairing his Rapsani Reserve with a Kelaidi, Greece’s traditional slow-roasted beef and veggie casserole. Lamb, pork chops and sausage dishes will be delicious, too.

A gift from the gods? We certainly think so. Taste it for yourself before this rare Reserve leaves our cellars.