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Christos Anagnostou
Anagnóstou studied oenology in Athens then in Geisenheim, Germany. He is a practical man who knows his region, his grapes and his market. He is a firm believer that his success will ride on native varieties. There are two good reasons for this, one oenological, the other strategic. Firstly, the hot, arid climate favors well-adapted traditional varieties over their foreign counterparts. Secondly, Anagnóstou is on the side of the Greek differentiationists, those who believe native cultivars are the calling card for Greece in the competitive export markets. For these native grapes, the harsh Attikan microclimate even has distinct advantages. The area, he says, "is good because vines undergo no stress from pests or other diseases. There is almost no rainfall here, and certainly no rain at the important moments when the risks of moisture-related diseases are high. We are not certified organic, but on the other hand we have no reason not to farm organically, so we do. In terms of irrigation, we have total control of moisture." The primary grape of the region has always been the Savatiano. Plantings now include Rodítis and Asyrtiko. Anagnóstou has a special interest, acquired in Germany, in producing a Methode Champenoise. The wine will be based on Savatianó; a yet unofficial ameliorating variety will contribute, among other things, acidity.
Supplying this production are 10 hectares of his own vines around Koropí and purchased grapes. Fruit for his red Agiorgitiko is trucked from Nemea. While it is common in Greece for producers to contract regional facilities for vinification of appellation wines, Anagnóstou eschews this practice–not for moral reasons, but simply because "I would rather do it myself." Agiorgitiko, he believes, "is the best stand-alone Greek red variety. It can be aged, but makes a superior fresh wine as well." His is currently not oaked, but some portion will be aged in oak in the future. The wines: Anagnóstou white 2000 This wine is a blend of Savatianó from several vineyards consisting of both old and new vines. We were surprised by the first encounter, a pleasant hit of lavender on the nose. The second encounter was some mild petulance on the tongue. It is a subtle and dry wine whose golden, ripe fruit is incorporated into solid body (12%). A surprisingly well extracted and refreshing wine best served cool, not cold. Ambelones Anagnóstou 2000 This is Anagnóstou's estate wine. Savatianó culled from his own 30 year old vines at an average yield of under 40 kg per hectare. It is an interesting and intense wine full of skin extracts (there is some cold temperature skin contact). The nose is positively tropical, but the mouth feel is subtle, resolving to an elegant finish. The fruit remains much more on the nose than on the palate, perfumy and aromatic, especially in the secondary phase. This wine seems to represent the classic battle between extraction and structure, extraction having won, but having conceded enough body to carry the day. Agiorgitiko 2000 Anagnóstou manages to make a great stainless steel version, full of bright cherry and even some dark currant. It is, as he describes it, a fresh wine, a summer red for when the sun goes down and a rosé is no longer enough. It is a simple, well-crafted and clean wine, a good introduction to type for those wondering what is at the essence of this variety. With neither oak, nor age, nor raw tannins, the fruit shines pleasantly through. Anagnóstou is in the midst of his first incursion into America. He already has a foothold in Germany. With more products anticipated from a widening range of varieties, he is in a good position to reinvent himself in time to capitalize on an increasingly upscale Greek market. |
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Agiorgitiko
