Cosmetatos Family (Gentilini)

Marianna Cosmetatos and Petros Markantonatos Nutshell... Company Name:   Gentilini     Location:   Minies, Kefalonia, Ionian Islands     Managing Director:   Spiro Nicholas Cosmetatos     Estate Management   Marianna Cosmetatos and Petros Markantonatos     Winemaker:   Gabrielle Beamish     Products       Robola       Classico       Fumé     What's in a name.   The Gentilini name dates back to the Venetian era in Kefalonia. Nicholas Cosmetatos' paternal grandmother, Marianna Gentilini was the last of a noble lineage that began in Kefalonia with the arrival in 1593 of Marino Gentilini, an army engineer commissioned by the Venetian senate to build military fortifications on the island. The name now has a new life.     To contact this company click here       Lest the limestone composition of the estate's soil be in doubt... Prior to his return to his native Kefalonia, Nicholas Cosmetatos had been living in London, focused on a career in corporate communication. While England remains home much of the time, the decision to plant vineyards and build a winery in Kefalonia created a new level of commitment for him (and his family) to the island. In 1978 he built a house at the top of a cliff overlooking the Ionian sea and planted several hectares of vineyards. With the release of his first vintage in 1984, Cosmetatos set a standard for wine production that few in Greece had previously met. Although a small generation of producers had already begun what is often described as the 'Greek wine revolution', many had struggled with the issues surrounding varietal suitability, forced to experiment by trial and error with both foreign and native cultivars. Young vines occupy prime real estate overlooking the Ionian sea. For Cosmetatos, neither the suitability of his property for wine production nor the viability of his chosen cultivars were in question. The estate's limestone subsoil, proximity to cool ocean air and policy against over-irrigation (intended to constrain yields) guaranteed a certain level of quality for its wine. That and the existence of well-adapted local white varieties of known, but unrealized, potential meant that Cosmetatos could be confident about his plan to create elegance that would defy expectations for Greek wine, distinguishing his work from that of Greek producers less in tune with the classic western definition of structure. Cosmetatos rightly believed that his terroir was favorable for the cultivation of Sauvignon Blanc. His initial efforts confirmed these assumptions and his wines, combining Sauvignon Blanc with the native Robola and Tsaousi made waves both in Greece and in the UK. Cosmetatos took a hands-on approach from the beginning. Careful study of modern vineyard management practices provided a foundation for viticultural experimentation. During the early years, according to his daughter, Marianna, her father could often be seen doting over his vines, pruning shears in hand. Today the vines are trained using the VSP (vertical shoot position) system, a cordon training configuration that encourages the canopy growth essential to protecting fruit and lengthening the ripening period in the hot and sunny Ionian climate. The early Gentilini wines were clean, acidic, flinty and somewhat austere, their understatement of fruit perhaps mirroring the aristocratic persuasion of their creator. The first decade saw three changes in oenologists. As Cosmetatos tweaked the quality of his wines ever higher, each new voice brought a unique perspective to the estate's winemaking. In the 1990s an English horticulturist, Gabrielle Beamish, was chosen to take over winemaking and vineyard management. Settling year round in Kefalonia, she immediately set about softening the wines' hard edges. Their steel has now been augmented by round fruit and more organic textures and aromas. Indeed, it comes as no surprise that the estate is currently awaiting its organic certification. View from the terrace of the family home above the winery and vineyards. Urn with a view   With these stylistic changes came another development; the new role of daughter Marianna and son-in-law Petros Markantonatos. The dynamic young couple recently assumed the reins of business management. Quick studies both, they clearly delight in the challenge of maintaining the staid personality of the wines while expanding a conservative customer base once limited to Greek cognoscenti, Britons, Germans and Japanese. A key part of the program will be expanding into red wine and keeping the Gentilini name on the lips of the international wine media. So far, so good. Positive reviews by Pierre Rovani in April 2002 heralded the arrival of the wines in America this past summer. Today, the estate's vineyards, in addition to Sauvignon Blanc, feature Chardonnay, Syrah, Muscat and Moschofilero. The Syrah will be the company's first red. The wines: Robola 2001 This wine is produced from Robola harvested at yields of around 30 kg per hectare. It is a blend of fully ripe fruit with early harvest fruit that provides acidity. The wine has a pleasant, fruity perfume. The palate exhibits round pear fruit and spice with an especially ripe initial attack. The wine is full-bodied, but its fairly high alcohol is well-integrated contributing to a rich, balanced flavor. Its overall smoothness is punctuated by a bit of pettilance on the finish. Classico 2001 This wine is blend of 60% Tsaousi with 20% Robola and equal parts of Sauvignon Blanc and Moschofilero. It has a complex nose of honeydew, whiskey and butter. Full-bodied and firm, its Sauvignon Blanc and Moschofilero give a subtle burnt almond end taste. Fumé 2001 Gentilini's Fumé is made with equal parts Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The must is cold-fermented for a week, then fermentation finishes in new oak barrels and stays on its lies for a total of five months in barrel. The new oak dominates the wine's color, giving it a deep yellow hue. The nose shows earth and nuts. Oak flavors are mild, apparent more in some butterscotch flavor accentuated by perceivable levels of residual sugar. This richness is well-balanced by acidity, contributing to full mouthfeel. The winemaker favors long bottle conditioning to integrate flavors. We tasted the wine from a yet unreleased bottle. Other wines will likely be described in the future.

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