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Yiannis Dalamaras
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Dalamara |
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Naousa, Makedonia |
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| Winemaker: |
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Yiannis Dalamaras |
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| Oenologist: |
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Konstantine Sdoukopoulos |
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| To contact this company click
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Katerina
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Yiannis and Katerina Dalamaras seem
to have achieved an ideal lifestyle. In 1840, Yiannis' forebears bought vineyards
on the slopes just below Naousa. They built a winery and cooperage and became negociants
to Naousa's important wine trade. Today the property is a practical paradise in which
small-scale, focused winemaking is just part of what the Dalamara estate means to
its owners and visitors.
In addition to its vineyards and winery, the property features the stunning, museum-quality
edifice in which the original winery and a distillery were housed. The working pot-still
and many other artifacts remain in this breathtaking building in which time seems
to have frozen a century ago.
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The storefront
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In the rear of the estate is a charming
lawned courtyard, a focal point for recreation and celebration in which a traditional
outdoor fournos, or oven, remains in use. Further back, on a crest overlooking the
family's vines, are the stables housing their beloved horses. Horsemanship is just
another pursuit that ties the Dalamaras' to their traditions and to their land. They,
their estate and even their horses, play a role in the annual celebrations in Naousa
that mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of winemaking and the distilling
of Tsipouro. During the rest of the year, the couple and their children can be found
making good use of their facilities for family gatherings, social events and, of
course, wine tastings. They also have a delightful, traditional storefront a short
distance uphill in Naousa proper.
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Fournos
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In a region that has been dominated
by large scale production of Naousa appellation reds, the Dalamara wines can accurately
be described as artisanal. The vineyards are farmed organically and so certified
by the Greek Ministry of Agriculture to EU standards. Fruit for the Naousa appellation
wines are sourced from 40-60 year-old vines in nearby Paliokalia. Plantings consist
of the red Xynomavro and Cinsault (a variety which is no recent import to northern
Greece) and the whites Roditis and Prekniariko. Grapes are hand-picked. Production
is low (around 20,000 bottles per year), yields are low and the winery belongs to
a small, elite class of producers within the appellation who have found ways to circumvent
an uncomfortable relationship between oak and the authorized Xynomavro
variety.
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Guardian of the vine.
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I raised this issue during a conversation
with Yiannis as we sat at a table behind the winery. "I have long been aware',
he said, "of the tendency of oak to rob Xynomavro of its fruit. Because of the
law requiring appellation Naousa to spend one year in oak, I learned to use plenty
of old oak with the new. Some of the oldest barrels I use are now on their seventh
year. The trick is not to obscure the Xynomavro's rich aromas." Dalamaras uses
an interesting mix of barrels: mostly Limousin with some Hungarian and American.
He and oenologist Konstantine Sdoukopoulos do not shy away from rusticity. Theirs
are wines of deep character, often revealing their true wealth only after several
years in bottle. "I understand why Merlot has become the ameliorateur of choice
for some Naousa producers", he says understandingly, "but I remain committed
to the sometimes challenging character that is traditional to this region."
The wines:
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Estate vines
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Naousa "Paliokalias"
2000
A deep port red in color, this 100% Xynomavro has sweet, dried fruit aromas. Of medium-light
body with rich fruit and high acidity. It has clean, slightly woody flavors, less
dense than its color would suggest. While super-dry and laced with soft tannin, a
rustic, Iberian feel is secondary to its elegant structure.
Ampelonas 2000
This amelioration of Xynomavro with Cinsault has a beautiful color that features
some mahogany hints. Its aromas are reminiscent of dried currants and molasses. For
all its dark edges, its fruit is fresh, its body medium and palate fairly light.
Tannin is in good supply. Its finish is quite dry with a pleasant, grapy aftertaste.
Dalamara White 2001
This blend of Roditis and Prekniariko is in keeping with the Naousan tradition of
soft, ripe whites that seem to mimic the delicious fruit of the region. Gentle white
fruit dominates this round, light wine.
Kapnistos Levkos
This barrel-aged version of Dalamaras' Roditis Prekniariko blend has similar soft
fruit, but has spent 10 months in oak. Its color leans towards vermouth, its fruit
dominated, somewhat, by oily texture and oak attributes. |
