 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karipidis
Before the love of winemaking took over their professional lives Pantelis grew cotton and Lazaros had a clothing factory, a good combination and likely pursuits in Vounena, whose gentle hills (Vounena translates "little mountains") are located in the midst of Greece's famous plain of Thessaly. Since the first vintage produced in their backyard "under the most primitive conditions", their story is one of steady growth and an increasingly sophisticated understanding of winemaking and marketing. They have truly come a long way. The brothers now have 20 hectares of vineyards under cultivation, all farmed organically. All grapes used in production are estate grown. The focus at Karipidis is on well known varieties. The brothers looked beyond Greece for varieties from the beginning, perhaps because their region, lacking both an appellation and much continuity in winemaking, offers no definite prescription for varietal composition.
What they've got is Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Primitivo, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc. Monovarietal wines dominate the Karipidis portfolio, with the exception of Cabernet, which finds its way only into an 80/20 blend with Merlot. The Karipidis wines display the region's rich soil and warm microclimate. Though the combination of little rainfall and sunny growing season accentuate their fruit, the climate seems not to place harsh limits on the development of structure. The mid-August harvest bears witness to the early cycle typical of French cultivars on Greek soil, but the consistency of weather in the region, and the control the brothers have over moisture during the season, is of obvious value to the integrity of the grapes. Like any modern Greek winery, the Karipidis' cellar is filled with French barrels (Vosges and Nevers). All the red wines receive a solid 12 months in oak, but it must be said, that with ample fruit this formula is rarely overbearing. Indeed, new oak appears to be employed with some restraint and probably provides some structure that the region's terroir does not. The Karipidis Fumé Blanc spends 8 months in barrel, leaving a hint of oak on its finish, mild by oaky Greek standards. The slow evolution of the venture has allowed the Karipidis' the freedom to grow without a lot of market pressure. Still somewhat under the radar in their native market, they appear recently to have quietly slipped into the scene without much fanfare. In the meantime they have developed a fine instinct for marketing and some of the best packaging in Greece. In addition to experimentation with native varieties, future plans include a more practical winery in Vounena. Though quite attractive, the current facility no longer meets the needs of the company's annual production of 85,000 bottles. The owners do not dwell much on what has been accomplished so far saying, "we still have a long way to go." There may be more distance to travel, but what has been accomplished thus far leaves no doubt that the brothers are destined to play an increasing role as members of Greece's winemaking elite. The wines: 2002 Karipidis Sauvignon Blanc Solid yellow in color, this stainless steel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc shows plenty of pineapple and grapefruit on its nose. Medium to full-bodied, its palate is ripe, with lots of forward fruit. Its warm-climate origin limits somewhat its dimension, but it follows through at the end with a decent finish and tangy, tropical end taste. 2002 Karipidis Fume Blanc This oak-fermented Sauvignon Blanc is aged on its lies for 8 months. Its color shows a little oak yellowing, its nose shows passionfruit, grapefruit and vanilla. Medium-bodied, it is lively on the palate, less dense in fruit than its unoaked counterpart. Despite the presence of some barely-noticable oak tannins, it has an elegant structure, very good acidity, medium-to-long finish with slight, bitter oak end taste. 2001 Karipidis Merlot This New World-styled Merlot has a deep red color and nose of berries, jam and paint. It is light in body, pleasantly fruity on the palate with flavors of dark fruit and strawberries. Soft tannins and sweet oak highlight a good finish. 2001 Karipidis Cabernet/Merlot This medium-bodied blend of Cabernet and Merlot has a deep ruby color and and a nose rich in dried fruit and cut wood. This wine attacks the palate with dry extract, giving a sweet feel at the beginning of palate dominated by tart, dried cherry and fig. 2001 Karipidis Syrah This dark-colored Syrah has a complex, rustic nose of dark berries, leather, tar and paint. Medium-bodied, but masculine, its dense, plummy fruit is peppered by delicate, sharp tannins. Its medium--to-long finish is accompanied by tart fruit flavors. 2001 Karipidis Primitivo This light-bodied Primitivo has a rich, ruby hue, dark fruit and spice on the nose and an abundance of fruit on the palate. Round and even, it has a long, rich finish, on the whole strong but in need, perhaps, of a tad more conentration and depth. 2001 Karipidis Nebbiolo This light-to-medium-bodied Nebbiolo is more laid-back than its typical Italian counterparts. It has a bright cherry hue that matches a fresh fruit palate balanced by ripe tomato. Compact and a little tart, it shows the quiet tendencies of the regional terroir. 2001 Karipidis Sangiovese Our favorite of the Karipidis reds. this Sangiovese has a deep burgundy color with wood edging out dried fruit on the nose. Its warm palate of mature fruit is well balanced by light tannins and culminates in a long, elegant finish. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Merlot
Sauvignon
Blanc
Copyright 2001
All rights reserved
Greekwinemakers.com
Important: Terms of use of material on this website can be found here.
Contact us