Tsantali

News: March 3, 2003 February 25, 2003 January 8, 2003 January 29, 2003

Vines surround Tsantalis headquarters at Ayios Pávlos Nutshell... Company Name:   Evangelos Tsantalis, S.A.     Location:   Ayios Pavlos, Halkidikí, Makedonía     Chief Oenologist   Pávlos Argyrópoulos     Public Relations:   Dimítris Katsoúras     Export manager:   Périkles Drákos     Products by Region: Halkidikí (eastern Makedonía):       Tsantali Halkidiki       Chromitsa white       Agioritikos       Ambelonas Tsantali       Tsantali Sauvignon       Grenache Rosé       Metochi Chromitsa       Tsantali Halkidiki       Tsantali Merlot       Makedonía:   Makedonikós       Makedonikós       Tsantali Náousa       Tsantali Xynómavro       Cava Tsantalis (Kava)       Thessalía:       Athíri (TO)       Olympus Rapsáni       Peloponessos:       Tsantali Neméa       Tsantali Agiorgítiko       Mavrodáfni of Patras       Thráki:       Chardonnay       Malvoisie Aromatica       Tsantali Syrah       Limnos:       Muscat of Limnos       Samos:       Muscat of Samos                     Our initial meeting with Tsantali staffers was marred by a miscommunication that made it almost impossible to schedule a tasting. Tsantali export manager Perikles Drakos was so insistent, we cancelled an appointment several days later and returned, wondering why this confirmed volume producer was so anxious to have us try their wines. Early into the tasting, however, the reason became apparent. Drakos, who knows good PR when he sees it, is unstoppable in promoting the new products. His perseverance in pursuing our participation—before, during and after our trip—earns him pride of place among the marketeers we have encountered.     To contact this company click here       100-year-old copper stills are still used in ouzo production at the Ayios Pavlos distillery. Each still can produce 1000 liters per day. The Tsantalis company traces its roots to late-nineteenth-century Thraki, where the family first began its production of wine and spirits. The company's founder, Evangelos Tsantalis, was born in Siderohóri, Thraki in 1913. The wave of political upheaval that engulfed the region during the first half of the twentieth century caused the migration of the family first to Kavala, then Seres, then finally to Thessaloniki. In 1945, Evangelos Tsantalis opened a commercial distillery that came to be a major supplier of ouzo to the Greek market. In 1970, the first Tsantalis winery opened in Naousa. In 1974, the present corporation was formed and headquartered in a 5000 square-meter facility in Ayios Pavlos, Halkidiki, southeast of Thessaloniki. Today, the third generation, President Ioanna Tsantalis and Vice President Dr. Yiorgos Tsantalis are at the reins. With production in seven regions totalling 18 million bottles per year, Tsantali (as the brand is now known) is the largest wine producer in Greece. Exports reach 35 countries and are approaching 6 billion drachmas annually. Left to right: company President Ioanna Tsantalis, Managing Director Angelos Demetriades, Vice President Yiorgos Tsantalis Raw material for this production comes from both company vineyards and negociated purchases, most of the latter the result of long-standing contracts with growers. Increasingly, growers reap rewards for making the switch to organic farming. Vineyards have been acquired carefully over the years: as bulk-scale production has, in some cases, given way to estate-style products, Tsantali has been in a good position to adapt its vineyard management accordingly. The original Naousa vineyards, comprising 50 hectares, are on the southeast slopes of Mount Vermion at 250-400 meters. In 1973, the founder of the company leased from church authorities 120 hectares of traditional, abandoned vineyards on the slopes of Mount Athos. These vineyards quickly became the source of products that drove the company's growth during the highly competitive era of the 1970s and 1980s. The 20 hectares surrounding the company headquarters at Ayios Pavlos supply a combination of Greek and foreign varieties. The purchase of 50 hectares and the local cooperative in Rapsani, on the south face of Mount Olympus brought serious elevation (600-800 meters) and production capabilities in one of Greece's underutilized, traditional regions. In the early 1990s, the company revived 50 hectares of vineyards in Maronía, Thraki that have played an important role in supplying the ingredients for a new line of more carefully crafted products. The new Tsantalis premium line features an impressive mix of native and international varieties. Officially, this line consists of 11 products, including some surprisingly low production wines. First the reds: Tsantali Syrah. This wine exemplifies the seriousness of the effort to meet international standards. Produced from 10-year-old vines in the Maronia vineyards, yields are ideal for the area (60 hl/ha), pruning is extensive and the gentle climate and low rainfall contribute to good concentration of berry flavors. The wine undergoes malolactic before spending seven months in new Allier oak. The wine is pleasingly soft. Softness can be said to typify the new Tsantalis aesthetic. Chromitsa vineyards Metochi Chromitsa 1997. Another soft red, this is a blend of Cabernet with 20% Limnio from the Chromitsa vineyards at Mount Athos. The non-irrigated vines are mature (25 years), and the elevation and climate are moderate. Good alcohol is achieved but balanced by fifteen days of skin extraction and softened by malolactic fermentation before spending eight months in new Allier oak. This, like a number of Tsantali products, displays a relatively moderate oak treatment. It says a great deal about this company that its oak philosophy could well serve as an example even to some of Greece's pioneering boutique producers. In fact, Tsantalis, while consistent in its lack of desire to challenge or offend, also manages to nail a middle ground in which quality appears to be the lowest common denominator. This may be the wisest method of introducing Greece's native varieties to Western consumers. Xynómavro. 2000 was a very good year for the Xynómavra of Makedonía generally. We spoke with Andréas Pantos, staff oenologist (and self-described Xynómavro specialist) about why Tsantali's version reflected the good vintage. In a nutshell, his aim is to produce a varietal wine, not an appellation wine. That means grapes are not sourced exclusively from the Naousa appellation zone, but chosen instead solely on the basis of their suitability for the product. Secondly, like any serious producer of Xynómavro, Pantos has sought an oak recipe that benefits the grape. In this case, 18 months in two-year-old casks allows careful oxidization without invoking the hypersensitivity of the variety to new wood. Bottle aging Merlot. In a prospectus we were given, the Tsantali Merlot is advertised as originating on "the sun-drenched hills of Halkidiki". With fruit sourced from the Ayios Pavlos vineyards, scorching hot during our visit, the PR did not seem to bode well for the wine. Vineyard density is low, but yields are not particularly so, therefore the remarks I wrote in my tasting notes, "second? best Greek Merlot I've tasted" jogged me as I researched this article. My notes also mentioned that the wine exhibits solid fruit, familiar aromas and pleasant peppery tannins. Ten months in new oak did not cause much mitigation of fruit at all, a major achievement for a Greek producer. So I stand by my assessment; this wine is among the top two or three Merlots yet tasted. Olympus Rapsani. This wine is a blend made exclusively from Greek varieties (Xynómavro 33%, Krassato 33% and Stavroto 33%). It is an appellation Rapsani from high elevation (800 meters) fruit from open canopied, untrained vines. Vinification is designed to maximize the best features of the varieties; controlled temperature fermentation, 6-8 days of skin contact, a year in first and second year barrels and at least two years in bottle. We tasted both a '93 and '96. in both cases the aging potential of the wine was well apparent. The '93 in particular was pleasantly smoky and displayed cherry on the nose and palate, great tannin structure and acidity. Tsantali, in my opinion, does not make a better wine than this. Agiorgitiko. The 1999 version we tasted, an appellation Neméa (marketed in English by its varietal name), showed great potential marred only by a region-wide mediocre vintage. The grapes are grown in upper Neméa (500-600 meters), yields are in line with regional standards for quality (60 hl/ha) and vinification highlights include 5 additional days sur lies and nine months in oak. Tannin structure was elegant, but fruit was lacking. The 2000 is not expected to suffer the same fate. And the whites: Rapsani vineyards on the south-facing slopes of Mount Olympus Chardonnay. The Tsantalis version incorporates an all-things-to-everyone approach which achieves modern expectations for the variety. Grapes come from ten-year-old vines at Maronía. Half the vinification is in refrigerated stainless steel, half in 300 liter oak barrels, the latter remaining sur lies for two months. The wine, therefore, is characterized both by discernable butter and ample fruit. Tartaric is also a surprisingly sturdy presence. The 2000 vintage shows increased vine maturity coupled with redoubled efforts at maximizing fruit. The approach is working: the wine has more personality than it has had in the past. Athiri. In the past, Tsantali Athiri wines were sourced from now 30-year-old vines around the headquarters at Agios Pavlos. The company has been replanting its Mount Athos vineyards with the variety. The vines for this new label are about ten-years-old and grow in light-colored, sandy soil that reflects the summer heat away from the roots. Farming is organic and canopies are left untrimmed to protect the berries. The result is a considerably more elegant product; ripe and aromatic, but full-bodied with a mineral backbone. Cold-temperature skin contact (10°) insures maximum fruit on the nose and palate, but there is plenty of weight to this wine, too. Sauvignon Blanc. The company first planted this variety at Ayios Pavlos in the early 1990s. Now there are 30 hectares. The Tsantali white wine philosophy is consistent: keep the canopy, keep the acidity. Nowhere is this more important than at Ayios Pavlos. The climate there is moderated by the ocean, but the soil is fairly dark and heat remains a threat to the structure of the wine. The ripening cycle (early to mid August) helps–the harvest is complete about halfway through the region's hottest period. Like the Tsantali Chardonnay, careful blending is the hallmark of this wine. 80% of the must undergoes cold-temperature fermentation. The rest is fermented in oak and remains on the lees for three months. In the 2000, the result is firm structure beneath complex and heady tropical aromas (pineapple, papaya and banana). Clearly this is an approach that works well in Greece. Barrelscape at Ayios Pavlos Ambelonas. At first glance, Tsantali's vineyards at Ayios Pavlos do not inspire confidence. They are among Tsantali's lowest and the heat, as I've mentioned, can be intense. Why, then do they produce some of the company's best wines? According to Andreas Pantos, the reasons are; exceptional soil, the effects of the nearby ocean, an increase in organic farming and... canopy. Ambelonas is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc with 15% Asyrtiko. The former undergoes a slow fermentation on the lees in barrel, the latter cold fermentation in stainless steel. The wisdom of this approach—especially the oak-free treatment of Asyrtiko—is obvious. The result is a sturdy, crisp wine with great dimension and a long, dry finish. In a country that now produces a wide range of white wines of quality, this was a standout—a wine that certainly would be understood and appreciated by the American palate. We tasted a number of other wines from the Tsantali portfolio. The 2000 Ambelos and Dris is near the top of Greece's attempts at Viognier. Sourced from Ayios Pavlos and fermented then aged for 5 months in French and American oak, this 100% Viognier is outgoing, but displays soft fruit, medium body and balanced structure. Oak flavors, as with most recent Tsantali wines, are inconspicuous. A 2000 Chromitsa white featuring Chardonnay, Asyrtiko and Athiri was more full-bodied (13%) with more prominent oak and less prominent fruit. Despite the light, but conspicuous, presence of tannin, I thought the wine "very good". Tsantali has entered the premium retsina market with a wine whose name translates "Vine, Oak and Resin". Its barrel fermentation revives a tradition lost during the growth of the bottled retsina industry, although the use of French oak detracts somewhat from the romance of the concept. Still, for enthusiasts of retsina—and there are surprisingly many (even among Americans)—this must be appreciated as one of the best, not just of retsinas, but also of the new class of upscale versions. Also appreciable is a mono-varietal Asyrtiko, reminiscent of certain Alsatian Pinot Gris: ripe, minerally and tartaric. The Grenache Rosé 2000 is earthy but subtle, with pronounced strawberry and citrus notes. According to its makers, it is designed to be a food, rather than a sipping wine. It can certainly be both. We tasted two other products of note. The first, Malvoisie Aromatica is from plantings at Maronía. Though fermented in oak, there is no interference with citrus and rose aromas or a mild green apple flavor that hints at the solid acidity of the wine. In the opinion of its producers, it will only gain in complexity and can probably stand three or four years in bottle. It is a pleasant and distinctive product. The most unique of Tsantali's products (our opinion) was a 100% Moschomavro. The Moschómavro is best known for its role in Liastó, a provincial wine from Siatista in northwestern Makedonía that incorporated the grape with other varieties. Until this century, the tradition involved drying the grapes for a period of days, then fermenting them in chestnut or pine (not the resinous kind) for a period of years. The trade in this wine peaked during the attack of phylloxera in France, during which it was in great demand there for blending. Unfortunately, the tradition was largely lost by the twentieth century. The name of the variety is a conjunction of the Greek words for 'Muscat' and 'Black' and the flavor of this wine does much to explain why the name was chosen. Though relatively light-bodied (12%), and fruity, healthy acidity provides a firm structure. I found the wine unique and "magical", according to my notes. This kind of experimentation is another feather in the Tsantali cap. The Tsantali portfolio also includes dessert wines and distilled products. The sweet Muscat of Limnos OPE (Moscháto Alexandrías) and Muscat of Samos OPE (Moscháto Aspro) are respectable négociant versions of quality. Distilled products include the famous. Tsantali Ouzo, the company's flagship product, continues to be distilled with its traditional blend of spices: anise, star anise, coriander, angel root, tillium and cardamom. The company produces a Tsipouro, a traditional Makedonian product which Americans would describe as grappa with anise. In keeping with the trend for varietal distillations of Apostagma (Marc), the company now also produces a version produced from the free-run juice of aromatic varieties, Apostagma apo Stafyli. Tsantali has come a long way in quality in just a few years. Signs of strong leadership are apparent both in the product line and in a sense of teamwork in its product development and marketing staff. While the large greek winemakers lost some of their sheen during the rise of small producers, Tsantali made a renewed bid for respectability by focusing its efforts on the production of quality wine. Next step: recognition for these efforts in foreign markets, especially the US.

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