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Winery
Thymiopoulos Vineyards
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Xinomavro
In Macedonia and other parts of southern Europe, the main red wine grape varietal grown is the Xinomavro, a blue-black skinned grape whose name translates as 'acid black'. This grape thrives in the hot and arid landscapes of parts of Greece and the Mediterranean coast, and has been used for centuries for the production of superbly characterful dark red wines. The main features of the Xinomavro grape include their thick skins, which hold a high tannin content, and the fact that they contain a relatively high amount of acidity. These features are often problematic in young wines made from Xinomavro grapes, but also produce exquisite aged wines, when the tannins and acids have been given time to mellow and round out. In aged Xinomavro wines, a wide bouquet of delightful aromas is often present, containing classic Mediterranean notes such as black olive and dried tomato.
Country: Greece
Thanks to thousands of years of viticulture, and a dedication to quality and experimentation, Greek wines remain in a league of their own and continue to surprise and delight wine lovers around the world. From the refined and delicious Agiorghitiko wines, with their deep ruby red color and intense fruit flavors, to the unusual and highly aromatic fortified wines made with the black Mavrodaphne grapes, Greek wine is renowned for its variety and consistent excellence. It seems the blazing Mediterranean sunshine allows wineries to make the most of the late harvests and all the intensity of flavor this brings, resulting in wines which are bursting with fruit-forward character and unusual aromas.