Domaine Costa Lazaridi — Amethystos Red 2015

The red Amethystos from Domaine Costa Lazaridi is one of the most popular Bordeaux-style blends in Greece, composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Agiorgitiko. Compared to the younger 2018 vintage of the same wine (89 points), the 2015 showed impressive development.

Crystal-clear, vibrant fruit. Gorgeous sea buckthorn berry! The vanilla has receded entirely into the background and is only perceptible as a faint sweetness. On the palate, the fruit shifts more toward strawberry. No earthy notes detectable whatsoever. The tannins, now much softer, make themselves felt mainly toward the back of the palate. The fact that this vintage comes in at only 14% alcohol probably does it a lot of good. A wine that is right at its drinking peak now and fully deserves an excellent 91 points. The 2015 was discovered by chance in a German supermarket.