Domaine Hatzimichalis — Merlot Alargino 1992

Domaine Hatzimichalis holds a special place in Greek wine history: founded by Dimitris Hatzimichalis in 1973 in the Atalanti Valley of Central Greece, it was among the first estates to plant international varieties alongside indigenous Greek grapes—and the first Greek winery to bottle Merlot as a single varietal, starting with the 1989 vintage. This 1992 Merlot was reportedly the first Greek wine ever to appear on the IWC Top 100 list. What struck me immediately on the nose was how much it reminded me of the Hatzimichalis Merlot 2004 (which I scored 95 points): the same intensely dense raspberry aromas woven into tertiary notes of mushroom and earth. On the palate, the tannins have softened significantly yet still retain a noticeable grip—you can definitely feel them on the tongue. Despite its modest 12% alcohol, the wine isn't thin or lacking in structure. A lively, mouthwatering acidity keeps it fresh and, even at this age, extremely juicy. The palate is dominated by a very pristine varietal expression: typical black-olive aromas woven with really tasty nougat. The aftertaste is quite long. It's not the most complex wine of that age that I've had, but it's no exaggeration to say it's one of the most pleasing wines of that era I've tasted—a wine that earns 93 points. I managed to keep a bit for the next day, and it was still lovely. So I think it might remain at this quality until around 2030 if stored properly.