Ktima Biblia Chora — Biblinos rot 2015

The Biblinos Rot is the red counterpart of a fascinating wine line from Ktima Biblia Chora, built on a mysterious grape variety. A single vine was discovered on Mount Pangeon and cultivated – unassignable to any known variety, yet DNA analysis confirms it to be an ancient Greek vine. The name Biblinos references the legendary Bibline wine, produced in antiquity in this very area and prized across the entire Mediterranean.

The 2015 vintage, tasted six years after harvest in 2021, initially reveals little on the nose in terms of primary fruit from this enigmatic grape. Pepper and dark berries dominate, along with an alcohol level that, at 14%, dances right on the edge. On the palate too, the oak (500-litre barrels) sets the tone with rather heavy aromatics. Underneath, something berry-like emerges – reminiscent of aronia – but sandalwood remains in the foreground, though nothing astringent is left to detect. Combined with the equally dominant eucalyptus, you could almost mistake this for an Australian Merlot. At the same time, the wine possesses a still-crisp acidity that lends it enough elegance to make you think you might be somewhere on the Rhône. In Greece, wines of this style are extremely rare. A magnificent 93+ points – though there's likely even more potential here. It's possible that six years after harvest, this wine finds itself in a bit of a dip, where the primary fruit has already faded somewhat and more elegant tertiary aromas have yet to fully emerge. Theocritus once spoke of four years as the ideal age for Bibline wine – the trail remains an exciting one.