Ktima Biblia Chora — Etos Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Ktima Biblia Chora's Etos is produced only in special vintages and released only after long ageing — a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pangeon region in Northern Greece. The estate also makes an excellent regular Cabernet Sauvignon under the Ovilos Red label, but Etos is the prestige bottling. I tasted the 2008 side by side with Trilogia 2008 by Christos Kokkalis, a legendary single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from the west coast of the Peloponnese — notably, Biblia Chora later took over and continued the Trilogia story through Ktima Dioipsi. Both bottles are very hard to find today, which made the comparison all the more special. Etos 2008 surprises with real freshness on the nose and textbook blackcurrant — a striking contrast to the Trilogia 2008, which showed quintessential old-school Kokkalis character with eucalyptus, juniper berry, overripe raspberry and blackberry, and cedarwood. On the palate, the Etos shows more smokiness, more acidity, and still very firm tannins compared to the Trilogia's mellowed, pliant tannins and very long finish. That acidity does a remarkable job of masking the alcohol difference — the Etos sits at 15% versus 14% for the Trilogia. It is already giving plenty of pleasure; if there is a weakness at the moment, it is a slightly short finish. At 94+ points, the Etos 2008 is a seriously impressive wine, and I can imagine it one day outperforming the Trilogia in international blind tastings. I rated the Trilogia 2008 itself at 96 points — one of the best Trilogia vintages I've had, clearly better than the 2009 and ahead of the 2012, though still not surpassing the extraordinary 2006 Trilogia, which remains the best I've personally tasted at 98 points. But for lovers of the old Kokkalis wines — for those who want to remember that legend in the glass — a wine like Trilogia 2008 is simply very hard to beat. Etos probably shouldn't be opened yet. That said, I have also experienced significant bottle variation — and, unfortunately, this was not my first bottle.