Christos Kokkalis — Trilogia 2012

Christos Kokkalis's Trilogia 2012, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from PGI Ilia on the west coast of the Peloponnese, is one of the last vintages before Ktima Biblia Chora took over and continued the Trilogia story under Ktima Dioipsi. I had once considered this wine past its prime, but it surprised me with a dramatic leap in quality. No further oxidative notes, just mocha, leather... and now also vibrant acidity that fills the mouth and leads to a long, dark finish. The tannins, initially gripping, soften beautifully toward the end. Completely new layers are emerging. That said, having tasted many Trilogia vintages over the years, I don't think the 2012 reaches the level of the extraordinary 2008, which I scored at 96 points, let alone the 2006, which remains the finest Trilogia I've personally encountered at 98 points. Still, the 2012's recent evolution is remarkable, and at 93+ points it clearly has the potential to climb to 94 or beyond.