Ktima Driopi — Reserve Agiorgitiko 2018

The Reserve Agiorgitiko 2018 from Ktima Driopi (PDO Nemea Reserve, 100% Agiorgitiko, 14%) comes from Yiannis Tselepos, who is primarily known from Mantineia but also produces Nemea wines with the small estate Ktima Driopi. Tselepos studied oenology in Dijon under René Engel – the Burgundian influence is no coincidence. The estate is located in Koutsi at 380 metres elevation, on clay-calcareous loam soils, steep slopes, with 50-year-old vines yielding only 7 tonnes per hectare. After 25 days of extraction with cold maceration, the wine matures for 12 months in French barriques (70% new, 30% second-fill) and a further 6 months in bottle. Production is 20,000 bottles; the 2013 vintage received 93 points from Parker's Wine Advocate. The concentration of the wine is already visible in the glass through its noticeably darker colour. On the nose, a mix of blackberry and olive tapenade – one could be reminded of a Bordeaux blend from a very warm vintage. On the palate, however, it ultimately falls short in complexity. A wine that performs very well in certain vintages and less so in others. Here, a slightly astringent impression remains. Tannin is present, but not at a level that could stand up to a great steak. Just barely 90 points.