La Tour Melas – Silphium 2025

The Silphium is the top rosé from La Tour Melas, and according to the estate a very limited cuvée. I tasted it in October 2026 alongside the Idylle d'Achinos 2025, the estate's mid-tier rosé. In the hierarchy the Silphium clearly stands above it, and in Greece it costs more than double.

The recipe for this wine changes from vintage to vintage, and 2025 is different again. It is led by Fokiano from own-rooted vines on Naxos, joined by Grenache and Syrah as well as – according to the estate, in a smaller proportion this year – Aspro Potamisi, without percentages being given. The 2025 thus shares its Fokiano lead along with Grenache and Aspro Potamisi with the 2021, while the Syrah is new compared with the 2021. The alcohol stands at 13.4 percent.

I had the 2021 in September 2023 at around two years of age at 93+ points, and the 2023 in September 2024 at around one year at 94. At roughly one year old, the 2025 is the same age as the 2023 was back then. Yannis Athanasakopoulos gave the 2021 90 points at WineVein, which I rated higher with my 93+. For the 2025 no outside rating is yet known to me.

On the nose it is somewhat reticent. Pomegranate comes through as well, a tiny bit of rose water, a little orange zest. On the palate it is then a powerhouse, incredibly dense – so dense that one can hardly call it complex, yet in this density incredibly present and convincing. At only 13.4 percent it comes across as far more oily, but never heavily sweet. Rather, it is marked by an incredible baconiness and smokiness. Were the nose a touch more enticing, it would be even more so.

But even as it is, this is a quite fantastic vintage, also racier than the earlier vintages I have had in the glass. The Silphium costs around 40 euros in Greece. For me that is 95 points.