Oinotropai Winery – Roes Merlot Rosé 2020

Oinotropai Winery is a small estate in PGI Messenia that produces some exciting red wines – though they vinify their Merlot as a rosé. Single-varietal Merlot rosés are a rarity both in Greece and internationally, and one sniff of this glass makes you wonder why that is. Pleasant lime aromas cut through red fruit notes. On the palate, the wine delivers lovely honey flavors. At 13%, it's quite full-bodied, throws in a few bitter notes as well, but with only a medium-length finish it never becomes overbearing. A touch too complex to be everybody's darling, but not overly playful either. A straightforward wine with a certain ambition – just right for a casual toast with people who actually give a moment's thought to what's in their glass. It sits at the upper end of the refreshing summer wine spectrum, and that makes it well worth an excellent 90 points.