Olympia Land Estate — Pheidias 2016

The Pheidias 2016 from Olympia Land Estate (PGI Ilia) was tasted as part of a tasting of Agiorgitiko blends. Both grape varieties – Merlot and Agiorgitiko – contribute equally at fifty percent each. The first vintage was produced in 2011. Back in spring 2021, the 2015 vintage had already been tasted. On the nose, plum dominated at the time, with lingonberry notes joining in on the palate. In terms of fruit, it was quite convincing. However, the impression was that this wine had already passed its peak. It lacked complexity, and only a few ethereal nuances (fir, eucalyptus, rosemary) could have earned it 87 points. Since a visit to the estate revealed that the wine is deliberately left to age on the bottle for several years after its year in oak, there was a suspicion that the bottle might simply have been an unlucky one. In autumn 2021, a sample of the just-released 2016 vintage came along – and the wine showed itself, quite to the contrary, still in full force. The ethereal and fruity aromatics were confirmed, but the overall impression was far more layered and persistent. And the tannins even proved still quite aggressive. There's a slight niggle with the alcohol (actually only 13.5% rather than 14% the year before) – which worked beautifully on the Assyrtiko from the same estate despite a very high level, but here comes across as a touch hot. And while both the aromatics and the tannin structure are present and well-defined, they run somewhat in parallel. Perhaps true integration is yet to come. An excellent 90+ points – and a wine that deserves all the attention in the years ahead.