Torosidis – Malagouzia Vidiano Chardonnay 2024

"Malagouzia Vidiano Chardonnay" – the name simply lists what is in the glass. At the same time, it encapsulates the short history of the Torosidis estate. The line began in 2020 as Malagousia Chardonnay, and that cuvée was in fact the very first bottling the house ever produced. In the 2024 vintage, Vidiano makes a substantial contribution. The producer speaks of its "robust presence," which reinforces the Malagousia and Chardonnay. In the 2024 vintage, the blend is around 55 percent Malagouzia, 35 percent Vidiano and 10 percent Chardonnay. This is not a fixed recipe. The three varieties are fermented together in tank, and Stathis Torosidis determines the proportions each year at harvest, depending on what the individual varieties bring to the table.

Torosidis is an agronomist and, in Peteinos, roughly five kilometres from Xanthi in the plain of Xanthi, he works what he himself describes as an extraordinarily small vineyard area. He chose the site because of his family roots. He expressly regards it as a different terroir from the established vineyards of Avdira, removed from the altitude and proximity to the sea that one otherwise likes to rely on in Greece. The first vines went into the ground in 2013, with a larger phase of planting following from 2017 to 2019. Administratively, Peteinos belongs to the municipality of Avdira, the ancient home of Democritus and Protagoras. The vineyard, however, lies outside the zone entitled to PGI labelling. So the wine is a dry varietal wine without protected geographical indication. The estate completed its organic certification in 2023, with GMCert as the inspection body.

Torosidis does not own his own winery. Vinification takes place at a partner operation in the region, the Anatolikos Winery. Winemaking is carried out at low temperatures. No wood – it is fermented and matured in stainless steel, and the wine rested for six months on the fine lees. It has 13.5 percent alcohol. There are no technical data sheets, because the estate, as Torosidis writes, is "in a phase of experimentation and constant trials."

I tasted the 2024 in August 2026, just under two years after the harvest. The bottle was a producer's sample and the second white in a series in which I tasted all six Torosidis wines together. Before it came the single-variety Viticulturist Malagouzia 2025. Also included were the red Syrah Vidiano 2023, the two rosés Limnio Syrah 2024 and Limnio Malagouzia 2023, and, to close, the Vidiano 2025.

Golden in the glass, noticeably more coloured than the Viticulturist. On the nose less funky than the latter, but with a wonderful mirabelle fruit. Added to this is a little hemp seed, a touch of green asparagus and a bit of honey, lavender honey to be precise. On the palate it is creamy, but not oily. Does all this really come from the lees ageing? One suspects wood, but there is none. When asked, Torosidis confirmed that not a single one of his wines sees a barrel, with fermentation and maturation taking place exclusively in stainless steel tank. The finish is not necessarily very long. It does, however, reveal itself once more with a small note of acidity and is above all very, very elegant. Even the empty glass with just one drop in it still unfolds astonishing aromatics.

After the Viticulturist, this is another wine from this estate that can only be described as gastronomic. For a sommelier, these wines are a godsend. It invites you to keep coming back for more, because it is so modest in its creaminess and yet unfolds such astonishing aromatics on the nose. The Vidiano 2025, with 90 points, definitely did not keep pace with the easy charm of the other two whites. The rosés trailed behind, the Limnio Syrah 2024 with 89 and the Limnio Malagouzia 2023 with 88 points. The high point of the series was the Syrah Vidiano 2023 with 94 points.

The value for money at this house is magnificent. The wine costs around 8 euros in Greece. A truly fascinating wine, clearly a 91-point wine on the strength of its nose alone and above all in combination with its texture. For me, that is 91 points.