Cellar Profile
Located in Greek village of Neochori, in the heart of the larger Mantinia wine region, Moropoulos is a boutique, family-owned and operated winery. The Moropoulos’ have a long tradition of vine growing in the region, producing high quality fruit for the last several decades. More recently, the family’s siblings decided to establish their own winery, focusing on making only two wines, both from the native and renowned grape, Moschofilero. Their 12 hectares of vines are planted on well-drained rocky clay and loamy soils and are farmed organically. Despite its relatively southern latitude, the property is located on an elevated plateau (700m), making the climate more Continental than Mediterranean. The warm, dry days and cool nights results in fresh and structured wines.
Region
Mantinia is one of the crown jewels of the mountainous, cloud-covered Central Greece and Peloponnese area, in the region of Arcadia. This historic plateau was where the largest and most famous battle between Athens and Sparta was fought during the Peloponnese War in 472 A.D. Surrounded by the stunning peaks of Mainalo, Artesimo and Parnon Mountains, the foothills and plateau are home to the indigenous Moschofilero grape. Having been cultivated continuously for over 3000 years, Mantinia is one of the coolest and highest elevation wine regions in Greece.
Vineyard
These estate vineyards are located at some of the highest elevations of any winegrowing region in Greece. This region is also one of the coolest, despite its proximity to the Aegean Sea. The rocky soil sits on a bed of sand and clay. The old vines are double spur trained to help get the most out of the afternoon sun and assure full ripening. Most of the vineyards have already achieved Organic certification, with the rest due to achieve that status in the upcoming vintages.
Varieties
Moschofilero is a grey-skinned variety, prone to some mutation, allowing winemakers the option of crafting rosé as well as white wines. It is an ancient Greek grape that can be accurately traced in the mountainous Peloponnese region back to antiquity. Aromatic with high acidity, it is known for being quite difficult to work with, but when done well can create floral, peppery and lively aromatic wines of great quality.
Winemaking
Grapes are painstakingly hand-harvested, then pressed whole bunch into stainless steel, where they are given a cold soak to extract some complexity and a touch of colour. The wine is then spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, before spending time on its lees to add texture. Lightly filtered before bottling.
Tasting Notes
Gold hued, much darker than most young Moschofilero. It is also more expressive, with aromas of white flowers, citrus and pear dominating. The palate is nervy and fresh, with citrus, wet stone minerality, salinity and a hint of stone fruit, particularly apricot. There is a bit of weight in the mouth, likely from the lees aging, but the finish is crisp and refreshing. Lightly chill and serve with grilled calamari or Mezze platters.