Manolesakis Estate Exis Red Wine 2019
The Exis red wine from Manolesakis Estate is a light to medium-bodied red wine with notes of raspberry, cranberry, wild herbs and rose petal. A fresh summer style red.
Producer Note - Stavros Manolesakis and his father George Manolesakis started creating their own vineyards in 1989, planting Greek varieties alongside international varieties. Embracing the philosophies of culture, love and a passion for winemaking, it prompted them to establish their own wine company: Manolesakis Estate in 1999. Keen to experiment and break winemaking boundaries, they have equipped the winery with the latest technological machinery, in order to produce the best results.
Vintage - Unusually extreme temperatures took place during the winter of 2016-2017 in Drama; but this did not affect the vineyards. However, during the spring there were several days during the flowering period when the temperatures dropped significantly resulting in a reduced yield by approximately 20 to 25% on the previous year. The Limnio and Moschomavro varieties were harvested on 29th August in the cool of the night; the grapes achieved very good 'Baume' sugar levels and an excellent intensity of colour.
Vineyard - Made from the indigenous varieties of Limnio (pronounced LIM-neeo) and Moschomavro (Mosho-MAV- roh), the vineyard is located in Drama, where the microclimate has been considered as the perfect spot for grape cultivation since ancient times. The vineyard sites are situated at an altitude of 200 to 300 metres above sea level and the vines are cultivated in the traditional way, planted in linear rows. The soil is mostly clayish and argil.
Winemaking - The grapes were carefully selected and only those which had reached perfect maturity levels were used in this blend. The fermentation took place at 22°C in order to obtain the maximum aromatic character and smooth tannins. Following fermentation, the wine was matured on its fine lees for a period of two months, to enhance the volume and body in the resulting wine. Blending took place prior to bottling.
Tasting Note - This blend of Limnio and Moschomavro shows a complex bouquet, with gooseberry and blueberry from the Moschomavro grapes; and cherry, plum with hints of clove and cinnamon from the Limnio. Velvety smooth on the palate this has a wonderfully balancing acidity and an elegant finish.
Serving Suggestion - Exis Red is a versatile wine that accompanies appetisers, veal with mushrooms in red sauce, pasta dishes or cheese boards.
Grape Moschomavro 55%, Limnio 45%
Awards Silver, DWWA, 2018
Winemaker: Aggeliki Apostolaki
Region: Macedonia
Sub-region: Drama
Country: Greece
Alcohol: 12%
BodyValue: B (A is light, E is full-bodied)
Residual Sugar: 4.9
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic/Biodynamic No/No