Alpha Estate "SMX" Red Blend 2017
(Macedonia, Greece)
Regular price $34.00 Sale price $31.97 Save $2.03
About the Winery:
Alpha Estate is presided over by winemaker Angelos Latridis and vinegrower Makis Mavridis. Angelo studied in Bordeaux and is considered by many to be Greece’s most promising winemaker. Together they cultivate international varieties as well as indigenous Greek varieties, and all the wines are crafted in Alpha’s state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery. Alpha is considered one of the most cutting-edge producers in Greece and has established one of the most technologically advanced vineyards in the viticulture world.
About the Wine:
A blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Xinomavro and 20% Merlot from the Amyndeon plateau at 620-710m of elevation. The vines are tended in sandy clay soil, with excellent drainage over thin a limestone layer. Destemming, no crushing, cold soak – skin contact under controlled conditions, alcoholic fermentation at gradual increasing temperatures, maintenance of wine “sur lie” for eight months with regular stirring. Twelve months minimum in Allie – Bertrange oak casks medium – light toast. No treatment or filtration before bottling, and twelve months in bottles.
Ratings & Reviews
89+ Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The 2017 Estate S.M.X. is a blend of 60% Syrah and 20% each of Merlot and Xinomavro (the S.M.X. grapes), all aged for 18 months in new French barriques. It comes in at 14.4% alcohol. This is a big S.M.X. in some respects, yet it has acidity and big ripe fruit combined. The sharp edges and the pungent Syrah make this a disjointed wine this year that really needs to come into balance. In theory, this was a fine vintage, but it is completely closed just now and really needs to come together. The good news is that it was handling the wood well in its youth. These are not easy wines all the time in their youth, but this just was showing very little. Let's be a bit conservative just now." - Mark Squires (Jun 2020)