Tselepos Kokkinomilos Merlot 2019

Drink it now or cellar for 15 years. No need to decant but best to open it an hour before serving.

Located among the vineyards of the Mantineia wine region, the Tselepos estate is owned by Yiannis Tselepos, who found in this area the optimal soil and climatic conditions for the cultivation of some of the indigenous Peloponnese vines. The winery design was inspired by the industrial buildings of the 19th century Peloponnese, such as the traditional raisin warehouses.

The Merlot grapes are sourced and selected from a single vineyard in the Kokkinomilos area, at an altitude of 750 meters, on gravelly clay red soils. The grapes are vinified following the classic red winemaking method with very long skin contact for 20-25 days. The wine is then aged for 15 months in a majority of new French oak barrels.

In the glass, the wine displays an intense ruby red color with violet reflections. The nose shows exuberant aromas of red fruit (currant and black cherry) with an impenetrable and dense spicy palette, involving solid doses of licorice and vanilla, followed by small purple wildflowers and delicate herbaceous tones that show the possibility of evolution. On the palate, the wine is round and velvety, full and with a balanced acid backbone and a long aftertaste. Try the classic combination with duck or goose, or have it with traditional Greek Moussaka.