Alcohol: 12.5%
Grape(s): 75% Mandilaria, 25% Monemvassia
Localization: Greece
Tasting Notes: Akin to a rustic Tuscan red, this blend of indigenous grapes fills the glass with ripe, dusty cherries and aromatics. Bold, dark fruit flavors end in gripping tannins, making this an ideal candidate for the dinner table. Try this alongside roast lamb with rosemary.
Notes: This dry red wine combines two ancient varieties: the white Monemvasia (25%) and the deep red Mandilaria (75%), which flourish under the bright sun and resist the region's strong winds.
Food Pairing: Try this alongside roast lamb with rosemary.
The Domain: Moraitis family winery is located in Naoussa in the island of Paros, by the beach of Agioi Anargyroi. In 1910, Manolis Moraitis, grandfather of the family, started operating the winery. He cultivated his own vineyards to make his wine and gathered grapes from other island producers. He released his wine in oak barrels and exported it to several parts of Greece. Subsequently, the second generation undertook the winery, and the father of the family, Theodoros Moraitis, continued with the viticulture, winemaking, and exports, till 1967 when he bottled, for the first time, his wine. In 1980 the third generation took over, represented by Manolis Moraitis junior, who puts his own mark in the history of the winery. He renovated the winery and introduced modern machinery. He, also, extended the vineyard and planted with indigenous varieties. He struggles to save the historic vineyard of Paros from the tourism development. The vineyards of the Moraitis family cover an area of 150 acres and are being cultivated with a lot of care, according to the guidelines of the regulations concerning the Organic Cultivation of vine. They are located in the regions of Kamares, Agioi Anargyroi, Kolympithres, Ambelas, Ysterni, Stavros, Sarakiniko, and Leivadia and the vines have been trained linearly in an upright direction. The varieties planted are: Mantilaria, Aidani, Kokkino, Karabraimi, Monemvasia, Assyrtiko, Malagouzia, White Aidani, Malvasia, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah.
