Epirus is west of Macedonia and south of Albania. Like lots of Greece, this is a region of both rugged mountains, and wind-swept seaside. In the 1970’s, there were not a ton of boutique, pioneers of winemaking in Greece. Lefteris Glinavos was one of them. After working and training in Bordeaux, Lefteris returned to Epirus to marry his modern learnings with his traditional homeland. Today, his son, Thomas, runs their winery and 20 hectares scattered throughout the region of Zitsa, Epirus’ primary and most important wine region.

Glinavos works with the indigenous varieties Debina, Vlahiko, and Bekari. By employing modern practices acquired in France, using indigenous varieties and the unique Terroir of Epirus, they are able to produce truly idiosyncratic wines. The top soils are largely limestone, offering wines of high acidity and minerality. The cooler summers and cold winters made fuller bodied wines of higher alcohol a near impossibility. These are truly some of the most unique wines available in the market.

Paleokerisio

Oh, this is just a 500ML crown cap bottle, filled with semi-sweet, semi-sparkling, natural, orange wine made from Debina and Vlahiko. Just your run-of-the-mill offering. All joking aside, what we have here is something more akin to cider or Saki. It is a flinty, natty, appley, experience, a drink one must be prepared for, if one is expecting a mouthful of what is normally traditional “wine.”  It pairs well with goat cheese, butternut squash, broth. Additionally, thanks to its low alcohol and touch of sugar, it can work with foods with subtle heat, as well as those with slight sweetness. It is neither intense, nor reticent. Honestly, it is very hard to put into words, and those who love it, do indeed, and with a ferver. Those who do not, tend to have the opposite opinion. The word “Paleokerisio” means “old fashioned.” Therefore, one can assume this is meant to imply that this is a wine of traditional origin stylistically. 

Vlahiko

This red is reminiscent of the juicy, sanguine wines of southwest France, like Fer Sevredou.  Brambly, bloody, and a little bit tart, the Vlahoko is rather juicy, with soft tannins, high acid, and tons of familiar-yet-slightly-exotic moments; kind of like walking through a supermarket in a foreign country.

Zitsa Debina

Subtle on the palate, Debina leans towards peachy green hews. The acid is ample, but not taut, nor quivering. At 12%, the alcohol plays a minor role, leaving the lead to Granny Smith and mountain river rocks, green pears, and lime zest.