2013 GAIA Estate

$47.90 btl / $287.00 cs (case of 6 x 750ml)

Last week, we had the honour of hosting Yiannis Paraskevopoulos in Toronto, co-owner and winemaker at GAIA Wines. Despite his humble nature Yiannis is one of the key influencers in creating a profound change within Greece’s wine industry and has many accolades behind his name including a PhD in Enology from the University of Bordeaux and Professor of Enology at the University of Athens, to name a few.

We highly enjoyed the 2013 GAIA Estate, made from the indigenous Greek grape, Agiorgitiko, grown almost exclusively within Nemea, the largest PDO appellation of Greece located in northeast Peloponnese. Yiannis confirmed that the 2013 vintage of Agiorgitiko is worth investing in:

“When I don’t like the grapes, I don’t make the wine and when it is an average vintage I say so. 2013 was an outstanding vintage along with 2012 and 2007.”

The vineyards in Nemea are situated at a high altitude producing a complex and aromatic red wine that has tremendous aging potential.

“When people think of Greece they imagine white houses, sandy beaches, hot weather and this is the image that is projected onto the rest of the world, but a lot of the country is composed of high mountains. Many of our highly regarded vineyards are at the top of these mountains. Greece has the same latitude as Napa Valley, but the advantage we have is that we have the altitude as well. This creates high alcohol wines, but the heat of the alcohol is masked by the intense fruit aromas and great acidity within the wines.”

2013 GAIA Estate has a deep red-black colour with notes of both red and black fruits, great structure and balance. Maturation occurs for at least 14 months in new small French 225 liter barriques and is bottled directly from the cask without prior treatment such as chilling or filtration in order to preserve the best of all its essential elements. Under proper cellar conditions it continues to evolve into an even better and more highly structured wine for at least a decade. Please note, only 20 cases available.

Price: Case of 6 at $287.40 ($47.90 per bottle)

Grapes varieties: 100% Agiorgitiko (red grape)

Drink: Now or over the next 10 years

Food Pairing: Rack of lamb and any roasted/grilled red meat

GAIA Wines, founded in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos began production with 9,800 bottles of Thalassitis white wine, which quickly became established in Greece and abroad as an example of unique Santorini wines. Today, GAIA operates two wineries: one in Koutsi, Nemea, which is the heart of the company, and one in Exo Gonia, Santorini.

GAIA’s goal has been and still remains today to expand and highlight the quality characteristics of the native Greek grape varieties and to achieve their recognition in international markets. By expanding the potential of the Nemea Agiorgitiko and the Santorini Assyrtiko over the years, Gaia has created a line of wines that have earned numerous international distinctions and have won over both Greek and foreign consumers. Paraskevopoulos is arguably the country’s most visible oenologist, a respected winemaker, influential teacher and poster boy for a modern, urbane wine industry. After his university studies in Greece, he spent five years in Bordeaux, earned a Ph.D., then returned to make a name for himself as Greece’s most ubiquitous consulting oenologist. As head of Greece’s most prestigious university oenology program, much of the country’s emerging wine making talent has felt his influence.