Wine of the week: A delicious Greek rival to Provençal rosé

Among the many samples in this year’s Global Rosé Masters, which was judged earlier this month, was a pale, dry and delicious expression from Greece, using a native grape that seems ideal for making pink wine.

Proving that parts of the Mediterranean other than Provence can yield first-rate salmon-pink rosé was a wine from Greece in 2021’s competition, which see pink wines from all parts of the world tasted side-by-side with no knowledge as to source or grape varieties employed.

Sampled in a large category of rosé priced from £15-20 that included several famous names from Provence, the Single Vineyard Hedgehog from Alpha Estate was one of the few to gain a Gold medal for its combination of pristine, ripe fruit, soft mouth-filling texture, and bright cleansing acidity.

Made entirely from a native Greek grape called Xinomavro, meaning ‘acid black’ due to the variety’s ability to produce wines with a deep colour and plenty of refreshment, the rosé hails from one of the country’s most impressive producers: Alpha Estate.

The vineyards are found at almost 700 metres above sea level on limestone-clay soils in the Amyndeon wine region.

Like all Provençal rosé, the Hedgehog wine gains its pale pink appearance from a short time in contact with the grape skins, which leach out a small amount of colour into the must.

The Gold-medal-winning performance of Alpha Estate proves that there are pockets of pink winemaking potential right along the Med, not just the southern French coastal regions of Provence and the Languedoc.

Among other first-rate Mediterranean rosés in this year’s competition were samples from Italy’s Tuscan coast, Sicily (Frescobaldi, Planeta) and Izmir, near the Aegean in Turkey (Yedi Bilgeler).

The results in full from 2021’s Global Rosé Masters will appear in the July edition of the drinks business, out next week, while below is some detail about the class-leading sample from Greece.

• Wine: Rosé Single Vineyard Hedgehog
• Producer: Alpha Estate
• Country: Greece
• Region: Amyndeon
• ABV: 14%
• Grape Variety: 100% Xinomavro
• Vintage: 2020
• Price (approx. UK retail): £20
• Residual sugar level: 1.8 g/l
• Closure type: Agglomerated cork
• Colour: pale salmon pink
• Medal: Gold – The Global Rosé Masters 2021
• Tasting note: Ripe peach and crushed strawberry mix with zesty citrus and crushed chalk to make for a fruity-fresh style of pale, dry and highly-drinkable rosé.

Click here to find out more about The Global Wine Masters.