GAI'A Notios Red

GAI'A Notios Red bottle image

Wine Description

One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Estate (pronounced Yay-ya) was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines.

GAI'A Santorini beach tasting
GAI'A Nemea Vineyards
Nemea Winery
Santorini Winery
Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos
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Acclaim
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Calcareous
Exposure:
Southwestern
First vintage of this wine:
1996
Average Vine Age:
15 years
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Winemaking & Aging
Time on its skins:
6 days
Varietal composition:
85% Agiorgitiko, 15% Syrah
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
45 days
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.7
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Residual sugar:
1.9 g/L
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Wine Production

After harvest, the grapes are destemmed, crushed and inoculated with strains of dry active yeast. The skins and juice are left in contact for approximately 6 days. After fermentation, the wine is racked twice for clarity and then matured in French oak casks for approximately 45 days.

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About the Vineyard

The grapes for the Notios Red (AKA “The Southerner” in Greek) come from select, mature, low-yielding vines in the hills of the Koutsi region of Nemea. The vineyards are non-irrigated, and are located on a ten-degree slope facing West-Southwest. These conditions offer the ideal environment for producing small clusters of small, thick-skinned berries with more serious, concentrated fruit flavors and characteristically “spicy” notes.