2022 Domaine Karydas Xinomavro, Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece

ABOUT THE WINE

This is a single-vineyard expression of Xinomavro from Ano Gastra, a hillside subregion of Naoussa in northern Greece. The family’s small holding is planted on well-drained soils combining sand, clay and limestone. Working with one grape and one site keeps the wine closely tied to this particular part of the appellation.

The importer describes a traditional sequence of careful crop management, hand harvesting and sorting. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak before temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation follows in concrete, then the wine moves to French oak for maturation. These distinct stages allow control over extraction and give Xinomavro’s naturally substantial structure time to settle before release.

The 2022 shows ripe forest fruit with the savory tomato and olive notes characteristic of this traditional Naoussa style. Firm tannins give the palate substance and make it particularly suited to food. We suggest slow-braised lamb, beef with tomatoes, or mushroom moussaka, allowing the wine’s savory complexity to meet similarly generous flavors.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Konstantinos Karydas established his estate on the hill of Gastra and built the winery in the middle of the vineyard in 1994. His son Petros joined him soon afterward, helping launch the family’s first wines under their own label. The estate remains closely identified with its roughly six-acre Xinomavro vineyard.

The family’s ambition is deliberately focused: to make traditional, single-vineyard Naoussa with limited intervention. Their scale allows close attention to the vines and rigorous selection at harvest. Rather than building a broad portfolio of international varieties, Karydas concentrates on the local grape and the character of its home hillside, giving the estate a clear place within Naoussa’s long Xinomavro tradition.