Sergio's Pick
"Beyond winemaking techniques, vineyard information and terroir in general; learning about the history of a region is perhaps my favorite part about researching and fully understanding a wine. Most wine stories date back centuries, but there are very select few that can categorize themselves as ancient. The wines of the Greek island Ikaria, or the “Pramnian” as it was called in ancient times, were born in the myth, and associated with the cult of the god Dionysus. Archeological findings suggest that Dyonisian rituals were widespread and popular in Ikaria. Thankfully, Afianes Wines has prevented the 2 indigenous varietals that were vinified at that time alive for us to experience, the red Fokiano and the white Begleri. For over a century, Ikaria is the only place in the world where you will find Begleri wine and Afianes' transparent, natural, and skin contact approach allows for us to truly taste a direct link to the past. While most orange wines display a few standout tasting notes, this 'Litani' cuvée is a full on complex jazz chord. Highly aromatic with notes of tangerine peel, pomelo, orange blossoms, dried mango, stonefruit pith, chestnuts, hay and white pepper leap from the glass. The palate is mineral-rich with a creamy texture that is easily pushed by an electric acidity. The finish is long, and salty with ending notes of high toned sappy citrus oils." - Sergio
About The Producer
Inspired by age-long traditions passed on from one generation to the next, Afianes Wines was founded by Nikos Afianes and his wife Maria almost 20 years ago. They are dedicated to preserving ancient techniques of winemaking and combining them with modern day practices. Transparency is the goal here as they employ organic and biodynamic techniques in the vineyard with a minimalist approach in the cellar. There is no fining or filtering of their wines and little to no usage of sulphur. Today, joined by their two children, Konstantinos and Eftychia, this family-owned winery is a local treasure elevating Ikarian wine and history. Their wines simultaneously capture both the past and present, or as they perfectly state: "The story of our wine cannot be told separately from the story of our land as the two are intertwined."