2013 Domaine Lyrarakis, Mandilari, Crete, Greece

2013 Domaine Lyrarakis, Mandilari, Crete, Greece

Product: 40914
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2013 Domaine Lyrarakis, Mandilari, Crete, Greece

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Description

Bart Lyrarakis and Co. love a challenge, be it rescuing varietals from the point of extinction or, in this case, crafting a wine of such finesse from the thick-skinned Mandilari, which most producers blend with Kotsifali in a bid to soften its potentially brutal tannins. Bart’s 100 percent Mandilari, from the Plakoura vineyard, is downright approachable, having been hand-harvested at precisely the moment when ripeness and acidity combined to maximum effect, then treated to 12 months in oak, and a further nine months in bottle prior to release.

Expect a complex nose of cooked plum, liquorice, jasmine and – the seductive influence of oak here – toffee and chocolate. What’s more, in light of its impressive structure, this is destined to improve over the next 3-5 years.

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About this WINE

Domaine Lyrarakis

Domaine Lyrarakis

Domaine Lyrarakis, established in 1966, is located in the mountainous commune of Alagni (440 metres above sea-level), south of the city of Heraklion, in   Crete. The well-preserved 14th-century stone-presses in the fields around the winery are testament to the area’s long history of grape-growing and winemaking.
 
The winery is at the forefront of viticultural innovation, championing obscure local varieties such as the ancient white cultivars of Plytó,  Dafniand  Vidiano, that it rescued from extinction.
 
The winery’s extensive portfolio consists of a range of monovarietal wines (VidianoPlytó, MandilariAssyrtiko, Vilana, Thrapsathiri, Kotsifali) – some from single, “premium” vineyard plots, as well as blends of indigenous and international varieties (such as Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot). Quality remains key and the style emphasises fruit precision, purity and supple texture – placing the wines firmly in the modern camp, yet without flamboyance or exaggeration.





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Mandilaria

Mandilaria

Mandilaria (aka) Mandilari is red wine grape variety, prolific in the Greek wine regions of Aegean islands and in Crete (esp. in the Peza and Archanes Appelations). It produces sturdy wines with saturated colour and robust tannic qualities that require some ageing to temper their mild astringency.

Its typically low alcoholic content makes mono-varietal vinification quite challenging. Domaine Lyrarakis is in the vanguard of experimentation with the grape: Their single-vineyard, unblended, low-yield bottling of Madilaria has set new standards with an astounding 14% alcohol and impressive levels of fruit concentration.

Typically, Mandilaria is ideally suited as the blending partner of the red Kotsifali grape , yielding red wines that benefit greatly from ageing. For Kotsifali, Mandilaria reinforces its tannin structure, moderates its considerably higher alcohol levels and enhances its characteristically low colour.

In Santorini a prime example comes from Paris Sigalas, a blend of Mandilaria with the succulent Mavrotragano that yields a fleshy, opulent, savoury style of wine that has been likened to a New World Zinfandel and Syrah for its power and concentration. On Chios island, Mandilaria grapes are sun dried for a week to produce an opulent sweet wine.

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