“Wandering in the paths of Agiorgitiko”
Ktima Driopi
– Nemea –
The winemaker Yiannis Tselepos, carrying 30 years of experience with the Moschofilero variety in Mantinia, completed his winemaking quests in the Peloponnese by choosing the Agiorgitiko variety for his red wines.
Thus, in 2003 he bought a 9-hectare vineyard of 50 years-old vines in the area of Koutsi Nemea, at an altitude of 380 meters which was named Ktima Driopi. This region was chosen for its ability to produce wines of high quality and long aging potential from the variety “Agiorgitiko”. Wines characterized by intense color, fruit, velvety flavor and high levels of polyphenols and tannins.
Ktima Driopi, under the guidance of Yiannis Tselepos, adapted to the new circumstances. Thus, a 10-acre piece of land was replanted with selected, virus-free clones of Agiorgitiko. The rest of the vineyard was maintained and harmonized with the new philosophy and high standards of Ktima Tselepos, with low yields (6-7 tons per hectare) and innovative viticulture methods. Inside the Estate, a small but perfectly equipped winery was built for the needs of the Estate’s wine production.
With the Ktima Driopi, the venture of Yiannis Tselepos for the production of P.D.O. wines, in the two most renowned wine-growing areas of Peloponnese, is completed.
The Agiorgitiko variety
The Nemea wine-growing zone is surrounded by massifs that lead to small hills and smooth slopes littered with vineyards, where the prevalent variety being “Agiorgitiko”, named after the former appellation of the “Saint George” area.
One of the most eclectic Greek varieties, which since 1971 is being cultivated in an area of 2,000 hectares, constitutes the prevalent red zone Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) of the Peloponnese vineyard.
It has also been called “the blood of Hercules” due to the deep red color of its grapes. The vineyard starts at an altitude of 200 meters and ends up in mountain vineyards at an altitude of up to 850 meters, resulting in great variability of styles in the produced wines.
Agiorgitiko, as a multi-dynamic variety, can produce different types of wines, depending on the microclimate where it is being cultivated. At low altitudes it can give remarkable sweet wines. In semi-mountainous areas such as Koutsi, it gives high quality red wines, with good acidity and richness in color and tannins, while in mountainous areas it can give supreme rosé wines.