Ελληνικά
“Dokimes” series is based on Sophocles Vlassides’ experimentations.
The experimental wines emphasize
the winery’s philosophy towards new challenges.
Giannoudi Rosé (Β19)
After the destemming process of the grapes from the Cypriot variety Giannoudi, the grape must is transferred to tanks specifically designed for red winemaking, known as fermenters. One of the key features of these tanks is the presence of a sieve at the bottom, which allows only the liquid part of the grape must to pass through while retaining the solid parts.
The method for producing rosé wine through the process of bleeding, known in French as Saignée (or in English, Bleed), involves draining the juice during the filling of a fermenter with red grapes. This technique is applied to alter the ratio between the skins – which contain the phenolic compounds responsible for the color (anthocyanins) and part of the tannins – and the juice. The result is the production of red wines with greater tannin concentration and higher color intensity.
The initial juice (free-run juice) extracted during the Saignée process is fermented separately, primarily to produce rosé wine. The color intensity and hue of the juice depend on various factors, such as the grape variety, its ripeness level, the temperature, and the maceration time before bleeding.
The rosé wine B19 (2023) was produced using the Saignée method, meaning the immediate collection of free-run juice at the moment of destemming the red grapes of the Giannoudi variety. In the glass, it displays a delicate grapefruit hue with aromatic notes of strawberry, red currant, and mint leaves.
Βlend of white varieties (Β13)
One of the main goals of the winery team is to create a white wine with aromatic and flavor complexity, a full body, and all the elements that will allow it to evolve over time.
To achieve this goal, it was decided that only a blend of specific varieties from selected vineyards could lead to the desired result. The chosen varieties are exclusively cultivated in the estate’s privately-owned vineyards.
- Assyrtiko: Sourced from the Koloni vineyard, which has sandy-clay soil and is located at an altitude of approximately 710 meters. Assyrtiko forms the backbone of B13, providing volume and weight on the palate.
- Sauvignon blanc: Grown in the Karamanos vineyard, with clay soil at an altitude of 900 meters, it delivers the necessary acidity needed for aging.
- Xynisteri: This indigenous variety comes from old vines located at altitudes above 900 meters, in sandy-clay soil. Xynisteri imparts the local floral, herbal, and mineral character of the Afamis region.
Each variety is vinified separately. After the completion of alcoholic fermentation, which takes place in French oak barrels, each variety ages independently in the same barrels for 8 months. Then, tastings are conducted with various blends to decide on the blend of the year. After blending, the wine is bottled and aged for three years in the bottle.
As is typical with blended wines, the varietal composition varies slightly from year to year to ensure the wine maximally expresses its qualitative characteristics. For the 2021 vintage, the proportions of each variety were equal.
Traditional Method Sparkling Wine – Extra Brut (Β20)
Β20 (2020) Harvest 18/09/2020 – Liqueur de tirage 05/2021 – Dégorgement 03/2024
An experimental Blanc de Noir sparkling wine made using the traditional method from the Maratheftiko variety. It aged in the bottle for 34 months on its lees before disgorgement.
Assyrtiko (B12)
The white variety Assyrtiko comes from Greece and specifically from the island of Santorini. It is righteously characterized as one of the most important white
varieties in the viticulture and wine world. The most important advantage of
Assyrtiko is the fact that although it is cultivated mainly in hot and dry climates
which usually leads to high sugars in grapes, it manages to maintain its acidity at extremely high levels at the end of the ripening period. This results in the
production of wines with an excellent balance between alcohol, acidity and taste.
The privately owned Assyrtiko vineyards of the winery, are planted in sandy clay and calcareous bedrock, with moderate to shallow depth, with low levels of
organic matter, which lead to a balanced growth of the vineyard. The viticultural and winemaking practices of our winery, focus on the creation of wines from the Assyrtiko variety with mineral character, crunchy acidity, rich taste volume and the possibility of deep ageing in the bottle.
B12 (2021) In regards to its organoleptic characteristics, B12 gives us aromas of citrus peel, honeysuckle, yeast and vanilla. Its taste is dominated by acidity in combination with minerality, which blends harmoniously with its rich body, creamy and intense aftertaste.
Sauvignon blanc Late Harvest (B14)
One of the main characteristics of Sauvignon blanc from the Vlassides Winery vineyards, is the high acidity the grapes maintain at their late maturity stage. This was our inspiration to create a naturally sweet wine from overripe grapes.
Sauvignon blanc late harvest, is produced from grapes which mature on the vines only when weather conditions permit it. The harvest takes place a month after the harvest for the dry wine. This results in the partial dehydration of the grapes and a must with high sugar levels.
Using an appropriate pre-conditioning for the yeasts, so that they survive the toxic environment of the high sugar concentration must, fermentation begins. Fermentation stops by itself, due to the high volume of produced alcohol (creating a hostile environment for yeasts), leaving approximately 100 gr per litre of residual sugars. Afterwards the wine matures for about six months in French oak barrels of 3rd and 4th usage.
B14 (2020) The result is a wine rich in aromas and taste with a golden colour, intense white fruit scents such as pineapple, peach, mango, apricot and honey. A full bodied wine with pleasant acidity and a long aftertaste.
Sparkling Rosé Wine – Brut (B21)
Β21 (2020) Harvest 18/09/2020 – Liqueur de tirage 05/2021 – Dégorgement 03/2024
Experimental Sparkling Rosé Wine that is produced with the traditional method, from the indigenous variety Maratheftiko. It ages in the bottle with its lees for 34 months before disgorgement.
To complete the production of the sparkling wine with the traditional method, the base wine is bottled. Sugars and yeasts are added in the bottles and a second alcoholic fermentation takes place. Yeasts metabolize sugars to produce ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide, with the latter being responsible for the bubbles.
What follows is the maturation of the sparkling wine in the bottle, in contact with its lees, for about 3 years, in a horizontal position in order to maximize the autolysis of the yeasts and its aroma and flavor enrichment.
After aging with the lees, remuage – riddling is the next step in the process. This is the daily rotation of the bottles at regular intervals during the day. When the bottles reach a vertical position in regards to the ground and the neck is facing down, the sediment (wine lees), ends up in the area of the cap, while the rest of the wine is clear.
The removal of the lees is done by disgorgement, also known as “Dégorgement”. Finally, the cork and the retaining wire are fitted so that the cork does not pop due to the high pressure inside the bottle.