Ελληνικά
“Dokimes” series is based on Sophocles Vlassides’ experimentations.
The experimental wines emphasize
the winery’s philosophy towards new challenges.
Agiorgitiko
Perhaps the Greek variety with the most potential, originating from Nemea. Because of the similar climate characteristics between Cyprus and Peloponnese, in 2007 we planted the first VSP trellis vineyard with Agiorgitiko, at an altitude of 700 meters.
Our goal was and still is, to produce concentrated wines with a deep dark colour which is rich in red fruit aromas and a velvety aftertaste. The successful result is mostly based on the proper care of the vineyards in order to achieve low yields and highly concentrated grapes with the proper phenolic maturity. During vinification, we pay a lot of attention to maceration, as well as the oxidative ageing which takes place in French barrels of 2nd and 3rd usage.
A7 (2018) The experimental Agiorgitiko A7 stands out for its pure, deep purple color. In regards to its smell, the aromatic composition offers depth and complexity as the aromas which dominate are those of black cherry and black raspberry and also aromas of sweet oak spices, such as vanilla and chocolate. The full mouth is characterized by a very good balance of tannins and acidity and a long classic aftertaste.
Xynisteri
Terroir or Vineyard is a term complicated by definition, due to the fact that it has many variables towards its interpretation. Theoretically, it is a geographically finite area (vineyard), in which human activity with its know-how, interacts with it (the process begins before planting the vineyard and ends to the point of the ageing of the wine), the natural environment (soil and climatic conditions) and the biological environment (vine, variety, root system, clone selection etc.), which all together result in the production of a type of wine with the uniqueness and characteristics of the sub-area. That alone adds great value to the quality of the wine. It’s precisely this significant value that we want to categorise with the vinification of the specific wine.
B6 (2019)The experimental Xynisteri wine B6 comes from the vineyard in the area of Salera, of Omodos. The orientation of the vineyard is southwest, the soil is rocky with sandy loam composition and the soil’s pH is high due to the high concentration of active calcium carbonate. The form of the stems is cup-shaped with a self-rooting system. The vineyard is non-irrigated and the age of the stems is 30 years old.
The alcoholic fermentation took place in a controlled cooling stainless steel tank and during the process, the wine aged for 6 months in four years old oak barells together with its wine lees.
In regards to its organoleptic characteristics, B6 gives us aromas of citrus, dry fruit, vanilla and nuts. It features a full thick body and crunchy acidity, which balances with its sweet and long aftertaste.
Promara
In recent years, there has been a major shift towards the indigenous varieties at many wine countries around the world, aiming to express the “terroir” of each region.
In an effort to follow this concept and support this philosophy, Vlassides Winery has been involved in the viticulture and winemaking of yet a second Cypriot white grape variety, Promara. A small vineyard with calcareous soil was planted in 2010, right next to the Winery at an altitude of 750 meters.
We have been experimenting every year from 2015 onwards, especially with the pre-fermentative skin contact and the ageing process. The first results are very encouraging.
B10 (2020) Promara wine is characterized by a pale yellow color, spicy aromas which blend perfectly with its fruity character while it is rather rich in structure and body, accompanied by a very long aftertaste.
Assyrtiko
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.
B9 (2020) In regards to its organoleptic characteristics, B9 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
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.
B7 (2018) 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
Β11 (2018) Harvest 23/07/2018 – Liqueur de tirage 13/06/2019 – Disgorgement 30/03/2022
Experimental Sparkling Rosé Wine that is produced with the traditional method, from the Shiraz grape variety. It ages in the bottle with its lees for 33 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.
As of the harvest of 2019, Experimental Sparkling Rosé Wine is produced from the indigenous variety Maratheftiko, using the traditional method.