Ελληνικά
We named our wine Αlátes inspired by the unique language spoken on our island.
Although the Cypriot dialect is based on Greek, it has been strongly influenced by various nations that have inhabited our land through history; Arabs, Turks, English, French and Italians.
Αlátes, in Cypriot, means wings. Our Αlátes is produced solely from old vines of Xinisteri, the dominant local white grape variety. It is our way of giving wings to the vision of introducing a fine representative Cypriot white wine to the world at large.
Produced exclusively from old non-irrigated vineyards situated at an altitude of around 900 meters in the Afamis mountain area. The soils where the vines grow are calcareous with clay-loam texture. The vines are non-grafted, trained in goblet.
Alates, from the 2020 harvest, is considered a wine of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) from the Wine Villages of Limassol (Krasochoria Lemesou)- Afamis Sub-region. The sub-region of Afamis includes parts of the communities of Vouni, Kilani, Mandria and Omodos. Wines indicated with the PDO mark, belong to the highest quality level, based on the legal framework of wine standards in Cyprus.
With the potential to mature for an additional five to seven years.
Best served at 10-12°C.
Award
Year of Harvest
Gold Medal
23rd Thessaloniki International Wine Competition 2023
2020
Silver Medal
Decanter World Wine Awards 2023
2020
Silver Medal
13th International Cyprus Wine Competition 2022
2020
Commended
Expo Wine Trophy 2021 Zurich
2019
Silver Medal
Decanter Word Wine Awards 2020
2018
ALÁTES
Varieties:
100% Xynisteri from old vines
Soil Composition:
Calcareous
50% Sand
25% Clay
25% Silt
Vinification:
Harvest takes place at the end of September and immediately after, the grapes are placed in a refrigerated storage area. On the next day, having reached a temperature of 10 0C, they are destemmed and then sent to a pneumatic press where the juice is extracted. Alcoholic fermentation and maturation take place in a 2000 litre untoasted oak vat.
Organoleptic Characteristics:
- Color: Bright yellow.
- Aroma: Citrus zest, herbs, bread, wet pebbles, notes of sweet spices.
- Taste: Dry with cool acidity, creamy with well-balanced structure, minerality, long aftertaste.
- Potential ageing: 5 to 7 years.
Harvest Information 2021:
| Ethanol: | 13,33% Vol |
| pH: | 3,12 |
| Total Acidity (H2SO4): |
3,49 g/l |
| Reducing Sugars: | 1,1 g/l |
| Rainfall: October until July | 547mm |
| Harvest Temperatures (Μ.Α.) | |
| Xynisteri | |
| Lowest: | 14,5°C – (9/2021) |
| Highest: | 30°C – (9/2021) |
2021 Harvest:
2021 harvest, was an average year for the winery’s international varieties and a relatively late year for our indigenous varieties. Because of these reasons, there was a dose of truth in the joke we made to each other when we were receiving the grapes, that the 2021 harvest was actually two harvests in one! But, let’s see in detail the factors that played a decisive role in the 2021 harvest.
The total amount of rainfall in our area for the period of October 2020 to July 2021, was quite low (about 545mm of rain). The month with the most rainfall was January 2021 (264mm rain). The last rainfall took place on April 10, 2021. In terms of average minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the vegetation period, they were higher than in 2020, with the exception of September 2021, which justifies the partial later ripening in the native varieties.
The phenological stages in the 2021 harvest were as follows:
- Bud-break: First 10 days of April
- Flowering: First 10 days of May
- Veraison: In mid-July
- Ripening period – Harvest: Early August to mid-October
Some of the conclusions that emerged were that the intense abiotic stress from the high temperatures of May, accelerated flowering and reduced production due to a lower degree of fruit set. The increased temperatures of July and August yielded a rapid ripening of healthy grapes. The lower temperatures, especially during the evenings, helped the smooth phenolic maturation of the red varieties.
Each harvest season, the team at Vlassides winery aim to produce wines with the typicality of each variety. However, the aromatic and flavorful expression of the same variety, in different sub-regions, often differs. This is due to differences in soil-climatic conditions, the living environment and the adapted human activities and situations.
Testing the white wines from the tanks and barrels from specific vineyards of the same varieties after the end of the alcoholic fermentations, we found to a large extent the difference between them. When it comes to our wines which are intended for blend (eg. Grifos 2, Sauvignon blanc, Alates), this gave an additional boost in regards to the aromas and taste.
Right now, the winery’s red wines show a balance between alcohol, acidity and body, which is complemented by the intense phenolic load. Special mention should be made of the Shiraz of 2021, which due to the significantly reduced production of grapes, the wine presents an excellent concentration. In general, we hope to have red wines of deep aging, which were developed from the very good vintage of 2021.