Kir-Yanni - Xinomavro "Cuvee Villages" 2020 (750ml)
Kir-Yanni Description
Kir-Yianni was established in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris, one of the leading figures in the Greek wine industry. Kir-Yianni aka “Mr. John” in Greek, is best known for producing premium Xinomavro from the slopes of Mt. Vermio in Northwestern Greece. Today, Stellios Boutaris, son of Yiannis, actively manages the winery and their two 30+ year-old estate vineyards located in Naoussa and Amyndeon. The Kir-Yianni philosophy is a desire for innovation, respect for tradition and true knowledge of the wine, from the grape to the consumer
Tasting Note: The wine is light ruby. It has intense aromatic profile, characterized by red fruits like cherry and strawberry. On the palate, Naoussa Kir-Yianni is light and fresh with soft tannins and medium body.
Think of Xinomavro as Greek Nebbiolo. Its that good.
Wine Advocate: 89 Points
The 2020 Naoussa Cuvée Villages is all Xinomavro aged for 12 months in used and mostly French oak (with 25% American). It comes in at 14.1% alcohol.
A little earthy, but mostly ripe and concentrated, this soaks up the moderate tannins rather easily. It seems impeccably balanced and rather accessible today. There's just a bit of bite on the finish. Meanwhile, reasonable freshness cuts through the oak and lifts the fruit to some extent. If it sometimes seems a bit slight in mouthfeel, I'd also call that mid-palate finesse. It is ultimately a wine that seems refined as well as nuanced, a very civilized version of an entry-level Xinomavro.
It should hold well at least for the rest of the decade, and it may yet improve a bit more. This is a nice bargain, although I'm less sure it will reward long aging. At worst, it's a perfect food wine now and over the next several years with a Nebbiolo feel to it.
