2022 Pateromichelakis Romeiko

100% certified organic Romeiko, an incredibly rare and extremely old grape varietal native to Kissamos, the home village of Pateromichelakis. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in barriques, 24% new and 76% neutral. 14% alcohol. 

This fun and unusual Greek red is medium-full bodied and full of ripe, dark grapey fruit, bright red plum notes, smokey, toasty oak notes and a smooth texture. You almost can’t tell whether the wine is light or full bodied in the mouth- it seems to be both at the same time! Almost like a cross bretween Nebbiolo and Grenache. 

Pateromichelakis is a newly founded winery with a long family tradition in viticulture, winemaking and in organic olive oil making. The family was a very important wine making producer in the western part of Crete until the second world war. Yiannis and Manos, the twin brothers of the family, decided in 2005 to revive the legacy and started experimental vinifications of Romeiko, the most significant indigenous grape variety of Chania prefecture, and also Mavrotragano, a very important black variety of the Cyclades. They own 12.5 acres of organically farmed vineyards in Kissamos region of western Chania. The majority of grapes are coming from the vineyard “Domata” (Tho-ma-ta) at an altitude of 300 metres overlooking the Aegean sea and benefiting from the north cool breezes which help in perfect ripening conditions and retaining acidity in the grapes.