Wine Region: Peloponnese

(2022) From the mainland Peloponnese, barrel aged Agiorgitiko that spent 12 months in French oak barrels and three years in bottle before release. The colour has a mature warmth on the rim, and there are warming aromatics too, a velvety, plush depth of coffee and tobacco spice, black fruits are ripe and mellow. In the mouth that spice powers through, very tangy and peppery over a raft of black fruits. Brisk tannins, a keen edge of plum skin dry acidity, for a gastronomic and impressive wine at the price.

(2020) Forget the crude stuff of seaside tavernas, reeking of pine and rough as old boots: this Retsina is so delicately touched by pine that there is just a faint - and pleasant - wild herb and scrub note to zinging lemon fruit. It's far from ordinary, being organically certified, made in amphora, and fermented with wild yeast. On the palate the piney/herby note is there in the background, but the wild yeast gives light earth and bready notes, which support more direct crunchy apple and citrus into a fresh, appetising finish. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2019) A Moschofilero and Roditis blend, made in stainless steel, this is fresh and yet ripe with a fleshy fruit character. Fruity and bright, lots of elegant fat lemon and orange fruit, a hint of the exotic and I like the long and bright finish with a little weight and texture too.

(2019) In terms of the export market this is Gaia's entry level red wine. It shows a little bit of cedary oak, and fresh dry flavours on the palate. Easy-drinking red, ripe with smoothing oak and gentle tannins into a spicy finish. Nice juiciness and freshness.

(2019) From organic vineyards (certified) planted at altitude in the north of the mainland's Peloponnese peninsula, there's a vivid crimson colour here and an equally vivid aroma: red liquorice, cherry and a definite floral note, a touch of ash too. In the mouth it is a vivacious wine, those bright aromas transferred directly into flavour, so cherry and red fruits dominate, no oak, but a nicely tempered backbone of noteable acidity and tightly-grained tannins to give a supple, fresh appeal.

(2019) A wine from the Peloponnese peninsula, and a domaine established in 1986 by Burgundy-trained Georges Skouras. This blends Agiorgitiko and Cabernet Sauvignon, the nose fragrant and brightly-lit, juicy cherry and red fruits as well as a peppercorn note. On the palate there is loads of sweet, concentrated fruit, both a crisp, lighter raspberry character and more substantial black fruit backing it up. There's a little coffee and liquorice adding a bittersweet edge to the tannins and acidity, in an approachable if leaner style.

(2003) Almost salty mineral tang on the nose. Plenty of citrus fruit and quite concentrated. Quality here. Focused, tight, pure fruit into a long finish.

(2003) 100% Merlot. Real spice-box infusion of sandalwood, cedar and toast, with peppery notes and quite a deep seam of black fruit. The palate has some pleasant green/black olive interest to quite lush cherry fruit. There are drying tannins and hints of spice and a little wilder edge to an otherwise orthodox, heavily oaked Merlot.

(2003) A blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. More big, toasty, spicy new oak lavished on this wine. Sweet, minty, super-ripe blackcurrant and cassis fruit. The palate is big and drying, with a solid tannic structure and lots of oak supporting. There is depth and a hint of plumskin bitterness that is nice in the mix.

(2001) Very odd nose here with notes of potato peelings, herbs and hints of melon fruit. Very strange stuff, with an equally unorthodox palate thats either love it or hate it for this one.