It all started with love… when Vagelis Chatzivaritis met his soon-to-be wife Olga Iakovidou in 1981. She was from Goumenissa, a small traditional town in Central Macedonia, Greece, a place with a long tradition in winemaking. Being a wine lover himself, and a man who also appreciated fine food and the simple pleasures of life, he started making his own wine to enjoy with the company of his good friends. In 1994 he planted the first 5 hectares of vineyard and later in 2007, a winery was built. In 2017, the daughter of Vangelis and Olga – Chloi – decided to return to Greece after studying oenology in France and Portugal and having worked in various wineries in France, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile. When she returned, she brought with her, her passion and experience for low-intervention wines. Today the vineyards consist of 20 hectares. The estate now follows an organic approach and focuses on the Greek varieties of Xinomavro, Negoska, Roditis, Malagousia, Muscat and Assyrtico.
The Winecroft featured red wine for September is the 2020 Chatzivaritis Estate ‘Mus’ Xinomavro. The ‘Mus’ is made from 100% organic Xinomavro, a grape that has many similarities to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. It has wonderful redcurrant, blackcurrant and cherry flavours together with hints of liquorice and tomato. The pallet is structured with good tannins, crisp acidity and a long finish.
The wine is on the winelist at the pan-Balkan Peckham Bazaar in Peckham, southeast London.
