Ένα σημαντικό Άρθρο από την J. Harding στο Jancisrobinson.com, για το Οινοποιείο Φοίβος, τον Οινοποιό και τις βαθμολογίες των κρασιών με τον τίτλο "A Cephalonian Underwater experiment".

Domaine Foivos on the Ionian island of Captain Corelli has been attempting 'wrinkle-free' maturation of its wines – with some fascinating results.

Theodore Orkopoulos (pictured above among his beloved old, ungrafted vines), managing director and winemaker of Domaine Foivos on the Greek island of Cephalonia, contacted me in June this year to tell me about a philanthropic event they were planning, 'with a daily ferry boat tour of the small south island of Kefalonia Vardianoi, for Greek and British wine lovers', plus a tasting of around 30 of their wines.

How could I refuse his offer to taste the wines (sadly not on a Greek island), as well as a few more, including a comparison of several wines aged in different ways: under the sea, under water in a tank in the winery, or aged in the winery not under water. Theodore's goal? 'Finding ways to mature wine without wrinkles and ageing.'

When I went on holiday to Cephalonia (aka Kefalonia) in October 2020, I did not visit Domaine Foivos but I wish I had. My brother and his wife were on the island this summer and described him as a great host and storyteller. Theodore's emails had already alerted me to his love of history and narrative, as well as his wife Stavroula's expertise as an archaeologist.

Domaine Foivos, named after Phoebus (aka Foivos) Apollo, Greek god of harmony, music and light, according to the estate's website, was established in 1999 when Orkopoulos, a law graduate from Athens University, bought what was the Mantzavino winery, one of the oldest in Greece, which had gone out of business three years earlier. Foivos is also Orkopoulos's nickname. His parents had wanted to baptise him thus but the orthodox priests refused, describing it as a pagan name.

They focus exclusively on a wide range of Cephalonian and Greek indigenous grape varieties, including the island's best-known variety Robola. The estate's 60 acres (24 ha) of organically farmed vines are in the Vatsa area in the south of the Paliki peninsula, which is the westernmost part of the island and said to have been Homer's Ithaca, the home of Odysseus. They also work with local growers and manage vineyards in the eastern part of the island, in Omala, where they produce Robola. As you will see from the background information in the tasting notes below, many of the vines are more than 80 years old and are ungrafted since phylloxera has not reached the island. 'New' vines are propagated by a variation on the traditional method known as layering or simply by cutting the trunk down to just above the ground.

Comparing the wines aged under the sea with those aged under water in a tank was fascinating if not always conclusive. However, the positive attributes of underwater ageing, notably the virtual absence of oxygen and light and the constant temperature, were as influential in the wines aged onshore in tank as in those aged under the sea. This might not be the case with wines which are still on their lees, undisgorged sparkling wines such as Exton Park's 60 Below Sea-Aged Blanc de Blancs 2014, for example, where the movement of the tide can keep the lees in suspension and interacting with the wine. Many of the current experiments with ageing wine under the sea seem to be with sparkling wines, though in the case of champagne, ageing under the sea has to be post-disgorgement because of strict appellation regulations. (See this article about Drappier's underwater trials.) Examples with still wine include Gaia's mermaids.

Underwater ageing is not the only experiment carried out at Foivos by the insatiably curious Orkopoulos, who reminds me in some ways of Faustian Bairrada producer Luís Pato, though the latter strikes me as more mischievous than the romantic historian of Foivos, who, helped by his wife's research, has studied ancient winemaking techniques and wine styles. He has also made blends with, variously, 41, 42 and 47 Greek varieties.

They began their watery experiment in 2011, 'considering the excellent storage conditions with the absence of oxygen and very small fluctuations (up to constant) of temperature'. However, because of the difficulties and cost of installing and then retrieving the bottles from 22 m (72 ft) below the sea, they decided to try to simulate the under-sea conditions by ageing the bottles in what Orkopoulos refers to as his 'aquarium': 1950s concrete winemaking and storage tanks, with walls 60 cm (2 ft) thick, filled with fresh water and kept at a constant temperature. These bottles were much easier to retrieve in order to check on progress.

Encouraged by the results of their experiments, and 'having drawn important conclusions', in 2015 they increased the scale of the experiment. Their enthusiastic response to these wines was not based solely on the physical environment, and this is where the storyteller of Foivos comes in:

'The maturation of the wines on a metal pallet under the sea after three years under water brought amazing results. The enemies of wine had all been neutralised and the wine matured over time (with rationalisation and harmony in taste) while remaining very young in colour and fragrance! But some friends and allies were added: such as the salinity conditions and the living aquatic environment and its living population that impressively integrated in a – let's say metaphysical way ­– the wine on the seabed and in the sea environment, offering very strong and inexplicable results in the exceptional quality and the excellent evolution of the wine.'

However, there were disadvantages, including the cost of sinking the bottles (boat, cranes, specialised personnel), the regular monthly visit by divers to check the bottles, and the serious cost of lifting the wines out of the sea at the end . And 'a new enemy was added: the hydrostatic pressure (over 1,500 kg per square centimetre of the bottle, affecting and testing over time the strength of the cork).'

He continued: 'In contrast to the sea, the ageing of bottles under water in concrete tanks did not test the strength of the cork due to the low hydrostatic pressure, but brought all its benefits (absence of oxygen, proper temperature, no light at all) of the underwater ageing, except of course the adaptation of the wine to the living marine environment that makes the difference.' It seems the physical differences can be replicated on land but, according to Orkopoulos, not the 'metaphysical' ones.

They continue to age some of their wines – Rhapsody, 41, 42 and 47 – using all three methods so that wine lovers can make the same comparison that I was able to do but, for reasons of cost, their excellent lower-priced Nautilus wines are all aged in the concrete tanks, for 6–15 months for the white and rosé and two to three years for the red.

2022 is Orkopoulos's last vintage at the helm of Domaine Foivos before he hands over to members of his family. In one of his many emails to me he wrote: 'I wish I was one of my wines deep in the sea, so that I could stay much younger but with my current dreams, my current sense of supply, my current thoughts, knowledge and experiences ...'.

The 36 wines are grouped by colour and style.

White

Foivos Muscatel 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,243 g. I think this must be Muscat of Alexandria – definitely not Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Nomacorc Classic Green recyclable closure. From approximately 80-year-old, pre-phylloxera, own-rooted vines, planted on clay soils at 200 m. Destemmed, pressed, fermentation with selected yeasts at low temperature, filtered and bottled. TA 6 g/l, RS 1.4 g/l.
Light, subtle grapey, floral (honeysuckle?) aroma. Smells very pretty but not excessively perfumed. Dry and fresh on the palate, the alcohol giving some weight, and that slight and attractive bitterness that is common on the finish of dry Muscats just adds to the freshness and balances the weight in the mouth. Scented and grapey on the palate but not too excessively so – but beware if you don't like scented wines. I am not sure what food you would drink this with but it would make a good aperitif. (JH)

Foivos Vostilidi 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,245 g. Sealed with a Nomacorc recyclable Green Select closure that is wonderfully easy to remove and reinsert but still gives a tight fit. Vines are ungrafted, c 80 years old, planted on clay at 200 m. Destemmed, pressed, fermented with selected yeasts at low temperature, filtered and bottled. TA 5.85 g/l, RS 1.4 g/l. This old local variety is also known as Goustolidi and is thought to be genetically similar to Robola.
Aromas of ripe citrus and pear, really ripe but still fresh, and just a little bit spicy/oily, even very slightly grapey though not like the Muscatel. More peachy and floral as it warms in the glass. Full-bodied and crisper/fresher than I expected from the aroma, with a dart of fresh acidity through the ripe, broad flavours and a refreshing and attractive bitterness on the finish. Even a slight woody/cedar note as it warms up. Traditionally considered to be a 'rustic' variety, this is quite powerful and distinctive but carefully made to bring out the best. Long, full-flavoured finish. (JH)

Foivos 2021 Robola of Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,111 g. From Robola vineyards on the slopes of Enos Mountain, 800 m above sea level. From own-rooted and autochthonous vines about 40 years old. Destemmed, fully pressed, fermentation with selected yeasts at low temperature, filtered and bottled. TA 6.1 g/l, RS 1.7 g/l. The producer refers to this as the 'black label' Robola to distinguish from the R Robola (white and blue label) and the Barcarola. 
Bright, intense and pure aroma of fresh pears, stone fruit and lemon and an underlying stony/mineral edge. On the palate, the citrus is more intense, the freshness vivid and the pure-fruited flavours stand out, with just a hint of salty/stony bitterness on the finish, matching the slight impression of stone dust when I first smelt the wine. Persistent, too. A very good example of Robola of Cephalonia, the older vines showing their mettle. (JH)

Foivos, R 2021 Robola of Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,169 g. From Robola vineyards on the slopes of Enos Mountain, 800 m above sea level. From own-rooted and autochthonous vines about 40 years old. Destemmed, lightly pressed (not as firmly pressed as the juice that is used for the black-label Robola), fermentation with selected yeasts at low temperature, filtered and bottled. TA 5.6 g/l, RS 1.7 g/l, pH 3.2.
This smells a little sweeter-fruited than the straight (black-label) Robola, with an intense fragrance of fresh pears, and somehow creamier, as if there were more lees influence but perhaps it is just the lighter pressing. But with a stony/mineral and tangy lime and herbs side to it. The texture is richer and denser and smoother, as if it has been aged differently, perhaps some big old oak, though apparently there is no oak influence. The wine tastes a little softer than the black label in terms of acidity but the texture increases the freshness. Long and deep flavoured, with a kick of freshness and herby citrus on the long finish. Rounded in the mouth even with all this freshness. (JH)

Foivos, Barcarola 2021 Robola of Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,167 g. Vineyards on the slopes of Enos Mountain. From own-rooted and autochthonous vines about 40 years old. Cold extraction for 8–10 hours before fermentation. Only the free-run juice goes into this wine, which is fermented at a controlled temperature, and stays on the lees for about a month with periodical stirring, before filtering and bottling. TA 7 g/l, RS 2 g/l.
More deeply coloured than the black-label Robola and the R Robola with a few tiny bubbles of CO2 remaining, though these soon dissipate. Rich, complex, with a touch of bitter orange and really ripe and almost spicy pears on the nose. Savoury and rich on the palate, with terrific acidity to balance the deep, broad flavours and the mouth-filling texture. Gently chewy but not really tannic. More pear than citrus. Terrific presence in the mouth for a wine with only 12.5% alcohol and a long, salty, mouth-watering aftertaste, that touch of bitter orange coming back at the very end, married deliciously with the salty freshness. I'm amazed that there is so much intensity and texture in a wine that is made from free-run juice. Another excellent demonstration of the quality of Robola grown in the right place – and of course the older vines. (JH)

Foivos, Orange 2021 Robola of Cephalonia

Full (but unlabelled) bottle 1,245 g. Forty-year-old vines at 800 m on the slopes of Mount Enos. Owner and winemaker Theodore Orkopoulos writes: 'Robola is an earthy, easy oxidized, very noble but almost wild variety, which likes and seeks mountainous and stony soils to offer its fruits.The "orange" version of the Robola is a more complete depiction of the possibilities of the variety, because initially the fermentation was done by red vinification methods, in contact with the skin and flesh of the grape, offering additional characteristics and tannins to the result.' TA 5.6 g/l.
It may have had some time on the skins during fermentation but there is, to my surprise, no orange in the colour. Intense and indeed wild aromas of salty citrus and herbs, wild scrubland not domesticated flora. Invitingly dusty/smoky. There's a gentle tannic texture but it's subtle compared with some orange wines. This is dynamic and full of energy as well as flavour. Terrific length with that long salty aftertaste of so many of the Foivos Robolas. Full-bodied for a wine of such modest alcohol. The time on the skins really has highlighted all the characteristics of this variety without introducing intrusive tannins or winemaking traits. Extremely well judged in terms of the fermentation on the skins. (JH)

Foivos, Nautilus 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,167 g. 30% Muscat, 30% Muscatel, 20% Tsaousi, 20% Vostilidi. Eighty-year-old ungrafted vines on clay at 200 m. Rescued by the traditional propagation method of layering. Cold pre-fermentation maceration for 8–10 hours, fermented in tank and one month on lees. Like all the Nautilus wines, the bottles of wine were submerged for 6 months under fresh water, in special tanks in the winery under controlled conditions. 'A new method which permits maturation and incorporation in absolute conditions of constant temperature, darkness and lack of oxygen!', says Theodore Orkopoulos, owner and winemaker. TA 6.9 g/l, RS 1.8 g/l. 
Extremely pale. A determined herbal and cedary aroma, not as floral as I would have expected with 60% of two different Muscat varieties though there is a certain a hint of grapiness here. It's dominated by sour-fresh, crisp aromas and flavours of grapefruit and herbs. Deliciously refreshing and deeply fruited and yet is hasn't lost the stone-dust/mineral character that these vineyards seem to give to the wine. A fine contrast on the finish between that grapefruit-pith bitterness and the ripe and intense lemon and herb flavours. Salty aftertaste. (JH)

Foivos-Vourvoukeli, East–West 2020 Wine of Greece

Full bottle 1,492 – much heavier than the usual Foivos bottles. Unnecessary. A joint venture between Foivos on Cephalonia and Vourvoukelis on Santorini. A combination of Assyrtiko from Avdera (20-year-old vineyards, fruit fermented at controlled temperatures and matured on fine lees) and Robola of Cephalonia (fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in amphorae in the most traditional way). TA 5.8 g/l.
Very pale in colour only. The aroma has great intensity, stony, mineral citrus and a piercing freshness from both varieties and terroirs. Just a touch of smoky/sulphidic struck-match aroma to add complexity. Powerful and deep with concentrated fruit even in this bone-dry style. Very long with a taut, intense salty-fresh finish and perfectly judged grip in the texture. This is powerful but not heavy. A really good combination of locations and varieties. (JH)

Foivos, Orange Muscat 2016 PGI Slopes of Enos

Ungrafted 80-year-old vines. Fermented on the skins. TA 5.6 g/l, RS 1.5 g/l.
Pale gold. Intense cedary/resin aroma that initially camouflages the grapey character of the variety, though there is a lingering grapey undertone, and it becomes more apparent as the wine warms in the glass, plus a delicious note of bitter orange. Grapey Muscat flavour also there on the palate, as well as a tiny hint of roses, the scents giving an attractive counterpoint to the light tannic structure. Fresh enough and almost spicy on the palate. The tannins are now smoothed by bottle age. Long aromatic aftertaste with plenty of that mature, 'golden' flavour. Complex and delicious and should continue to develop slowly over the next few years, though I am not sure it will improve further. Intensely flavoured and scented. Quite different from the Orange Robola, even though fermenting a white on the skins can sometimes obscure varietal character. (JH)

Foivos, 41 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

A blend of 41 indigenous light-skinned Greek varieties, including Assyrtiko, Athiri, Vidiano, Savatiano, Malagousia, Petroulanos, Zakynthino, Vilana, Malvasia, Lagorthi, Vostilidi, Robola, Muscat, Tsaousi, Muscatel, etc. 8–10 hours cold per-fermentation maceration. One month on lees. TA 6.25 g/l, RS 1.7 g/l.
Mid gold. Rich golden aromas of ripe yellow plums, apricot, honeyed but not sweet-smelling, like some wild-flower honeys, not that different from the Foivos 47 Rosé, which includes 6 red varieties. Broad in the mouth and lightly tannic, a little more rustic than the 47 but equally flavourful. A little oxidative now, with bitter-orange flavours that bring terrific freshness to balance the breadth. A big wine with moderate length. Just a little bit astringent on the finish. (JH)

Foivos, 41 Aged Under the Sea 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

Same wine as the Foivos 41 aged conventionally but this wine was aged 18 months under the sea at a depth of 22 m. 
Very similar golden colour but more youthful and vibrant, citrus as well as yellow plum and apricot, and a little more stony/salty in style. On the palate there's a gentle cedary flavour and the tighter feel to the wine also makes it seem even fresher, and less rustic, more streamlined in the mouth. Light but definite tannins from the skin contact. Intense, long, juicy and complex. More refined than the 41 not aged under the sea with a salty-fresh aftertaste. (JH)

Rosé

Foivos, Apocalypse Blanc de Noirs Mavrodaphne 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,246 g. Sealed with a Nomacorc recyclable Green Select closure. Vines are ungrafted, c 80 years old. White vinification of the red variety Mavrodaphne; destemmed without crushing, pressed, alcoholic fermentation at controlled temperature, filtered and bottled. TA 5.5 g/l, RS 2.2 g/l.
Very very pale pink. Subtle aroma – some red fruit and a touch of stone dust. More distinctive on the palate, with notable intensity for a wine of modest alcohol. Not particularly tannic but there is some structure to it as if it had picked up a little bit of tannin. This increases the freshness, which is moderate. Sour-fresh aftertaste of tangy red berries. Seems more of a food wine than an aperitif. Needs to be well chilled if you drink it on its own. This seemed more persistent on the day after opening, more substantial. (JH)

Foivos, Asteris Rosé Robola 2020 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,227 g. 95% Robola, 5% Mavrodaphne. Cold extraction of the Mavrodaphne for a few hours, pressing, mixing with the white-grape must, alcoholic fermentation at low temperature before filtering and bottling. TA 6.5 g/l, RS 3.4 g/l.
Pale golden pink. Hints of dried grasses – the aroma I often find on skin-fermented white wines (although this isn't one) and spring blossom. Herbal and cedary, with a note of orange-skinned plum. That cedar/woody character more marked on the palate, suggesting it might be good at the table, with light and harmonious tannins. A touch of fruit sweetness on the finish to balance the acidity but still tastes pretty dry. Woody/cedary (not oaky) aftertaste. (JH)

12.5%
Drink
2021
–
2023
15.5 

Foivos, Nautilus Rosé 2020 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,247 g. 50% Muscatel, 20% Muscat, 10% Mavrodaphne, 10% Tsaousi, 10% Vostilidi. On clay soils at 200 m. The Mavrodaphne is destemmed and then cold-extracted for a few hours. TA 6.28 g/l, RS 1.4 g/l. The name Nautilus derives from the fact that the bottles of wine were submerged for 6 months under fresh water, in special tanks in the winery under controlled conditions. 'A new method which permits maturation and incorporation in absolute conditions of constant temperature, darkness and lack of oxygen!'
Pale pinky gold. Much less cedary than the Asteris rosé and more complex aroma that smells a bit like a skin-fermented white (dried grasses and flowers) but also peachy and slightly peppery/spicy. Sour apricots and orange-skinned plums on the palate. Lots going on here. This is definitely the most intense and interesting of the Foivos rosés, with that mouth-watering salty character as well as a depth of flavour not found in the other rosé wines. Firmly textured but not overly tannic. Long finish. (JH)

12.5%
Drink
2022
–
2024
16.5 

Foivos, Antidote Rosé 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

Semi-dry rosé made from 45% Tsaousi (white grape), 30% Vostilidi (white grape), 15% Muscatel (white grape), 10% Theiako (red grape). 80-year-old pre-phylloxera vines at 200 m on clay soils. TA 7.2 g/l, RS 9 g/l. Cold extraction for a few hours for the red grapes, pressing, mixing with the white-grape musts, alcoholic fermentation at low temperature, filtering and bottling. 
Pale pink. Open and scented, peachy and a little bit dusty (in a good way, like crushed pebbles). On the palate, that slight sweetness is quite obvious but is balanced by the high acidity and there is just so much fruit. Happy and friendly rather than complex yet it seems to retain the character of the island – even with the fruit sweetness: that stony, dry, salty aftertaste. Perfect summer rosé because it still has masses of fruit even when it is well chilled. (JH)

12.5%
Drink
2022
–
2023
16 

Foivos, 47 Rosé 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

Almost all the red varieties of the Greek vineyard together in a bottle of wine: six red indigenous varieties (Mavrodaphne, Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro, Petrokoritho, Negoska and Limniona) in experimental vinification with 41 white indigenous varieties: Assyrtico, Athiri, Vidiano, Savatiano, Malagousia, Petroulanos, Zakynthino, Vilana, Malvasia, Lagorthi, Vostilidi, Robola, Muscat, Tsaousi, Muscatel, etc. Destemmed, cold pre-fermentation maceration and all the varieties co-fermented cool. TA 6.2 g/l. Some of the bottles were aged under the sea (see separate note) but not this one.
Coppery orange colour. Hard to describe the aroma here: there's bitter orange, something more floral and barley sugar (a very British type of hard candy). Firm, chewy, dry and deliciously fresh, that bitter-orange character, and sour apricot notes. Tannins are definite, structuring the wine into a serious rosé that needs food. Has something of an oxidative character suggesting some time on the skins but it's got a lovely fresh bite of acidity and tannins supported by the complex mix of fruit flavours. Long and determined and just a touch salty on the finish to make it even more mouth-watering. (JH)

Foivos, 47 Rosé Aged Under the Sea 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

Same wine as the 47 Rosé but a limited number of bottles were submerged for ageing in the sea just after bottling, in a depth of 22 m, for 18 months. The wine aged in the sea in 'laboratory conditions': almost constant temperature, absence of oxygen, salinity, pressure of 1,500 kg per cm2, near-darkness.
Very similar colour to the regular 47 Rosé but smells fresher and less oxidative, even a touch smoky, with similar aromas of orange and bitter apricot but more vibrant and apparently youthful – less developed – than the wine not aged under the sea. On the palate it is perhaps more similar than on the nose but the tannins are a little more refined but possibly firmer and the whole thing seems more youthful and lively. More juicy and fresher – even though the acidity is the same. Long finish. Hard to say this is 'better' than the wine not aged underwater but it makes a fascinating comparison and I do find this a little more elegant, and will presumably age slightly longer. (JH)

12%
Drink
2022
–
2025
16.5 

Red

Foivos, Myesis Mavrodaphne 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle a wonderfully light 1,119 g. The name apparently means 'initiation'. 80-year-old pre-phylloxera, ungrafted vines: 80% Mavrodaphne, 10% Araklino, 10% Theiako. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing 6–8 months in oak barrels, filtering and bottling. TA 6.8 g/l, RS 1.75 g/l.
Mid garnet with a soft pink rim. Complex and delicious aroma of sweet red fruits, dried, sweet cherry, and a touch of vanilla to increase the impression of sweetness on the nose. Lightly herbal too. Dry, extremely fine tannins, with plenty of sweet cherry that is contrasted with a touch of bitterness like that from a cherry stone. There's something wild and unforced about this wine, which is just perfect for drinking now, the tannins and acidity providing enough structure to drink it at the table but gentle enough to be sipped slightly cool on its own. Complex but still fruity. Extremely moreish. My drinking window may be conservative but the fruit is so lovely now that I'd hate to lose it with further ageing. (JH)

Foivos, Methysforos 2010 PGI Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,345 g. According to the producer, the name 'refers to the pleasant mood' that the wine creates. 65% Theiako, 25% Araklino, 10% Mavrodaphne; from Vatsa vineyards in Lixouri, Cephalonia. Vines c 80 years old, pre-phylloxera, ungrafted, old varieties propagated by the traditional method of layering. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing 6–8 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. TA 5.5 g/l, RS 2 g/l.
Mid bricky garnet with brick rim. Fragrant with bottle age! An inviting mix of senescent red fruits, dried cherry and undergrowth, just slightly herbal. With a lovely tangy freshness on the nose. Ageing has brought a hint of undergrowth and furniture polish – lifted but not too much volatility. The tannins are still surprisingly grippy, highlighted by what seems like quite high acidity though it's only 5.5 g/l, according to the tech sheet. A leathery sweetness and still with enough fruit to balance the tannins and acidity but I am not sure how much longer that balance will remain. Probably best to enjoy this now at the table while you have the harmony of bottle-aged complexity and residual red fruit. (JH)

Foivos, Daphne-Daphne Mavrodaphne 2016 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,348 g. 80-year-old ungrafted, pre-phylloxera Mavrodaphe from Vatsa vineyards in Lixouri, Cephalonia. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing 6–8 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. Aged in the bottles for about one year in the wine cellar, before it was released to the market. TA 5.5 g/l, pH 3.5, RS 1.5 g/l.
Deep garnet with the beginning of brick at the rim. Mature aromas of undergrowth and leather and dried red fruits but smells really tangy, even a little minty, suggesting this will have quite a bite on the palate. Tastes more mature on the palate than the 2010 Methysforos, not ageing as well, and with a slight meaty flavour. The fruit is starting to dry out to reveal the bones of the structure: still chewy tannins and acidity that is starting to stick out. It may be this bottle but I think this is ageing rather prematurely. (JH)

Foivos, Amphora Mavrodaphne 2021 PGI Cephalonia

Full (unlabelled) bottle is 1,245 g. Eighty-year old pre-phylloxera vines on the slopes of Mt Enos. Fermented and aged in amphorae. TA 4.9 g/l.
Lightish cherry red and deliciously inviting red-cherry aroma. Smells sweet-sour and tangy but also extremely lively and lightly herbal. Deliciously dry and with that classic dusty texture and flavour of an amphora wine. The acidity is not that high but the amphora effect has really enhanced the freshness. Light-bodied yet persistent, with finesse in the texture. Fresh, vibrant and mouth-watering but might seem dry and even sinewy to someone who prefers rich, full-blooded reds. I think this style suits Mavrodaphe. I am not sure how long it will age but I would want to enjoy this while the fruit is to the fore. (JH)

Foivos, Nautilus 2017 PGI Slopes of Enos

Full bottle 1,234 g. Mavrodaphne: 80-year-old ungrafted vines at 200 m on clay soils. Grapes fermented and aged six months in oak before the bottle wine was submerged in a tank in the cellar for a further six months' ageing. 
Mid garnet. Intense and mature aromas of sweet red cherry with the start of a more mature leathery aroma. Classic Mavrodaphne with some bottle age. On the palate, still fresh and still quite a grip to the tannins but the fruit is all undergrowth and tertiary flavours so I think this is probably at its peak, and needs to be drunk before variety's tannins and acidity start dominating the fruit. Chewy and characterful. I think this would be versatile with food but haven't had the chance to test my theory. (JH)

Foivos Mavrodaphne/Vostilidi 2021 PGI Slopes of Enos

90% Mavrodaphne, 10% (white) Vostilidi. 80-year-old ungrafted vines, propagated by layering. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing 6–8 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. Ageing in the bottles for about one year. TA 4.9 g/l, RS 1.7 g/l. 
Mid garnet with soft pink rim. Smells very much of Mavrodaphne with that sweet cherry fruit to the fore, with an attractive suggestion of stone-dust. On the palate, firmish tannins, presumably from both the fruit and the barrels but it is not at all oaky. I tasted this cool so that it was a little fresher than the acidity would naturally make it. Dry and gently chewy finish, suggesting this would be well suited to the table rather than on its own. I wouldn't cellar this so that the fruit remains fresh but there's no rush. (JH)

Foivos, Rhapsody Mavrodaphne 2015 PGI Slopes of Enos

Eighty-year-old vines from the Vatsa vineyard in Lixouri. Ungrafted. Destemmed grapes fermented in amphorae with indigenous yeast. Pressed and then finished fermentation in the amphorae without the skins. Remained in the amphorae for two months until clarification. Filtered and bottled with a beeswax seal 'for more safety'. From these bottles: 408 bottles were placed in a steel pallet, secured and submerged into the sea of Lixouri, where they aged for 7 years at a depth of 22 m. 120 bottles remained in the winery's cellar for comparative tasting. 700 bottles were waxed similarly, numbered and placed in an alternative cement tank of the winery, filled with fresh water, in order to observe the ageing effects of the wine, in salted water and in normal drinking water. TA 6.4 g/l, RS 2.5 g/l. This is bottle 69 of 120.
Mid cherry red with just a hint of brick starting to show at the rim. Open, seductive, sweet-cherry aroma but with the complexity of bottle age – a light note of undergrowth and sweet leather but still with remarkably vibrant fruit aroma for a 2015. On the palate, equally fruity and so fresh, a sliver of fine tannin perfectly balanced by the fruit. Unexpectedly youthful, moreish and long. So vibrant – a great ambassador for scented Mavrodaphe with some bottle age – best slightly cool. (JH)

Foivos, Rhapsody Aged Under Fresh Water Mavrodaphne 2015 PGI Slopes of Enos

The same wine as the Rhapsody Mavrodaphne 2015 but this bottle was aged in special tanks in the winery under fresh water for seven years. Bottle 599 out of 700.
Mid cherry with a hint of brick at the rim – very similar in colour to the wine aged 'normally' in the cellar if very slightly more saturated in colour. But the Mavrodaphe fruit smells more intense here, slightly darker and richer, more savoury, plus a light herbal note. This has remarkable fruit freshness and purity for a seven-year-old wine, the fruit sings and vibrates in the mouth, and there's really very little bottle-aged flavour. It seems a little fresher than the cellar-aged wine too, even though the measured acidity is the same. Delicious and persistent, the tannins extremely fine and in complete harmony with the fruit and very slightly firmer than on the cellar-aged wine. (JH)

Foivos, Rhapsody Aged Under the Sea Mavrodaphne 2015 PGI Slopes of Enos

The same wine as the other two versions of Rhapsody Mavrodaphe 2015. This one aged under the sea for three years, in a barnacled bottle. One bottle out of 408.
Darker core than the wine aged under fresh water but otherwise very similar in colour with a slightly brick rim. But it smells very similar, perhaps a little more intense, with that darker red fruit and the minty/herbal quality, as well as a kind of smokiness that I have found in all the wines aged under the sea. Also very similar on the palate, though the tannins seem slightly thicker and more velvety, denser overall. Succulent and long. (JH)

Foivos, 42 2016 PGI Slopes of Enos

A blend of 42 indigenous Greek grape varieties, including Agiorgitiko, Fokiano, Xinomavro, Fileri, Negoska, Mandilaria, Mavrodaphne, Vaftra, Petrokoritho, Moschofilero, Limnio, Limniona. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing for 6 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. Ageing in the bottles for about one year in the wine cellar, before it was released to the market. TA 6.4 g/l, RS 1.3 g/l. A limited number of bottles of the 42 were submerged in the sea, at a depth of 22 m, where they were aged for 18 months: constant temperature, absence of oxygen, salinity, pressure of 1,500 kg per cm2, darkness. Another limited number of bottles of the same wine were submerged under fresh water, in special large concrete tanks in the winery under controlled conditions, allowing maturation in absolute conditions of constant temperature, darkness and lack of oxygen.
Mid greyish crimson with soft, light rim. Peppery, mostly black-fruited but with a touch of red. An attractive stone-dust impression that I think is mostly to do with the vineyard location not the ageing. On the palate, extremely fine and elegant tannins, pure fruit without any one specific fruit flavour dominating though mainly black fruits, and lovely freshness. Much more youthful than the rosé and white multi-variety blends. Dry tannins but still juicy on the finish. Barely any sign of its time in the bottle apart from the refining of the tannins – still so vibrant.(JH)

Foivos, 42 Aged Under Fresh Water 2016 PGI Slopes of Enos

A blend of 42 indigenous Greek grape varieties, including Agiorgitiko, Fokiano, Xinomavro, Fileri, Negoska, Mandilaria, Mavrodaphne, Vaftra, Petrokoritho, Moschofilero, Limnio, Limniona. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing for 6 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. This was one of a limited number of bottles of the 42 that were submerged under fresh water for three years, in special large concrete tanks in the winery under controlled conditions, allowing maturation in absolute conditions of constant temperature, darkness and lack of oxygen.
Seems a little darker than the cellar-aged 42 but still very much in the grey-crimson range. On the nose, there's more obvious red fruit, sweeter fruit and less peppery, more open and charming on the nose. On the palate, again the tannins are very fine and dry but with a little more bite – less evolution in the texture – compared with the cellar-aged 42. (JH)

Foivos, 42 Aged Under the Sea 2016 PGI Slopes of Enos

A blend of 42 indigenous Greek grape varieties, including Agiorgitiko, Fokiano, Xinomavro, Fileri, Negoska, Mandilaria, Mavrodaphne, Vaftra, Petrokoritho, Moschofilero, Limnio, Limniona. Destemmed without crushing, maceration, fermentation and ageing for 6 months in oak barrels, filtered and bottled. This is one of the limited number of bottles of the same wine that were aged under the sea for 16 months.
Very similar colour to the 42 aged under fresh water, that greyish crimson, but perhaps a little darker still. It actually seems more like the wine aged in the cellar than like the wine aged under fresh water – a little more subdued in its dark fruits and with that peppery stone-dust quality. Like the freshwater-aged bottle, this has firmer tannins but they are also very fine and dry. It is very youthful and elegant. The wine aged under fresh water seems to have more immediate charm but this one is more elegant and should continue to age well. Interestingly, the oak shows a touch more on the finish. (JH)

12.5%
Drink
2022
–
2028
17  

Sweet

Foivos, Stalactite 2017 Muscat of Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,244 g. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, 80 years old, ungrafted. Cool-fermented. Fortified. Aged 8 months in oak barrels. TA 4.5 g/l, RS 84 g/l.
Very pale and not very aromatic, with only very light hints of grapey Muscat and clementine. There is an unexpected stony/mineral aroma too, unusual in a sweet Muscat. Very sweet and rather simple on the palate, more ripe citrus than grapey. The alcohol is well integrated and there's just enough acidity not to be cloying. Alcohol well integrated with the fruit. My drink dates are cautious as the older bottlings of Stalactite I have tasted are sun-dried not fortified. Apparently they make more of the fortified version as the costs of the sun-dried version are much higher. (JH)

Foivos, Stalactite 2013 Muscat of Cephalonia

Certified organic by Bio Hellas. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, 80 years old, ungrafted. Sun-dried 10–15 days. Unfortified. TA 6.7 g/l, RS 125 g/l. From a 50-cl bottle.
Coppery gold colour. Intense aromas of bitter orange, mature, thick-cut marmalade, caramelised apricot. Lovely, caressing, viscous texture without being gloopy. Rich, intense and mouth-filling, with excellent acidity to balance the intense apricot sweetness on the palate (more apricot than orange on the palate) thanks to the concentrating effect of sun-drying. Succulent, very long. (JH)

Foivos, Stalactite 2005 Muscat of Cephalonia

Certified organic by Bio Hellas. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, 80 years old, ungrafted. Sun-dried 10–15 days. Unfortified. TA 6.7 g/l, RS 167 g/l.
Deep browny gold. Has the deep apricot notes of the 2013 but now there's burnt caramel and even coffee. Glorious aged marmalade flavours on the palate with the bite and tang of Seville oranges. The long bottle-ageing has deepened all the flavours and brought wonderful balance between the intense sweetness and the bitter-orange freshness. Rich in the mouth, filling every corner. Very long finish and although it's complex, it is still extremely pure. And will probably continue to be delicious for even longer than I have suggested. (JH)

Foivos, Lemona Robola 2012 PGI Slopes of Enos

Sun-dried Robola. 40-year-old ungrafted vines at 800 m elevation. Sun-dried 10–15 days. TA 6.6 g/l, RS 120 g/l.
Mid coppery gold. Fabulous aroma that tells you straight away the wine is sweet because there's orange, apricot and baked apple but there is so much more than that – including dried grasses and dried flowers, something almost lavender-like but herbal too. So wonderfully intense yet has a certain delicacy in its scent. On the palate, all those glorious flavours. More subtle and complex that the Foivos sun-dried Muscats just tasted but less powerful. Extremely sweet but also delightfully fresh. What a beautiful, subtle yet intense wine. Refined and elegant – so much so that you could sip this on its own or with a dessert – preferably fruit-based rather than, say, chocolate. Very long finish. (JH)

Foivos, Antiopi 2017 Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia

Full bottle 1,365 g. 100% ungrafted Mavrodaphne. Fortified, aged 8 months in oak barrels, filtered. TA 4.65 g/l, RS 78 g/l.
Lightish cherry red with the beginning of brick at the rim. Has the hallmark red-cherry aroma of the variety, with a touch of sweet leather from bottle age, and doesn't smell spirity, so the alcohol is well integrated. On the palate, there's sweet red fruits but also something more meaty and intrusive. Tastes as if there is some brett influence here, and it is more pronounced on the day after opening. It's also a bit hard on the finish. Light tannins and sweet but not as sweet-tasting as I had expected. Not sure what you would drink this with, even without the possible brett effect. (JH)

Foivos, Antiopi 2007 Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia

100% ungrafted Mavrodaphne, farmed organically. Fortified, aged 8 months in oak barrels, filtered. TA 6.1 g/l, RS 64 g/l. From a 50-cl bottle.
Much darker in colour than the 2017 but also very mature in colour: brownish garnet. Complex and obviously mature aromas of undergrowth, leather, but still some red-fruited sweetness. Light notes of sweet spice and the inside of a spice cupboard. Tannins seem much firmer than the 2017 even though the wine is older, but I think this makes for a more complete wine and gives the wine an unexpectedly dry finish. The acidity is higher too. A bit of heat at the back of the throat as the fruit starts to recede. I am not sure I would want to keep this much longer but it's got lots of interesting flavours all held in place by the tannin structure. What would you drink with this? It's probably not sweet enough for most desserts. Maybe hard cheese? (JH)

Foivos, Methyse 2004 Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia

Certified organic. 80-year-old ungrafted vines. Sun-dried 10–15 days, aged at least 6 months in oak barrels, filtered. TA 6.1 g/l, RS 138 g/l.
Very dark, a bit like molasses – dark brown core – but with some bricky red at the rim. Less obvious Mavrodaphne fruit aromas than on the 2007 but this is far more complex and inviting than the two Antiopi wines just tasted. There's some bitter toffee on the nose, as well as prunes, coffee. On the palate, very sweet but with enough acidity for balance. Here the tannins enhance the freshness and are still filled out at the centre by mature fruit flavours even if they are no longer primary and cherry-flavoured. Rich and yet surprisingly fresh on the finish. More interesting and complex than the fortified Antiopi sweet reds. But sun-dried wines are more expensive to make. (JH)

14.5%
Drink
2014
–
2025
16.5