Halkia 'Reddish' Corinthia 2022

Press 4 Red • March 2024 Direct Press Selection

Anna Halkia was farming vineyards in Nemea organically selling the fruit—but that meant someone else was throwing her beautiful, healthy grapes in with those of lesser quality to make wine. So she decided to make wine herself and built a rudimentary setup behind her house in 2007. Though she already believed in working organically, she ended up making natural wine in part because she had no money to buy things like enzymes, commercial yeasts, or anything beyond the most basic equipment. She sold the wines locally—she still does—and her superior fruit and raw, unadulterated wines quickly stood out, earning her a loyal, growing following. Today she is still only working with 3.7 hectares of vines (not quite the size of Washington Square Park), so her wine production is tiny.

'Reddish' is so-named because of it's lighter extraction and rosy hue. It's a direct press of Agiorgitiko, the main grape of Nemea. Dare I say it's the Greek equivalent of the l'Anglore Tavel style? Also very similar to an Italian cerasuolo. Basically a low acid, lighter red that is not light on flavor. Sour cherry, rose petals, and white pepper on the nose with a smooth, plush mix of cherry, salt, and sage on the palate. Easy to gulp, easy to love. Jonathan Kemp & Jeremy Hernandez