Domaine Tatsis 'Goumenissa' Xinomavro Negoska 2009

Press 2 • April 2023 Direct Press Selection

Periklis and Stergios Tatsis are behind some of our absolute favorite Greek wines. They have been outliers and rebels in the wine world since the 1990s when there were only three or four others in Greece doing the kind of natural farming and winemaking they had committed to. Organic from the start and Biodynamic since 2002, they are now making wines that are not only natural but ageworthy, complex, and hauntingly beautiful. 

Goumenissa, by law, must be a blend of Xinomavro and Negoska, and this is a 50/50 blend. It spends one year in barrel but then is held back until they feel it's ready for release. It's not made in every vintage. The 2009 is the current release. It smells downright amazing: blueberry, cannabis, floral notes, sandalwood, and sage. There's a beautiful mixture of primary fruit and tertiary, earthy flavors. The feral, wild side of the wine has been tamed with time in bottle, but there's enough still there to keep things just a bit rowdy. Overall it's in a fantastic spot right now so don't hold back on opening this, but it will certainly continue to age nicely. It's really hard to not compare this to old Nebbiolo, so keep that in mind for food pairings: wild boar sausage, black truffles, lamb chops, and hard cheeses are sure bets. This is a special wine, and the Tatsis brothers are nothing if not special characters in the current, changing world of Greek wine. Jonathan Kemp