Sant'Or Agiorgitiko 2019

Press 4 Mix / Press 4 Red • April 2023 Direct Press Selection

Sant'or is Panagiotis Dimitropoulos' small family estate in the highlands of the Peloponnese, about 20 miles southwest of the city of Patras. The property is in the small village of Santomeri (population 164), nestled on the northern end of Mount Skolli, a north/south mountain surrounded by an amphitheater-like network of hills.  Panagiotis farms a little over 10 acres in this pretty unique terroir, with grape varieties there such as Agioritiko, Roditis, Mavrodaphne and the hyperlocal Santameriana, all following Biodynamic principles. In fact, this estate was the first to receive Demeter certification in Greece. Panayiotis left behind a career as an engineer to take over the family business and realize his dream of producing natural wine and organic olive oil. All of his wines come from spontaneous fermentations on wild yeasts, and he’s experimenting using reclaimed amphorae (refurbished at the winery using the local clay). The result is bright, luminous wines.

Agiorgitiko is seen in vineyards throughout Greece and it is the calling card. Using the structured wines of Nemea as reference, you’ll notice that Sant’Or’s Agioritiko feels more accessible, with mild tannins that are present yet not overpowering.  It’s a super friendly wine that reads a bit like a Piedmontese red: wild red/black fruit, dried flowers and spice. Lean, tangy, bright notes compete with dark, sage, pine and black cherry to make a wine with tension, clarity, and energy. Bruno Sant'Anna