GAI'A Notios Red

GAI'A Notios Red bottle image

Wine Description

One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Estate (pronounced Yay-ya) was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines.

GAI'A Santorini beach tasting
GAI'A Nemea Vineyards
Nemea Winery
Santorini Winery
Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos
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Acclaim
Expect cranberries, raspberries and sage on the nose of this elegant dry red wine made primarily from Agiorgitiko, the signature grape from Greece’s Nemea region. The beautifully tart palate has lots of fresh, juicy cranberries underscored by spicy black pepper, hinting at the 15% of Syrah in the mix. It’s followed by a long, tart finish with beautifully integrated tannins. (Best Buy) — Wine Enthusiast, Nov 2024
“Expect cranberries, raspberries and sage on the nose of this elegant dry red wine made primarily from Agiorgitiko, the signature grape from Greece’s Nemea region. The beautifully tart palate has lots of fresh, juicy cranberries underscored by spicy black pepper, hinting at the 15% of Syrah in the mix. It’s followed by a long, tart finish with beautifully integrated tannins.” – (Best Buy) — Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2024
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Calcareous
Exposure:
Southwestern
First vintage of this wine:
1996
Average Vine Age:
15 years
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Winemaking & Aging
Time on its skins:
6 days
Varietal composition:
85% Agiorgitiko, 15% Syrah
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
45 days
Total SO2
70
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.62
Acidity:
5.44 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
Total SO2
70
Residual sugar:
2.38 g/L
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Wine Production

After harvest, the grapes are destemmed, crushed and inoculated with strains of dry active yeast. The skins and juice are left in contact for approximately 6 days. After fermentation, the wine is racked twice for clarity and then matured in French oak casks for approximately 45 days.

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About the Vineyard

The grapes for the Notios Red (AKA “The Southerner” in Greek) come from select, mature, low-yielding vines in the hills of the Koutsi region of Nemea. The vineyards are non-irrigated, and are located on a ten-degree slope facing West-Southwest. These conditions offer the ideal environment for producing small clusters of small, thick-skinned berries with more serious, concentrated fruit flavors and characteristically “spicy” notes.