Nemea is one of the most important red wine producing areas in Greece and home to the Nemea PDO – the highest level of quality designation. This was our destination for our second full day with an early morning visit to Ktima Palivos. Palivos have gone from strength to strength since 1995 when there was a major investment in the winery. They are a significant player in the Nemea wine scene and export a good proportion of their wines. We were hosted by Christos, a relatively new addition to the Palivos team and had previously worked at a Michelin star restaurant in Athens. His laid back style was engaging and a wry sense of humour emerged from time to time as he gave us a brief history of the region, the development of the St George aka Agiorgitiko grape. He also focussed on the difference in style that altitude has on the grape – something we would taste in their wines.
We moved into the barrel cellar where the tasting would be hosted. Accompanied by a little platter of cheese, meats, dried fruits and bread sticks, we tasted through an extensive range. Their entry level Anemos white and red are clean and well made and their Vissino and Bee rose wines were distinctive and showed a different side to the Agiorgitiko grape. The main focus was on the reds. Ktima Palivou and Ammos Leone showed the difference in altitude with the Ammos delivering a defined structure from the higher site. We finished with their amazing flagship wine Nohma. A blend of Cabernet and Merlot from 2015 aged in new French oak barrels and then they add Agiorgitiko from the 2016 vintage with further ageing. A terrific wine with great ageing potential.
From Palivos it was a short hop to the stunning Semeli winery. This is one of the most impressive wineries in the whole of Greece. Situated close to the village of Koutsi – one of the best areas of production – there has been a huge investment in the winery, restaurant, entertaining space and there is a pool and accommodation. This does not detract from the intense focus on the quality of the wines. Hosted by Margarita and Maria, we got a comprehensive overview of the property, enjoying some stunning views and getting a great insight into the area and their focus on sustainability.
The tasting was top class with fabulous lees aged Moschofilero, a rich Malagouzia/Chardonnay blend, a Provencal rose and a great contrast of their 2016 and 2003 Grande Reserve Agiorgitiko. We then moved into the restaurant for a fabulous lunch of Greek salad, zucchini pie, roasted mushrooms and roast pork.
We returned to Nafplio to recuperate, and for some of us to wander out for a drink, an icecream and even a 1,000 step climb to the fort overlooking the town!