Grande Reserve Naoussa Boutari – A Dignified and Delicious Saturday Splurge

100% Xinomavro from Naoussa, Greece.

SRP of $28 and available for as low as $21. Sample received courtesy New Wines of Greece for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“Aged in Oak

Committed to family tradition, we integrate our experience and art of winemaking in every bottle, in every vintage. Made from selected grapes of the Xinomavro variety, aged over four years in oak barrels and bottles.

Boutari was founded in Naoussa back in 1879 and has been clearly associated with the region for many decades. Grande Reserve Naoussa Boutari enhances the character of the Xinomavro variety and is apt to further aging. Serve at 18°C with game, red meat and spicy cheeses.

13.5% Alcohol”

Today’s wine is made from the Xinomavro grape, a variety indigenous to Northern Greece and pretty much exclusively grown there. It is considered by many to be “Greece’s best grape” and makes wines capable of significant aging. Today’s wine is a Grande Reserve, which means it has a minimum of two years in barrel and 2 years in bottle.

The 2007 Grande Reserve Naoussa Boutari begins with a really enticing, delightful aroma of ripe blackberry, leather, cinnamon, vanilla and spice. Just a wonderful bouquet. The wine tastes smooth and succulent with mild but firm tannins and has great balance between fruit and oak. It gets even better as it has time to breathe. The delicious juicy fruit turns tart on the medium-long, dry finish and leaves you with some lingering olive notes. This is an extremely drinkable wine with great intensity of flavor — really delicious stuff. I’m a fan of Xinomavro.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.