The heart of Rapsani, the red dry wine made out of the vineyards of the “godly” Mount Olympus. PDO Rapsani is produced from three red grape varieties: Xinomavro, which is found in the area and towards the north, Stavroto, a grape grown there and further south, and Krassato. Only Krassato is the real local, Olympian speciality.
Krassato yields wines with a deep ruby red colour, a nose full of character, showing leather notes and black, sweet fruits. On the palate they are rich, high in extract, dense in structure, moderate in tannin and relatively high in alcohol. Krassato responds very well to oak aging, especially in top quality new oak barriques. This variety must be, by law, at least one third of the blend of Rapsani PDO. Xinomavro, adding aromatic complexity, acidity and tannin, must also be at least one third, while the remaining part is Stavroto, a far less interesting grape. For this reason, producers usually keep Stavroto to a minimum and create a virtually 50/50 Krassato-Xinomavro wine.
Krassato is full of historical and mythological connotations, making a bottle of Rapsani “a sum greater than its parts”. Rich meat dishes with heart sauces or grilled lamb are a most appropriate accompaniment. Rapsani wines are ready to be consumed on release, at three years of age or, in some bottlings, substantially more. Despite this, these are wines for wine lovers keen to age reds for 10, 20 years or more.