INTERNATIONAL VARIETIES
Lemniona
WINES WITH THIS VARIETY
Not to be confused with Lemnio, Lemniona is the rising star of the Greek red varieties and will be a driving force for the development of numerous top wines around Greece in the years to come. The quality potential of this red variety, used to make dry red wines, was identified when only few vines were left. Several years of research and microvinifications, bringing together numerous scientists, growers and producers, started yielding some impressive results.
Lemniona wine has an extremely deep and vivid purple red colour. On the nose it is rich, very expressive, with intense black fruit, minerality and cooking spices, while there is a great affinity to new oak. The palate has a great line, with a firm, textured but never aggressive tannin frame. Alcohol can be relatively high, although rarely above 13.5%, but it is always very balanced by the bright acidity. Lemniona is thought to be originating from Thessalia (Thessaly) and specifically from the areas of Karditsa and Tyrnavos. Today, because of its high profile, it is cultivated in a number of areas almost all around Greece. Nevertheless, in many of these it has a rather experimental status rather than used to make commercially available wines.
Lemniona is one of these rare red varieties that manage to pack extract, concentration, acidity and flavour, without leaning towards fatness and volume. It is for people looking for the next generation of ambitious, yet graceful reds. Lemniona, especially when young, is excellent with beef and other rich red meats. Most commercially available examples are ready to drink but will benefit for at least a few years of bottle age, while they will reach their peak in a decade or even more.