The love of nature and passion for wine of the Papadopoulos Brothers, Nikos and Dimitris led them to the vineyards of Rapsani. The winery is deeply rooted on the slopes of Olympus. They take care of their vines with minimal intervention and with respect to this amazing terroir. The shale Olympic soil and the breath/breeze of the Aegean sea contribute to the co-ripening of the Rapsani varieties.
Of these, Xinomavro, Krasato and Ampelakiotiko participate in the production of P.O.P. wine, Rapsani. The remaining white varieties are vinified separately to the white wine “Basilica Cuvée Blanc”.
No cooling systems are used during the vinification. Fermentation takes place spontaneously from the wild yeasts of the grapes and until bottling a strictly minimal amount of sulphite is used. The final product, full of aromas of herbs and ripe wild fruits, an authentic wine, an evolution of the traditional wine of Rapsani and a revolution for modern winemaking techniques.
Cultivation – In January they start winter pruning. Prune strictly, low, with long heads keeping the traditional cup. The spraying involves wetting sulfur and copper before flowering and dust sulfur after. Vegetation also strictly with 6-8 terminal fruiting shoots. During the percasmo they avoid sprays and climaxes. August they checking out the foliage. And finally the harvest usually starts at the end of September.
During the entire growing season they do not use any type of fertilization or irrigation. With this method, they achieve very low production with healthy and concentrated fruit.
Rapsani is a mix of Xinomavro, Krasato and Stavroto.
For the vinification process, careful sorting of the fruit during the harvest. Burst directly into open vinification tanks, without intermediate pumps. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. Recycle and pressure once a day. Control of the fermentation process. Long fermentation of about twenty days, depending on the cuvée. Blending of draft wine and pressure wine and decanting into second-use French oak barrels. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Aging and maturation for 12 months. Decantation, desalination and final blending of the cuvées in stainless steel tanks. Staying and maturing for another 12 months. Bottling without filtering in a glass bottle and placing a natural cork. Additional maturation in the bottles for six months.
The wines show freshness of dried fruit, cherry, currant, shows some dried herbs, tomato notes, thin nutty layer, whole spice. Palate is juicy, cherry, med body, elevated acidity, ripe grippy tannins, med finish. Needs time, tannins from the oak.
A second cru wine from a very unique terroir above the Tempi gorge. A rose wine, of Xinomavro, Krasato, Stavroto .
Vinification process: Very careful sorting of the fruit during the harvest. Burst directly into open vinification tanks, without intermediate pumps. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. Recycle and pressure once a day. Control of the fermentation process. Long fermentation of about twenty days, depending on the cuvée. Blending of draft wine and pressure wine and decanting into second-use French oak barrels. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Aging and maturation for 12 months. Decantation, desalination and final blending of the cuvées in stainless steel tanks. Staying and maturing for another 12 months. Bottling without filtering in a glass bottle and placing a natural cork. Additional maturation in the bottles for six months.
The natural approach to our region’s varieties yields a unique fruit with depth and character. Fermentation is done in open creating a wine with a uniquely clear result. The forest fruits and botanical character on the nose are enhanced with animalic notes on the palate,