Mantinia (wine-growing region)
Mantinia ( Greek Μαντινεία Mandinia ), occasionally Mandinia OPAP is a Greek wine-growing region located in Arcadia on the Peloponnese . White wines from this region can carry the red band of an OPAP (Greek Onomasia prolefseos anoteras piotitos Ονομασία προελευσέως ανωτέρας ποιότητος), the highest Greek quality level. The main grape variety is Moschofilero , with which around 500 of the 621 hectare wine-growing area alone are planted. The rest are taken from local white vines called Asproudes in mixed batches one of which the early-ripening Glykerithra, which reaches high must weights , is the most important. The region was originally the center of Greek sparkling wine production . It was not until the 1990s that wineries began to press large quantities of dry quality wine from the Moschofilero. Today Mantinia OPAPs are among the most popular dry white wines in Greece. Some of the major wineries in Greece, such as Boutari , also operate in this region.
The area lies on a flat plateau at an altitude of 600–800 meters just north of Tripoli , where most of the large wineries are also located. The climate is hot and relatively dry in summer, but temperatures above 33 ° C are not very common. Brief summer rains do occur, so lack of water is not a major problem for the winemakers. The winter temperatures are also moderate with only rare and, if so, very mild days of frost. With early autumn rains and cool weather, the must weights required for the production of OPAP wines can not be achieved in some locations . Due to the generally favorable climatic conditions, the region is also a focus area for organic viticulture in Greece. The best locations are on largely sterile soils interspersed with limestone. The maximum yield per hectare is limited to 94 hectoliters / hectare, but most quality-oriented winegrowers limit their yields much more rigorously.
The Mantinia OPAP is made from 85 percent Moschofilero and 15 percent Asproudes, of which the glykerithra usually makes up the majority. Overall, the wines have a non-Greek character and could be mistaken for an Alsatian Gewürztraminer at a blind tasting . The very light wines impress with their freshness, their floral aroma and their light elegance. With an alcohol content of around 12 percent by volume , they have a pronounced but well-balanced acid structure . A Mantinia OPAP should be chilled well and drunk young.
Individual evidence
literature
- Konstantinos Lazarakis: The Wines of Greece . Mitchell Beazley, London 2005, ISBN 1-84000-897-0 , pp. 376-393 .