Naoussa (wine region)

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Naoussa Grande Reserve 2001 by Boutari

Naoussa is a Greek wine-growing region .

It is one of a total of 25 appellations of origin that have the status of an OPAP ( Onomasia proelefseos anoteras piotitos Ονομασία προελευσέως ανωτέρας ποιότητος) wine, the highest Greek quality level. The vineyards are located on the western edge of the Central Macedonian lowland, which is formed by the rivers (from south to north or east) Aliakmonas, Loudias, Axios and Gallikos. The slopes lie on the northern regions of the Vermio Mountains in the region of Macedonia, rising west of the small town of Naoussa . The area is named after the municipality of the same name Naoussa .

Most of the vineyards are at an altitude of 150 to 400 m above sea level and are spread over nine small villages including the municipality of Naoussa. With a total of 681 hectares (as of 2001) of vineyards, almost 90 percent of Imathia's planted area is designated as Naoussa.

Mavro Naoussis , also called Xinomavro , is the only permitted grape variety that may be processed into dry, semi-dry or semi-sweet wines within the legal requirements . The majority of the red OPAP wines, however, are made dry. In general, these red Naoussa have the best aging capacity of all Greek red wines. The harvest in the region usually begins at the end of September and takes almost three weeks due to different microclimates. Because of the rains that set in in October, plots that ripen very late can sometimes no longer fully mature. The notion of the vintage is therefore more important in this area than in other regions of Greece.

The problem of the location meant that the idea of terroir was able to gain a foothold here. The wines of the Trilofos area grow on relatively low-lying terrain and thrive on fertile soils. The wines are less deeply colored than elsewhere and develop less extract. The alcohol content is higher than in the rest of the growing area due to the higher temperature in the lowlands. The nearby area of Fitia is significantly higher. The later maturing wines usually have a sophisticated character. The vines from the north of the Pola Nera (250 m high) ripen as late as those of the Fitia. However, the wines are less fragrant. The vines with the names Giannakochori (350 m), Strantza (250 m) and Ramnista (200 m) produce wines similar to those of Naoussa. The southern area of ​​the Gastra has a reputation for producing the most tannic wines.

Compared to the red wines from Amyndeo , which are also made from single varieties from Xinomavro, the wines from Naoussa are heavier. They have a less fruity character and the tannin content is much more pronounced. The same applies to the comparison with the wines of Goumenissa .

Major producers of these wines are the wineries Boutari , Byzantine Vineyards, Chateau Pegasus, Chrisohoou Estate, Dalamara Winery, Kir-Yianni and Tsantali .

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