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Savatiano is probably Greece’s most widely planted variety and one that is making a huge come back with an emphasis in quality and new improved methods of production. In the past it has been less appreciated by oenophinles due to its unlucky performance with retsina wines produced with Savatiano. Now days this has changed dramatically with numerous producers in Attica and central Greece investing in totally new production approaches that have led to wines receiving unprecedented awards all over the world.
The harvesting time was changed in order to balance the acidity levels. Prefermantation, maceration and low fermentation temperature techniques were used to improve the aromatic spectrum. Finally a selection of clones from other parts of Greece were brought in to create a new more sophisticated variety that led to premium wines with an increasing audience around Greece and of course Athens. The new face of Savatiano is modern and quality driven and it is also responsible for a new generation of retsina wines that are totally different from what we all have experienced in the past.
Savatiano grapes are usually medium to large in size and pale yellow to white in color. After vinification the wine appears to come in different shades of yellow more often the darker ones. The introduction of low yields and early harvests has led to new more intense dry wines with fresh attractive aromas of citrus and white flowers.
This important grape variety with a long history of hundreds of years in the Greek and global vineyard and a remarkable resistance to drought and disease quite common in these parts of the Mediterranean, has still a lot to offer and it is now further explored from those we believe that it has not reached its peak performance and recognition amongst Greek indigenous varieties.