Kotsifali

Kotsifali is another indigenous grape variety from Crete. The above wine should actually be labelled Kotsifali-Syrah, having the more abundant variety going first on the label, but I suppose the small print does make that clear. When Kotsifali is vinified alone, it gives moderately red wine with rich plummy fragrances, which some find mellow. However due to low acidity and colour instability, it is often blended with other varieties, such as Mandilaria or Syrah as above. I tasted the above wine in last year's Wine Fair. Deep ruby with a sweet berry nose, it has slightly sweet berry palate, supported by a tannic backbone that unfortunately has hints of cardboard. The two grapes were vinified and aged separately before assemblage, with the Syrah aged in American oak and the Kotsifali in French oak.