2024 Tetramythos Agrippiotis Orange Nature: A Unique Greek Treasure

On my anniversary, I celebrated at Krasi, a Greek restaurant on Gloucester Street in Boston. It's one of my Top Four Favorite restaurants, and is always consistently excellent. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed dinner, from Htipiti (spicy whipped feta, roasted red chili peppers, rigani potato chips) to Xtapodomakaronada, Kotoleta Lemonati (fried chicken cutlet, warm Cypriot potato salad, lemon caper butter sauce) to Portokalopita (orange phyllo cake, syrup, manouri ice cream), and more. 

Krasi has an incredible and diverse Greek wine list, with so many delicious choices. I've long been a fan of Greek wines, and you won't find a better Greek wine list anywhere else than at Krasi. With some suggestions from their Wine Director, Jeremiah Cates, I opted for a bottle of the unique 2024 Tetramythos Agrippiotis Orange Nature ($85).

The Tetramythos Winery was established in 1999 by two brothers, Aristos and Stathis Spanos, who had been involved in viticulture and wine production throughout their lives. Working with Panagiotis Papagiannopoulos, an oenologist, they began producing their first wines. In 2001, they began planting organic vineyards, and in 2004, they completed the construction of a new winery. The winery is located in Achaea, in western Greece. They grow a variety of native and international grapes, including Agiorgitiko, Black Kalavritino, Malagouzia, Mavrodaphne, Roditis, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, and more. 

The 2024 Tetramythos Agrippiotis Orange Nature, which is certified organic and has a 11.5% ABV, is made from a rare Greek white grape, Agrippiotis (also known as Curisti). It grows in the Peloponnese peninsula and the Ionian Islands, and is known for its high acidity, low yields, and the ability to grow well even in challenging environments. Very few producers seem to be using this grape, and Tetramythos seems to best known for doing so. Papagiannopoulos was responsible for planting a small vineyard of Agrippiotis at Tetramythos, and eventually creating this orange wine.  

The origin of the grape's name is elusive, although there are a few theories. One is that the grape is named after the famed Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. The name "Agrippa" may mean mean "wild horse" or "born feet first." Another theory is that it's named after Caligula's sister, Agrippina the Younger, who was also the mother of Emperor Nero. There's also a theory that the grape derived its name from the Apidia tree, a name from Greek folklore that referred to a wild pear tree.

This wine underwent skin contact maceration for about 20 days, and was fermented with indigenous yeasts. It was bottled unfiltered, unfined and with the addition of minimal sulfites before bottling. The wine has a fine golden hue, slightly cloudy, with an alluring and complex nose of citrus, dried fruit, and floral elements. The promise of the nose is fully realized on the palate, which is elegant and complex, with bright acidity and an intriguing taste. The fascinating and complex flavors include citrus, dried fruits, baked apple, subtle herbal notes, and a touch of salted nuts. Each sip brought something new and exciting to my mouth. It's a well balanced wine, with mild tannins, and a lengthy, satisfying finish. An excellent food wine. It's a compelling wine that mere words cannot adequately describe, and which must be experienced to fully understand its beauty and wonders. Highly recommended!

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