Ekato 2022, Troupis Winery, Mantinia

“Ekato” in Greek means one hundred. The pink skinned Moschofilero undergoes one hundred days of skin contact, giving this wine it’s deep pink colour.  Intensively floral, rose petals and ginger come forward followed by a quince jam flavour, with refreshing citrus and fresh strawberry notes. Slightly tannic with balanced acidity.

Troupis Winery is based in Mantinia, in the Peloponese. PDO Mantinia is a high altitude plateau at 660 meters above sea-level, though some vineyards go as high up as 800 meters. The region is surrounded by mountains, and has a Mediterranean climate with continental influences. It is one of the coldest PDO zones in Greece with plenty of rain and snow here. Cooler temperatures result in a slow and even ripening of the grapes and a late harvest, which usually takes place in mid-October. The indigenous and star grape of the region is the pink-skinned Moschofilero, which is a very versatile grape that can make lightly aromatic whites, roses, skin contact wines and even sparkling.

Troupis is a family-owned boutique winery which was founded in 2010, though the family had been cultivating their privately owned Moschofilero vineyards since the 1970s. The economic crisis of 2010 did not stand in the way of the winery’s development but marked the beginning of a new course for the family business and the future of Moschofilero. They started with 7 hectares of vineyards but are continuously expanding. The Troupis family employ a lot of alternative winemaking methods including ceramic containers, concrete tanks, oak and acacia barrels, as well as skin contact times of several hours or even several days, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and minimum interventions.