2023 Karanika - Xinomavro Amyndeon Brut Rose (750ml)

Domaine Karanika was founded by Laurens M. Hartman-Karanika and his wife Annette van Kampen, a Dutch couple who left their careers in the Netherlands to train as winemakers and vineyardists across Europe and the United States. Their fascination with Xinomavro, a grape still little known outside Greece, eventually led them to the Amyndeon plateau in the country's northwest. There they farm organically and biodynamically, tending ungrafted Xinomavro vines that in some cases run seventy-five to eighty years old, guided by a minimal intervention philosophy that favors gravity and hand punch downs over mechanical pumping.

This rosé is built almost entirely from Xinomavro, with a small addition of the rare native variety Limniona for nuance. Grapes are picked whole cluster and pressed gently, fermented with low sulfur and no chemical additives, then undergo a traditional second fermentation in bottle. The wine rests on its lees for roughly nine to eighteen months before disgorgement, drawing structure and depth from Amyndeon's high altitude, limestone soils, and cool climate, which together keep acidity bright and alcohol restrained.

In the glass it shows a pale salmon hue with fine, persistent bubbles. Aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, and rose petal lead into a dry, vibrant palate lifted by racy acidity and a clean, mineral finish. Try it with smoked salmon, fried calamari, or a light seafood mezze spread.