papadopoulos basilica 2023

nikos and dimitris papadopoulos base their project on cultivating very old vineyards deeply rooted in the slopes of mount olympus, always employing sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. they produce wine in the rapsani wine region, an area with a historic winemaking tradition, located in the heart of the majestic mount olympus. the schist soils of olympus and the aegean sea breeze contribute to the perfect ripening of the indigenous xinomavro, krasato, and stavroto grape varieties, which are traditionally cultivated and vinified together to give rise to the emblematic rapsani do wine. spontaneous fermentation without refrigeration systems and the minimal use of sulfites throughout the process result in a wine full of aromas of herbs and ripe wild fruits, marked by the schist soils of olympus and with a deep, mineral finish. the basilica vineyards are the highest in the area and face southwest. to the north, they are protected by the "fani stone," while the sea air cools the area. the soil is deep, red schist, with a surface layer of limestone. the main grape variety is krasato. xinomavro and stavroto complement the vineyards. the altitude at the highest point is 583 meters. according to senior winegrowers, this is the best area in the region. harvested by hand in mid-september, using exclusively free-run must. spontaneous alcoholic fermentation of the three varieties occurs in open tanks. racking is carried out in 500l oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation, also spontaneous, takes place, followed by aging for 10 months. aged for an additional 4 months in stainless steel tanks. bottled unclarified, unfiltered, and with minimal sulfite addition.