Region: Nemea PDO, Peloponnese, Greece

Varietal: 100% Agiorgitiko (Saint George)

Producer: The Palivou family's connection to the Ancient Nemea valley runs deep — family vineyards going back 150 years, in a region where winemaking itself dates back 3,500 years. The modern estate was founded by George and Aggeliki Palivou in the early 1990s, and today their daughters Evangelia and Vassiliki have taken it confidently into the next generation. Evangelia, who has been darting between the vines since the age of five, studied oenology in Burgundy before returning to Nemea with a clear vision: organic and biodynamic farming across all 50+ hectares, minimal intervention in the cellar, and an unwavering focus on Agiorgitiko — Greece's most formidable red grape and the variety that earned Nemea its PDO status in the first place. Their wines are now considered among the finest in the country.

Vineyard & Winemaking: Nemea sits in the northeastern Peloponnese, roughly 90 minutes from Athens, at elevations ranging from sea level to over 800 meters — a dramatic range that gives winemakers real flexibility in managing ripeness and freshness. The Palivou vineyards are farmed exclusively with organic and biodynamic methods, in accordance with what the family describes as a respect for the land's ancient winemaking heritage. For the Rosso, fruit undergoes five days of cold maceration before traditional red vinification with strict temperature control, followed by 12 months aging in French oak — 30% new, 30% second use, 30% third use — and a further six months in bottle before release.

Tasting Notes: The 2022 is dark, dense, and immediately expressive — aromas of black cherry, plum, vanilla, chocolate, and toasted wood on a nose that announces itself with confidence. On the palate it's full-bodied with rich, firm tannins and a structure that delivers real length and persistence through the finish. Agiorgitiko at this level shares DNA with Cabernet Sauvignon in its dark fruit depth and grip, but carries a distinctly Mediterranean warmth and spice that is entirely its own. This is Nemea making the case that Greek red wine deserves a permanent place in any serious cellar.