Greek winegrowers try their hand at aging in rivers - France 24

Naoussa (Greece) (AFP)

On the Arapitsa River in Naoussa, northern Greece, a crane dips a metal crate filled with 500 bottles of wine, which local winemakers hope will age and improve in the cool, clear waters.

Far from the sea and any lake, the producers have chosen the bed of the Arapitsa to create aquatic cellars and try the first aging of a Greek wine in a river.

Wine aging at sea is a real trend, especially in France, where bottles have already been submerged 10 to 90 meters in the Atlantic for six to 24 months.

Underwater, the storage conditions are supposed to be ideal at a constant temperature, cool and in almost complete darkness.

Maturation is faster, according to French wine growers who have experimented with the process.

The experiment was also carried out at the bottom of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, but river immersion seems innovative.

Under traditional Greek chants, 22 Naoussa winemakers proudly watch the process which they believe will give different aromas to their production of Xinomavro, a dark-skinned grape variety mostly planted in northern Greece.

"The bottles are placed 12 meters deep and we want to keep them there for at least twelve years", describes to AFP Georges Fountoulis, the president of the Vaeni Naoussa wine cooperative, which represents 50% of the wine production. of the region.

An annual test will be carried out to verify the progress of the process, he explains.

Wine growers place bottles of wine in a large metal crate that will be submerged in the Arapitsa in Naoussa in northern Greece, September 5, 2021 Sakis MITROLIDIS AFP

Planted on the slopes of Mount Vermio, the Naoussa vines mainly produce Xinomavro, literally "black acid", for the dark color of the grains and the high acidity level of this variety.

Xinomavro is one of the four main grape varieties in Greece, along with Assyrtiko, Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko.

- "The Burgundy of Greece" -

About 5,500 tonnes of Xinomavro are produced annually in the region.

"Naoussa is the city of wine, the Burgundy of Greece as it is called here," Naoussa mayor Nikolas Karanikolas told AFP.

"It is an experience and we will wait to see how the identity of the wine will evolve under these conditions. Our winegrowers are well organized, open and always innovative. They export their wines to more than 45 countries", added Mr. Karanikolas.

The oenologists do not know what the result of the test will be, but they are enthusiastic about the whole process.

"We know that oxygen is insoluble in water, we estimate the average temperature to be 16 degrees Celsius. The water quality is excellent and we want to see how the sun and the natural environment of the river will affect the wine. ", underlines the oenologist George Diamantakos.

Wine growers install wine bottles to immerse them inside a large metal crate, in Naoussa in northern Greece, September 5, 2021 Sakis MITROLIDIS AFP

The region is mainly made up of small family farms with limited production.

In the near past, almost all houses made their own wine.

“We nickname Xinomavro the + Barolo of the poor +, but we are very proud of our products,” says Petros Karydas, referring to the famous wine from Italy, whose main grape is Nebbiolo.

Mr. Karydas runs an estate that produces 12,000 bottles of wine a year and exports to the UK and USA.

- Impact of climate change -

Joachim Chrysochoou has also continued the family wine tradition within an estate that produces 350,000 bottles each year.

For his part, he makes the only white wine placed in the aquatic cellar, made from the Prekniariko grape variety, which has come back to life in his vines.

A large metal case containing 500 bottles of wine is submerged in the Arapitsa, in Naoussa in northern Greece on September 5, 2021 Sakis MITROLIDIS AFP

But his daughter Nana Chrysochoou, an oenologist, is more concerned about climate change than about the results of this experiment.

"Year after year, we see the harmful consequences of climate change on our vines," she indignantly told AFP.

"This year, our feet have experienced a real shock because of the prolonged heatwave and the drought. I do not know if we will be able to continue harvesting in 20 years if the same climatic conditions continue," he worries. she.

© 2021 AFP