Mavrodaphne literally
means "black laurel". The name was chosen by Gustav Clauss, the
founder of the Achaia Clauss winery, because of the
berries' resemblance to those of the laurel.That was about 150 years ago!
Little could he have known at the time that the
wine he had crafted would become one of the most identifiable products of the
Greek vineyard? Nor could he have known that, today, apart from yielding some
highly acclaimed sweet wines such as “Mavrodaphne of Patras” and “Mavrodaphne
of Cephalonia,” the Mavrodaphne variety
would also yield some equally touted and remarkable dry wines.
Most of
the Mavrodaphne vineyards
are found in the Peloponnese , particularly its
north-western part. Until recently, the variety was almost exclusively employed
in the production of distinguished fortified dessert wines under the indication
P.D.O Mavrodaphne of Patras. The same was also customary on the Ionian island of Cephalonia
where limited quantities of the sweet, hard-to-find P.D.O Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia wines are produced. The varietal’s
characteristic near-black colour, dense aromas of dried prunes and currants,
high alcohol content, and medium acidity indeed fit the classic profile of
sweet wines like a glove. And then, enter that particularly piquant
“bitterness” which ushers the finish of Mavrodaphne wines into another, complex
dimension. In recent years, more and more of the dry wines of the variety seem
to feature these titillating characteristics, and the absence of sugars appears
to fortify even further the game of “here’s your sweet nose, there’s your sweet
& sour taste,” a game strikingly reminiscent of Veneto’s grand Amarone
wines.
Mavrodaphne is
indubitably a grand variety of the Greek vineyard. Having earned its rightful
place among the “Port” dessert wines and being as little-known as it is
unexpected in its dry version, Mavrodaphne will
surely win over wine lovers with a nose for the authentic, the different, and
the diverse.
The result is the production of world class wines we are proud to speak about;
Mavrodaphne Karelas as well as its alter ego, the White Muscat of Rio, are available in USA, China, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark and quite soon in Canada.
