Bosinakis Winery: No Sibling Rivalry Here!
What a trip. Family vacation combined with a little R&D for Greek Grape Wine Tours equals PARADISE! Besides the normal late night souvlaki, tsipouro sipping laughs, and embarrassing attempts at perfecting Syrtaki, I uncovered some amazing additions to the GGWT itineraries!
Most included tucked away restaurants, stunning new beaches, hilarious (and freakishly educated) tour guides and more passionate, ambitious family wineries.
My travel pal, Adrienne, and I had the pleasure of lunching with the brother-sister team of
Yes, I drank it all.
Bosinakis Winery located in Mantinia, home of the Moscofilero grape. Katerina and Sotiris are the children of the Bosinakis family who have been growing, producing and experimenting with Moscofilero since 1992.
Armed with decades of knowledge and Moscofilero’s great potential in Mantinia, Katerina and Sotiris decided it was time to produce their own high quality family brand. In 2009, they launched their first bottling from Bosinakis Winery, a 100% Moscofilero from the village of Steno in the heart of Mantinia wine country.
“We are dedicated to the varietal. Our dream is to make people drink more and more high quality Moscofilero. This is our focus.” says Katrina.
Sotiris continues, “Less than a decade ago, we were unknowns. We didn’t own our own vineyards, we were young, and we faced strong competition from big names in the region. We needed to differentiate.”
But how?
Best vineyard sites – Bosinakis fruit is sourced from trusted family growers in the top Moscofilero-producing villages of Steno, Lithovounia and Agiorgitika Arkadias.
High altitude, low yield – These low yield vines (800 to 1,100 kilos per row) grow at 2,000+ft concentrating flavors and ensuring more complexity in a traditionally ‘simple’ wine.
Family brainpower – The Bosinakis family has been growing and producing Moscofilero for over 20 years. Years of first-hand knowledge about how to ‘work’ this grape has been invaluable to Katerina and Sotiris.
“We knew because of our parents experience how to gently handle a grape like this! We knew the way. From our first bottling, we knew what to do in order to distinguish ourselves. It was simple!” Katrina adds.
Hang and extend – The Bosinakis let their fruit hang on the vine for a bit longer than other wineries in the region, e.g., harvest can extend into October. As a result, they were the first winery in the region to produce a beautifully balanced, complex Moscofilero coming in at 12% alcohol…a first.
In addition to low alcohol, Mantinia Moscofileros are traditionally light-bodied and very light in color (almost like water). Bosinakis was also the first to extend skin contact to create wines with more intense color and aromas.
“We were one of the first, if not THE first, to experiment with leaving the skin in contact with the fruit for extended periods of time. Complexity without sacrificing elegance is what we are striving for.” Katerina adds.
Aging – They are also among the first to experiment with the aging potential of Moscofilero. Age-worthiness of Santorini Assyrtikos is historically well-documented. Bosinakis has seven vintages in the cellar and are enjoying the subtle differences over the years. Sadly, I only tasted as far back as 2014. Eager to try older vintages next trip!
More exciting stuff! At the edge of his seat, Sotiris adds, “This year we launched our first extended maceration Moscofilero, a Provence-style rosé! The grapes for ‘Ieria’ were in contact with the skins and seeds for over 40 hours vs 8-12 hours for the Mantinea. We are extremely excited about this wine as it truly expresses the versatility and range of this varietal.”
What does t
he future hold for these passionate young winemakers? “Although the economic situation is very difficult right now, we hope to soon establish our own proprietary Moscofilero vineyard. We have great relationships with our current growers, but it would be as you say ‘the icing on the cake’ if we could have our own,” according to Katrina.
Sotiris adds, “It would also be great fun to experiment with Agiorgitiko! I see a red wine in our portfolio. Then we would have the whole package”
Where can you find these amazing wines? If you are in Greece, you are in luck as Bosinakis is one of the most popular Moscofileros poured in Athen’s finest restaurants. If you are in the US, contact Mani Imports www.maniwines.com to see if your state carries these beauties. Anywhere else? Contact the winery directly.
Want to visit? Since they don’t have a formal tasting room (yet!), the easiest way to experience the wines and stories of the Bosinakis’s family is to book a trip with me on a Greek Grape Wine Tour. We will spend an entire afternoon with Katerina and Sotiris!
TASTING NOTES
The Bosinakis Moscofilero is a brilliant white wine with a grayish tint. Aromas of green apple, peaches and other white/stone fruits with a hint of ginger. Citrus and florals notes on the palate are met with juicy yet balanced acidity. Very crisp and refreshing with little bubbly notes. It is a great wine to drink on its own, or with some nice light appetizers, sushi or salads with fresh herbs.
The 2014 vintage was a more difficult year so production was significantly reduced. The wine was still brilliant with a bit of roundness compared to the 2015 simply due to the additional year in bottle.
With a pronounced aroma of rose petal, the 2015 Ieria is a light salmon-colored rosé with additional notes of lime and lemon blossoms. Moderate mouthfeel, refreshing acidity leads to a long-lasting finish. Very versatile wine that works well with a lovely platter of Greek mezes!
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