Antares 2014

The colour is medium garnet. On the nose prunes, blueberries and meat. In the mouth light, but well balanced and still pleasant to drink. The aftertaste is medium long.

This wine is a blend of 60% Avgoustiatis and 40% Mourvedre grapes. Avgoustiatis is a little-known red wine grape variety found scattered around the Greek islands (most notably on Zakynthos) and the Peloponnese peninsula. The variety ripens relatively early in the growing season, typically in August.

This wine is made by Mercouri Estate, a winery located in the Western Peloponnese, not far from Ancient Olympia. The estate was founded in 1864, when Theodoros Mercouri, a successful businessman with interests in Alexandria of Egypt and Northern Italy, bought the land that would eventually became the Mercouri Estate.

Antares sells for less than 15 CHF. I bought this bottle among others when I visited the winery in 2016 and then forgot it my wine cellar. It aged fairly well.

Country: Greece
Region: Peloponnese
Grapes: Avgoustiatis, Mourvedre
Type: Red
Vintage: 2014
Producer: Domain Mercouri
Price range: Economic (<15 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5