Naoussa

Naoussa is a town in Macedonia, and also a PDO appellation for 100% Xinomavro wines. It sits at altitudes ranging from 150-400m above the plain of Central Macedonia, and incorporates seven different villages (including Naoussa itself). This is the very heart of Xinomavro country, and if Xinomavro is often compared to Nebbiolo, then that makes Naoussa the Barolo of Greece. Here Greece's greatest red grape variety finds its most famous expression. There are many producers, and a significant number make wines that are indisputably world class. As in Barolo, there is much talk of a division between 'traditional' and 'modern' Naoussa, with the old style being famously tannic and demanding long ageing, and the latter being softer and more approachable. The truth is that most of the top producers are meeting somewhere in the middle, and that part of the greatness of Naoussa Xinomavro is a diversity of styles.