91 pts Vinous
Drinking Window 2026 - 2034
The 2024 Rosé de Xinomavro opens with fragrant alpine strawberry, tomato leaf and earthy scents in a distinctly savory register. Intense and remarkably taut, it is driven by high, tactile acidity that lends ample energy to the focused aftertaste. This is a delicious Greek rosé with secure aging potential.
- By Nicolas Greinacher, November 2026
Apostolos Thymiopoulos is one of Greece’s most talented winemakers and grape growers. His family has farmed in the village of Trilofos for generations, but Thymiopoulos was the first to vinify fruit from the family vineyards. Today, he owns 54 hectares and buys fruit from a further 150 hectares. Most of these vineyards are in Naoussa, and Thymiopoulos purchases only certified organic grapes. As he sees it, organic farming goes hand in hand with the low yields he considers essential for quality, since lower yields deliver riper fruit and above all, riper tannins. Patience is just as central to Thymiopoulous’ approach. Sugar levels don’t concern him. Instead, he waits for Xinomavro to reach full phenolic ripeness. For the past 15 years, he is typically among the last growers in Greece to harvest. Even so, his reds rarely exceed 14% alcohol. In the cellar, the reds may spend up to two months on their skins, but extraction stays gentle, closer to infusion. Thymiopoulus’ focus has always been the exploration of Xinomavro, a variety he sees as tied to this place in a way Merlot or Syrah never could be. The range includes a variety of compelling single-vineyard bottlings as well as larger-production cuvées for export.

Our Take: Light salmon pink in color, with expressive aromas of wild strawberry, cherry and cranberry, accented by rose petals, blood orange and savory herbs. Medium-bodied and dry, with a generous texture balanced by bright, mouthwatering acidity and a gentle tannic grip. Juicy red berries mingle with subtle notes of dried tomato, oregano and spice, carrying through a long, fresh and savory finish. A distinctive rosé with real depth and enough structure to shine at the table.

Winemaking: Grapes are hand-picked, destemmed, macerated for 12 hours, fermented with wild yeasts in stainless steel tanks for 5 to 6 months
Maturation: 4 months in 500-litre, second use oak barrels
Vineyards: Several parcels of non-irrigated, young vines around the village of Fytia
Altitude: Fytia: 450 - 650 meters
Soil: Schist and granite
Microclimate: Warm climate tempered by the Mediterranean winds and by the air flowing down from Vermio mountain play a determinant role in the ripening period, protecting the grapes by maintaining low temperatures.
Classification: P.G.I. Macedonia
Abv: 12.5%