Brettos

Dry rosé wine, Nebiolo variety, from the area of Thessaloniki.

Main grape varieties: Nebiollo

Wine making: The careful selection of the vines, the ideal soil and microclimate of the region, in combination with the dynamic wine-making process, the controlled malolactic fermentation, the maturing in new, carefully chosen Ermitage barrels of French oak, and the dedication to quality of all those working at the estate all play their part in the production and distribution of distinctive labels which delight connoisseurs and ordinary consumers alike and have all the qualities required to secure an appreciative public both in Greece and on the international market.

Characteristics: The Capriccio label is an unusual rose of a vivid pink-purple colour, which owes its special quality to the pre-fermentetion extraction of the juices of the Nebiollo variety. The main constituents of the flavour are the powerful but subtle tastes of cherry, pear, crab-apple and unripe peach. The acidic balance of the wine gives it a lively freshness and a keen aftertaste, without detracting from the richness of its body.

Ageing: 5-6 years.

The vineyards: The vineyards of the privately-owned Ballas-Floros domain were planted in 1997 at Xirohori in the Municipality of Aghios Athanasios, 28km north of Thessaloniki, within a special natural ecosystem which has raditionally been used for the cultivation of the grape since ancient times. The organically grown grapes some of the most noble of the wine-making varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Nebiollo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are laid out on the vertical shoot positioning system on the low hills of the region, planted in deep soil of sandy clay, of medium fertility and with substantial drainage capacity.

The organically grown grapes some of the most noble of the wine-making varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Nebiollo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are laid out on the vertical shoot positioning system on the low hills of the region, planted in deep soil of sandy clay, of medium fertility and with substantial drainage capacity. The many hours of sunshine and the prevalent but mild north wind of the region, which offsets the extreme summer temperatures, help the grapes to mature in ideal climate conditions, producing fruit of superb quality and ideal for the production of the distinctive wines.

The careful selection of the vines, the ideal soil and micro-climate of the region, in combination with the dynamic wine-making process, the controlled malolactic fermentation, the maturing in new, carefully chosen Ermitage barrels of French oak, and the dedication to quality of all those working at the estate, all play their part at the production and distribution of distinctive labels which delight connaisseurs and ordinary consumers alike and have all the qualities required to secure and appreciative public both in Greece and on the international market.

The low yield per hectare planned for the vines, which we achieve through balanced pruning of the stumps in the winter, as well as our timely and methodical approach to the various interventions carried out in the summer season, all the create an excellent micro-climate for the tops of the stumps, so that preventive interventions to protect the grapes can be kept to a minimum, using the smallest possible doses of the permitted preparations.