Brettos

Regional Wine of Florina, Tannat

Variety Composition: Tannat 100%.

Location: “Hedgehog” sub-region. 690m altitude, with northern exposure, facing Petron lake and mount Voras.

Region: Amyndeon plateau. Amyndeon viticulture zone.

Vineyard: 69ha of Linear, privately owned vineyard situated at an altitude of 620-710 m.

Soil: Sandy - sandy clay soil of excellent drainage.
Climate: Semi continental with important precipitations, many snowfalls during winters. Fresh, rather dry summers, with cool nights. Year long Northwestern winds. Absence of spring frost.

Harvest: Manual harvesting in small picking boxes. September 18th 2006.

Yield: 3.100 kg / ha, for the 2006 harvest, post to green harvest & selection.

Density of Plantation: 3.900 shoots / ha.

Vinification Method: Destemming, no crushing, cold soak - skin contact under controlled conditions, alcoholic fermentation at gradual increase temperatures, maintenance of wine “sur lie” for eight months with regular stirring.

Ageing: Eighteen months in Allie - Bertrange at 200% (9+9) new oak casks medium toast. No treatment or filtration before bottling and eighteen months in bottles.

Analytical Data:
Alcohol: 14,5% vol.,
Total acidity: 6,1 g/l.,
Residual sugar: 3,1 g/l.,
pH: 3,46.

Tasting Characteristics: Fine, rich, intense. Some black crystalline fruit, spices, cassis. Quite complex, very long. Develops in mouth very good.

Agronomist-Viticulture Experts: Dr Stefanos Koundouras. Vine Grower: Makis Mavridis.

Wine Maker: Angelos Iatridis.

ALPHA ESTATE winery is located at the neighboring to the privately owned vineyards of the viticulture exploitation. That means that transport of the grapes from the vineyard to the winery during harvest is done at the shortest possible time. Close proximity, in combination with transport in special refrigerators and harvest at the coolest hours of the day underline the outmost respect and protection of the organoleptic characteristics of the wine grapes. Natural gravity, a concept applied from the design of the winery, is exploited throughout the winemaking process, with the minimum possible stress to the first material. All construction materials are highly inactive and neutral in order to secure absolute neutral atmosphere conditions inside the winery, protecting the quality of the grape, the must and the wine.

Managing the winery is simplified by applying a totally integrated building management system at all levels, from the winery process to the machinery and mechanical functions both inside the winery and from distance, from any part of the world. Large part of the winery and its state of the art machinery of the latest available winemaking technology are monitored directly by the suppliers of this equipment on line, through modems, in order to secure optimum performance. The winery equipment installed satisfies the winemakers philosophy: ABSOLUTE RESPECT TO THE ECOSYSTEM, THE VINEGROWER AND THE WINELOVER.

But the most important and greater space of the winery is the underground cellar which houses at ideal and optimum conditions all through the year the oak casks were ALPHA ESTATE's wines are aged. A specially designed path has been designed and created for the winery visitor in order for him to be able to visit the underground cask cellar without disturbing the quietness of the wines ageing inside the casks. Details can of course be obtained at first hand with a prescheduled visit to the winery.

Finally the tasting room consists the point were design ends and pleasure begins for ALPHA ESTATE wines. The tasting room is completed by a thematical presentation room and a shop, were not only ALPHA wines but books and wine related articles will be available. All three in the area of the underground oak casks cellar.

Awards:
SILVER MEDAL Date: 2008 Organization: DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS ALPHA ONE RED 2004, REGIONAL WINE OF MACEDONIA
SILVER MEDAL Date: 2008 Organization: INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE ALPHA ONE RED 2004, REGIONAL WINE OF MACEDONIA
SILVER MEDAL Date: 2008 Organization: CONCOURS MONDIAL DE BRUXELLES ALPHA ONE RED 2004, REGIONAL WINE OF MACEDONIA
BRONZE MEDAL Date: 2008 Organization: INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS COMPETITION ALPHA ONE RED 2004, REGIONAL WINE OF MACEDONIA