Biblia Chora (Macedonia, Greece)

Terra Rossa soil in the Olive Grove at Biblia Chora Winery

As I grow deeper and deeper into my sommelier career, I am continually amazed by wines from terra rossa soil. Call it an obsession if you must, but this soil-type has an unbelievable way of transmitting its raw flavors through to the palate. Wines from grapes grown on these iron-rich, bright red soils yield some of the densest, flavorful, and stunning wines the world has to offer. On a recent trip to Greece, I took a stroll through the lands, groves, and vineyards of Biblia Chora, and was delighted to feel my feet sink into the soil here.  The remarkable terra rossa landscape that surrounds the Biblia Chora estate is the source of power in their wines. 

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The vines and olive trees at Biblia Chora work their roots into a vast deposit of this unique terra rossa soil. Here, fist-sized chunks of bright white quartz push up from the ground and blanket the bright red soil below. It's difficult to take a step anywhere in the grove or vineyard and not have your foot twist one way or another on one of the white stones.

Holding together this fractured quarry is a sticky, dense mass of red mud. It breaks apart like clay, and if you take a clump in your hands to smell it, it has that unmistakable aroma of terra rossa.  












And the quartz isn't just any quartz. There's a lot going on in even the most regular of stones here. 

Grass Field, with a Vineyard in the Upper Left, Mountains in the Background

Seas of wavy grasses lead the way to hillside vineyards, located at the foot of Mount Pageo. Jagged rocky outcroppings form a dramatic skyline in the distance, as spiders and garden snakes watch pensively as you invade their territory. The land seems to ooze a sense of mystery, as if it had a narrative of rich history to tell... if it only had the words. 

And indeed there was a rich history here. Ancient documents trace winemaking back through the centuries and note a particular popular grape variety called Bibla Ambelos. Biblia Chora winery takes its name after this long-lost variety. 

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Two swaths of land that led from the winery to the mid-way up the mountain's foothills look a bit different, and in fact, they are scars from a recent mysterious fire. Blackened, flame-ravaged trees poked their branches out from new wild-flower growth. The trees are still in that delicate post-fire state where it isn't clear if they will continue to grow, or wither to dust. 

Over a hundred vines were lost in the flames, but the main vineyards are-- thankfully-- just fine.  

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Wildflowers grow, oblivious to the violent fires of the previous season.

A few rocky outcroppings between the olive groves and the vineyards harbor various lichen and moss populations.

After quite a hike you'll reach the vineyards.

And walking farther up-slope you'll catch glimpses of fog that crowns Mount Pageo.

From the vineyards you can survey most of the valley below. Yes, there are a few neighbors, but Biblia Chora sits in open country with few urban amenities close by.

Vassilis Tsaktsarlis, co-owner of Biblia Chora

Just who is bold and tenacious enough to plant assyrtiko in this terrain? And to put in all the extra hours and manpower to farm it organically? 

It takes teamwork. Vassilia Tsaksarlis and Vangelis Gerovassiliou first planted assyrtiko in 1998. Since 2003, assyrtiko has been an allowed grape variety in the Pangeon Area PGI. 

Biblia Chora produces many wines in addition to assyrtiko, including agiorghitiko & cabernet sauvignon. But it was the assyrtiko that seemed to be stirring up conversation all over Greece. 

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Throughout Greece, I heard many people scoff that assyrtiko isn't suitable to northern vineyards because it cannot possibly compare to Santorini assyrtiko. And it's true that the root systems are babies compared to the 300-500 year old assyrtiko roots embedded in the Santorini pumice. But a side-by-side comparison is pointless-- like comparing the lifetime achievements of an 80 year old scholar to a talented and promising teenage student. Of course the young vines here haven't grown their roots so deep; of course they lack decades of track record; and certainly they have not had the chance to subtly adapt clones to the environment here. Of course they cannot produce fruit (yet) that can elicit the magical response of which the historic vines on Santorini are capable. These things take centuries, and more than one generation of capable stewards. The vines here are trained differently. They face different pests. The climate is different. The soils are drastically different. The vineyards here and the vineyards there produce completely different wines. 

But despite their youth and the different struggles Nature tasks them with, the assyrtikos from Biblia Chora have their own sense of beauty. After tasting through about a decade of examples, it's impossible to deny that something special is happening here. 

Vertical of Biblia Chora 'Areti' Assyrtiko

Here are a few tasting notes from a fascinating vertical tasting of Areti assyrtiko: 

2004 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
mushrooms, dried cedar, an acid skeleton with little flesh left on the bones. Interesting, but at the end of it's evolution. 

2005 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
a soft light lemon aroma, zesty bright texture, an interesting fresh mushroom mid-palate taste

2006 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
aromas of seaweed and green leaves, a bit faded but in a nice way. soft & supple texture

2007 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
a really stellar example of aged assyrtiko from Northern Greece. Lemon nose with hints of developing mushroom, a round & rich texture

2008 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
that classic lemon-zest aroma, but with hints of subtle floral perfume, a pithy tartness on the palate with a soft, pleasant acidity. quite elegant and stately

2009  Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
aromas of lemon and peaches with just a hint of smokiness, a flavor like juicy meyer lemon juice 

2010 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
aromas of peach pit and a rich, lemon zest flavor. a clean zingy finish

2011 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
talcum and butter-lemon-poundcake aromas, a soft, pure richness, an acidity that is almost chewy, like lemon candies

2012 Biblia Chora 'Areti' assyrtiko
*the first year that they began barrel fermenting 15% of the wine. the previous years are all steel. 
*every Areti is aged 4 months on the lees
smokey, herbaceous aromas, hints of oak. medium bodied, very intense with a rich mid-palate

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Tsaksarlis and Gerovassiliou also make a white blend called 'Ovilos' that blends 50% semillon with 50% assyrtiko with lovely results, mimicking the dialog between semillon and high-acid sauvignon blanc that you can find in great white Bordeaux. 

Entranceway to Biblia Chora Estate

It's pretty exciting to see what these two are culling from assyrtiko in the North. 

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What does the future hold for Biblia Chora? I'm sure there are a few answers waiting to be found in their extensive blocks of experimental vineyards... 

Experimental Vineyards at Biblia Chora