# Apla Red (2024)

- **Producer:** Oenops Wines
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Xinomavro, Limniona, Mavroudi
- **Region:** Macedonia, Greece
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €17
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, redcurrant, violet, herbaceous, black pepper

## About this wine

Founded in 2015 by Nikos Karatzas, a Bordeaux-trained oenologist, Oenops Wines operates as a boutique micro-négociant based in Drama, Northern Greece. Operating under the guiding philosophy 'Old Roots, New Routes', the winery owns no vineyards of its own. Instead, Karatzas collaborates closely with dedicated artisanal growers across Northern Greece and Thessaly, sourcing indigenous grape varieties from cool-climate, old-vine sites to produce authentic expressions of Greek terroir.

## Interesting facts

- Oenops translates to 'wine-faced' or 'wine-like' in ancient Greek, famously used by Homer to describe the sea.
- The winery owns zero vineyards, operating entirely by partnering with smallholder growers across Greece.
- Fermentation and aging use 0% new oak, relying instead on clay amphorae and concrete vats to maintain fruit purity.

## Food pairing

The vibrant natural acidity cuts seamlessly through rich tomato sauces and fatty meats, while fine, velvety tannins complement roasted lamb and pork without overpowering lighter Mediterranean vegetarian dishes.

## Wine making process

Grapes are night-harvested by hand to preserve freshness and acidity. Following a cold soak at 5°C for gentle extraction, spontaneous fermentation takes place using ambient yeasts in a combination of stainless steel tanks, concrete vats, and clay amphorae. The wine is aged for 6 to 9 months on its fine lees without any exposure to new oak, preserving the pure fruit expression. It is bottled unfiltered with minimal sulfur additions.