La Tour Melas, a Greek first growth: tasting the wines over lunch at Gaia, Mayfair
Website: https://www.latourmelas.com/
A winery that stemmed from a bet. Some time ago, Kyros Melas, a stockbroker, made a bet with a Swiss banking colleague. Kyros was used to drinking fancy Bordeaux, and one of his favourites was Château Lafleur, the noted Pomerol estate. Kyros reckoned that he could make a Greek wine that would rival Lafleur. In 2015 he sort of won the bet. In a tasting dubbed The Judgment of Athens, 20 sommeliers and wine critics judged a bunch of wines blind, including both Lafleur and La Tour Melas. The Greek wine came first. But the Swiss banker hasn’t paid out yet because he believes that French wines age better.
He found an ideal site in central Greece, 2.5 hours’ drive north of Athens in Achinos (in the region of Fthiotida), on the edge of the plain, facing southeast (giving protection from the drying west winds) and with a varied terroir, but with the dominant features clay and limestone. The first vines were planted in 2000, and the first wine made in 2004.
Initially, the idea was to make just a Grand Vin, in a Bordeaux style, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This was made according to the Lafleur formula. But with the 2009 vintage, where no Grand Vin was made, Kyros realized he had 60 barrels of wine in the cellar that hadn’t made the cut and decided to bring out a second wine, labelled ‘Cyrus One’.
The project has grown since then, and now they crush 600 tons a year, with 10 hectares of their own vines supplemented by fruit from growers. Farming is organic.
Kyros is very interested by the idea of growing ungrafted wines, and one of their top wines is made from a one-hectare parcel of Agiorgitiko that’s over 120 years old. This plot of vines in Nemea wasn’t pulled out because it’s on an archaeological site. He purchased it and nursed the vines back to life and now makes around 1800 bottles from this hectare of ancient vines. The first vintage was 2013. The alluvial, sand/gravel soils make it hard for phylloxera to grow here.
At the moment he only makes reds and rosé, but has purchased land at higher altitude with a view to making a high-end white.
Gaia, a high-end Greek restaurant in Mayfair, was a good setting for tasting these wines. It’s has a modern, high-end dining room that’s very Mayfair in style. The cooking is spot on, taking Greek classics, and executing them with style using great quality ingredients. It’s expensive, for sure, but very good. https://gaia-restaurants.com/london/gaia-london
THE WINES
La Tour Melas Idyll d’Achinos Rosé 2024 Fthiotida, Greece
This is a blend of Agiorgitiko, Syrah and Grenache. It’s a Provence-style pale rosé with some depth to the pear, cherry and citrus fruit. Expressive, textural and showing lots of finesse, it has a sense of harmony. 91/100
Cyrus One 2022 Fthiotida, Greece
This is Cabernet Franc and Merlot, freshened with some Agiorgitiko. It’s a stunner: fine, supple and gently gravelly. Quite classic with a chalky undertone to the blackcurrant and red cherry fruit. Supple, fine and fresh with lovely detail. Kyros thinks it’s a little thin on the palate, but I think it’s really elegant. 95/100
La Tour Melas Palies Rizes 2022 Nemea, Greece
This is matured in Clayver ceramic vessels. Complex, bright and elegant with sweet cherry and berry fruit, and delicious grainy structure. This has freshness, focus and purity, and it’s linear and dynamic. 95/100
La Tour Melas Palies Rizes 2018 Nemea, Greece
Matured in 500 litre Stockinger barrels. This is supple, mellow and quite elegant, with sweet red cherries and strawberries. Smooth and really refined with lovely balance. I think I prefer the 2022 in style, but there’s no doubting the elegance and texture of this wine. 95/100
La Tour Melas 2022 Fthiotida, Greece
This is the Grand Vin, which is half/half Cabernet Franc and Merlot with just a touch of Petit Verdot. Concentrated, refined and gravelly with nice density to the sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit. Good definition with dense structure and finely spiced detail. Lovely concentration of fruit, finishing firm. 94/100
La Tour Melas 2016 Fthiotida, Greece
Aromatic, showing some development with earthy spicy notes and a hint of malt. There’s some sweet blackcurrant fruit, and the palate is sweet and rich with some warm spicy notes. Drink this soon, it’s showing quite a bit of evolution. 93/100
UK agent: Matlby & Greek https://www.maltbyandgreek.com/
