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Mister Helios

Mister Helios - organic Moschofilero - Kalogris Organic Winery - Mantineia, Peloponnese, Greece - Natural wine - Eklektikon

Mister Helios is the first organic and natural Moschofilero imported in the US, made by the historical Kalogris Organic Winery family, in its birthplace of the Mantinia plateau.

  • Grower: Kalogris Organic Winery
  • Vintage: 2018
  • Grapes: Moschofilero 100%
  • Appellation: PGI Arcadia
  • Alcohol: 12.40%
  • Bottle: 750ml
  • Viticulture: Organic (certified)
  • Vinification: Blanc de Gris vinification of the gray-skin Moschofilero grapes, in stainless steel with no temperature control (cool ambient temperature), ambient yeast, no additives, and no filtration or fining, and limited sulfur at bottling.
  • Notes: Typical floral and stone-fruity Moschofilero, with richness and roundness on the palate, and the signature acidity backbone of the variety.

Key Info

Viticulture

  • Organic (certified)
  • Climate: Cold Winter, sunny Summer, low temperatures at harvest.
  • Soil: Clay loam
  • Vine age: Planted in 1980
  • Altitude: 670m
  • Slope: None
  • Planting density: 3,500 vines / ha
  • Yield: 6,000kg / ha
  • Irrigation: None
  • Spraying: A few treatments of copper and sulfur
  • Harvesting: Manually in plastic crates

Vinification

  • Pressing: Mild pneumatic pressure
  • Temperature Control: None (cool ambient temperatures of October)
  • Maceration: None (direct press)
  • Yeast: Ambient (spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel)
  • Malolactic: Completed (naturally)
  • Maturation: 105 days in a 3-ton stainless steel tank with inert gas
  • Clarification: None
  • Filtration: None
  • Production: 1,400 lt
  • Alcohol: 12.50%
  • Acidity: 6.20 gr/l
  • RS: 2 gr/l
  • Total sulfites: 46 mg/l
  • Certification: Organic grapes
  • Bottle: 750ml

Winery

Kalogris Organic Winery is a historical small family winery in the famous Mantineia plateau, the birthplace of the gray-skin Moschofilero grape.

Moschofilero is potentially linked to the “smokey vines” of ancient Greece, and is part of the very adaptive “Filery” family of grapes. Moschofilero is the most aromatic in the family, and the family is almost exclusively focused on this grape.

The winery was established in 1980, when Evangelos’ grandfather handed over to him the traditional family house, under the condition that he would convert it to a winery that would accept visitors. The family traces its vine growing past in the area, all the way back to 1870. Evangelos converted the old house to an organic stone-built winery, which he runs today with his wife and two daughters.

The vineyard measures 3 hectares, and labors are performed manually by the family. Winemaking has always been traditional, with wild fermentations and mild intervention.

Region

Mantinia is an ancient city in the Arcadia region of the Peloponnese. Many ruins of the ancient Mantinia city are preserved today, including the ancient theater, the temple of Zeus, the ancient market, and the parliament.

The Mantinia plateau (700m) is famous as the birthplace of the gray-skinned Moschofilero grape, which is probably linked to the “smokey vines” of ancient Greece.

Mantinia is surrounded by picturesque old villages with traditional architecture, like Kapsia. Tripoli, the capital of the Arcadia prefecture, is the largest nearby city, which maintains an old character, and is famous for its production of Arcadian honey and whole-pig roasting.