Gentilini
WHO WE WERE THEN …
Gentilini was the family name of Spiro Nicholas Kosmetatos’ paternal grandmother, Marianna, the last of a long noble lineage.
Marino Gentilini, an Italian army engineer, was commissioned by the Venetian Senate in 1593 to build the extensive Assos fortifications on Kefalonia). He eventually married and settled here, and his name was inscribed in the Libro d’Oro of noble families.
… AND NOW
The winery and vineyards have now passed to the next generation. Nicholas’ daughter Marianna and her husband Petros Markantonatos took over the estate in 2002 with an eye on the future which, however, respects the experience of the past. As always, we aim to produce top quality, exciting and unique wines while promoting the unique flavours and aromas of the local Kefalonian varieties. All the steps that go into the making of these fine wines, from vineyard management to bottling and marketing, are overseen and controlled by us together with our resident winemaker, Mike Jones
GENTILINI NOTES RED
80% Agiorgitiko 20% Syrah / Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia
Dry Red
Classification: Varietal Vine
The Agiorgitiko grapes come from the Nemea appellation region in the Peloponnese. Yields are around 5,000 kg/ha. The Syrah and Mavrodaphne grapes are organically grown in our estate on Kefalonia. The wine is matured for 2 months in oak barrels before being aged for a further 6 months in bottle.
Harvest dates: August to September
Alcohol by volume: 13.0%
Tasting notes: Gentilini Red is a fresh, complex wine with sour-cherry and spicy flavours, velvety tannins and long aftertaste
ROBOLA OF KEFALONIA
100% Robola of Kefalonia
Dry White Wine
Classification: Protected Designation of Origin Robola of Kefalonia(PDO)
Robola is an increasingly rare, ungrafted, low-yielding variety that thrives on the poor limestone and gravelly soils of the Kefalonian highlands. It is considered one of the finest Greek white varieties, and has characteristic citrus and mineral aromas.
The grapes come from high-altitude (exceeding 600m above sea level) vineyards on the slopes of Mount Ainos within the Robola PDO appellation zone. Yields are around 3,500kg/ha.
Harvest dates: August
Alcohol by volume: 13.0%
Tasting notes: A fresh, citrusy, dry white wine, which expresses all the characteristic fruit, minerality and terroir of this variety. Complex, balanced, and dry, with a long finish.
GENTILINI ECLIPSE
100% Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia
Dry Red Wine
Classification: Protected Geographical Indication Peloponnese (PGI)
The Mavrodaphne grapes are sourced from three vineyards: Estate vineyard at 60m altitude. Limestone terroir with yields of 3,000kg/hectare. Contract vineyard in the area of Omala at 650m altitude. Limestone terroir with yields of 3,000kg/hectare.
Contract vineyard in the area of Thinia at 80m altitude. Clay, rocky terroir with yields of 5,000kg/hectare.
The grapes are pressed when malolactic fermentation is complete and the wine is transferred to French and American oak barriques to mature for 12 months before bottling. The wine is racked and returned twice during maturation. This wine is not fined or filtered to avoid any stripping of flavours and complexity.
Harvest dates: August to September
Alcohol by volume: 13.0%
Tasting notes: This is a dark, almost inky wine, with generous, layered aromas of red fruit, spiced with hints of licorice and wild mint. In the mouth it is rich, complex and impressive, with soft, round tannins and an endless aftertaste.
IRIS VINEYARD
100% Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia
Dry Red Wine
Classification: PGI Slopes of Aenos
The high quality, low yielding Tsigello clone of Mavrodaphne on Kefalonia is a rare cousin of the better known Renio clone of Mavrodaphne of Patras (which is vinified as a sweet wine), giving dry, complex, elegant wines.
The single parcel of Iri’s Vineyard is located within our estate near the village of Minies on the island of Kefalonia. It sits at 60m on the crest of a hill and has a rocky, limestone terroir with yields of 3,000 kg/ha
Harvest dates: August
Alcohol by volume: 13.0%
Tasting notes: Ruby red tinged with violet with aromas of sour cherry spiced with hints of licorice and wild mint. In the mouth it is rich and fruity with soft, round tannins.