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Xinomavro is Greece’s answer to Nebbiolo, and the comparison is not lazy. Both are pale, both are fiercely tannic and high in acid, both smell of roses and tar and tomato leaf, and both turn into something haunting after a decade in the cellar. The name means “sour black” in Greek, which is honest, and the grape grows in the cool hills of Naoussa in Macedonia, northern Greece, where it has been making wine since antiquity.
For years it was a wine only Greeks and a few obsessive sommeliers knew about. Then a new generation of Naoussa winemakers, Thymiopoulos chief among them, started making Xinomavro that was approachable young without losing its soul, and the secret got out.
Table of Contents
What Does Xinomavro Taste Like?
Sour cherry, redcurrant, strawberry and dried tomato, with rose petal, tar, olive, dried herbs and sweet spice. It is pale garnet, medium in body, high in tannin and acid, and moderate to warm in alcohol. Young bottles are bracing; aged ones gain leather, truffle and sun-dried tomato in a way that Barolo lovers will recognise at once.
| Aspect | Rating out of 5 | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | 🍷 | Dry, and then some; the name means sour black |
| Body | 🍷🍷🍷 | Medium, deceptively light in colour |
| Tannins | 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Firm and grippy, Nebbiolo’s Greek cousin |
| Acidity | 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 | High and bright, built to age |
| Alcohol by Volume | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Typically 13–14.5% |
Each wine glass icon is one point on a 5-point scale: one glass is low, five is high, based on the grape’s typical style.
Where It Grows
Naoussa in Greek Macedonia is the heartland and the benchmark appellation, on the slopes of Mount Vermio. Amyndeon, higher and cooler, makes lighter reds, rosé and even sparkling Xinomavro. Goumenissa and Rapsani blend it with other local grapes. Outside Greece it barely exists.
Australia has almost no Xinomavro yet, but Greek-Australian winemakers are starting to change that, with small plantings in Victoria and South Australia. Given how many Australians have Greek heritage and how well it suits lamb, we expect more. For now, imports from Naoussa are the way in, and they are excellent value for a wine of this seriousness.
How to Serve It
Temperature: 16–18°C.
Glass: a big Burgundy or Nebbiolo bowl to gather the roses; see the glasses roundup.
Decanting: essential for young bottles. An hour or two in a decanter tames the tannin.
Ageing: traditional Naoussa needs five years and improves for twenty. Modern styles drink well after two or three.
What to Eat With It
Greek food, obviously: slow-roasted lamb, goat, moussaka, eggplant dishes and grilled sausages. Its tomato-leaf note makes it a natural with tomato-based stews and feta and tomatoes. Mushrooms and aged cheeses suit older bottles. More in the pairing guides.
Celebrated Wine Labels
| Wine Label | Country | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Thymiopoulos Vineyards | Greece | Naoussa’s modern star, organic and expressive |
| Kir-Yianni | Greece | Naoussa benchmark, traditional and age-worthy |
| Alpha Estate | Greece | Amyndeon, polished and precise |
| Dalamara | Greece | Small Naoussa family estate, old vines |
| Boutari | Greece | The historic Naoussa house |
Drink One Tonight
Thymiopoulos Vineyards Organic Alta Xinomavro 2023
Greece’s answer to Nebbiolo from its most celebrated modern producer. Decant it, roast a leg of lamb, and thank us later.
- Real Naoussa Xinomavro from the producer who put the grape on the map
- Certified organic, high-altitude old vines
- Roses, sour cherry and grip, true to the grape
- Cheaper than any Barolo of comparable seriousness
- Nudging forty dollars
- Needs a decanter and a roast; not a Tuesday quaffer
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce Xinomavro?
Ksee-NO-mav-ro. The X is a “ks” sound, as in “box”.
What is Xinomavro similar to?
Nebbiolo above all: pale, tannic, high-acid, rose-and-tar scented and long-lived. Traditional Sangiovese and Baga share its shape. Read our Nebbiolo guide for the comparison.
Is Xinomavro a red or white wine?
Red, though pale in colour, and it also makes rosé and sparkling wine in Amyndeon.
Does Xinomavro age well?
Exceptionally. Traditional Naoussa from good producers improves for twenty years or more, developing dried tomato, leather and truffle.
What does Xinomavro mean?
“Sour black” in Greek: “xino” for sour, “mavro” for black, a nod to its high acidity and dark skins.
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