Spira Xinomavro Solera Ktima Ligas 2012-2019 Soleras

Spira Xinomavro Solera Ligas, superb natural wine from Greece, Xinomavro grape, unique flavours, rich and very complex from long ageing in a Solera system from vintages 2012-2018. Ktima Ligas top white made from the red Xinomavro grape and vinified en blanc with then long ageing in a solera system is a unique expression of a rare grape and a special wine maker. Made from red grapes with a little skin contact, Spira behaves like an orange wine but is technically a Blanc de Noir, a white wine made from red grapes, the tiny amount of colour from slight contact and ageing in Solera gives it orange wine colour and characteristics. The Ligas family really is doing incredible things at their little winery in Pella, the Cuvee continue to arrive every year, each one that bit more experimental, each one more complex and diverse than the last and each one always equally delicious. Spira is no exception, a stunning wine for high quality seafood.

Since ancient times, the region of Pella in the Peloponnese, situated in northern Greece, was associated with wine making and described as the mother of wine, where vines abound.

Jason Ligas and his Sister Meli continued the work of their Father Thomas and set about turning the normally dull Roditis grape into something very special. By converting to natural farming in the 80s after following the ideas set out by a renowned Japanese Masanobu Fukuoka (1913-2008) whose approach to agriculture was called, ‘do nothing'. Fukuoka – whose philosophy has been described as ‘Steiner without cow horns’ – was a Japanese researcher in plant pathology who subsequently became an experimental farmer and promoter of natural farming. At Ligas by reducing the yield he was able to express the terroir and show the potential of their indigenous grapes that are normally over cropped and used for cheap jug wine. The soils are loamy, sand with very good drainage and the natural environment is expressed in his stunningly fresh and complex white wines. The reds are pretty rare and only made in good years but are also wines to be savoured. The wines all carry a unique personality and expressive aroma which we have come to call 'The Ligas Nose!'