Name: Special Episode! Meet the (Wine) Makers #24: High-Altitude Excellence: Discovering PDO Amyndeon &...
Uploaded: 2026-07-26T09:21:44.000Z
Duration: 1987
Description: Angelos Iatridis has a philosophy that stuck with us: if you want to be a better man, you make better wine. That's the kind of thoughtful conversation we get...

Angelos Iatridis has a philosophy that stuck with us: if you want to be a better man, you make better wine. That's the kind of thoughtful conversation we get into in this special episode, a deep dive into PDO Amyndeon and PGI Florina, two of Greece's protected wine designations, with Angelos from Alpha Estate. He talks about Xinomavro, the region's signature red grape, which is often described as sitting somewhere between Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir, but shaped entirely by Amyndeon's high altitude, its ring of three mountains, and two nearby lakes that keep the climate in balance. He explains why the sandy, limestone soil left behind by an ancient lake gives the wine its acidity, and how that same acidity lets Xinomavro age for decades, slowly turning from red fruit into notes of dried tomato and olive paste. Angelos also opens up about how climate change has actually helped ripening in Amyndeon over the last 30 years, why he believes the best winemaking technology should be invisible in the glass, and how his own daughter's research helped preserve the purest expression of the grape for the next generation. By the end, he's picked the exact bottle he'd bring to a big Sunday family dinner, one he says carries both place and memory. It's a warm, generous conversation with someone who clearly loves what he does, and you'll come away wanting to track down a bottle of his Xinomavro for yourself.

Q. What does Xinomavro taste like?
A. Xinomavro is a high-acid, high-tannin Greek red, its name literally translates to "sour-black." Young Xinomavro shows red berries, black cherry, and savory notes like sun-dried tomato and olive. In Amyndeon specifically, high altitude and mineral-rich, sandy-over-limestone soil give the wine real finesse and balance alongside that structure.

Q. What's the difference between PDO Amyndeon and PGI Florina?
A. PDO Amyndeon is the stricter label: every grape must come from that specific high-altitude Amyndeon plateau, historically tied to 100% Xinomavro, covering dry red, rosé, and sparkling wines. PGI Florina is broader, requiring only 85% of grapes from the wider Florina prefecture (including Amyndeon) and allowing more grape varieties, similar in concept to Italy's DOCG system.

Q. Why does high altitude matter for wine quality in Amyndeon?
A. Amyndeon sits on a high plateau ringed by three mountains, with lakes nearby that moderate summer heat and winter cold. That altitude protects the vines from weather extremes, and combined with sandy, limestone-based soil left behind by an ancient lake, it gives Xinomavro grapes crisp acidity, minerality, and real structural finesse.

Q. Is Xinomavro similar to Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir?
A. Stylistically, yes. Winemaker Angelos Iatridis describes Xinomavro as landing somewhere between Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir, sharing Nebbiolo's high acid and firm tannin with Pinot Noir's lighter color and red-fruit lift. The comparison is about character, not genetics — Xinomavro is its own indigenous Greek grape with a flavor arc all its own.

Q. What food pairs well with Xinomavro?
A. Xinomavro's firm tannin and bright acidity make it a natural match for rich, savory food: roasted lamb, grilled meats, sausages, rabbit stew, peppers cooked in olive oil, or full-bodied cheeses. Angelos pointed to old-vine Xinomavro Reserve, from vines planted in 1919, as the wine he'd bring to a big family Sunday dinner.

Q. Who is Angelos Iatridis and why does his perspective matter for Greek wine?
A. Angelos Iatridis is the co-founder and winemaker of Alpha Estate in Amyndeon, Greece, and a chemist-oenologist trained at Bordeaux University. He's spent decades turning a small, historically overlooked high-altitude plateau into one of Greece's most respected Xinomavro producers, now exporting to more than 50 countries.

Q. What is Angelos Iatridis's approach to winemaking at Alpha Estate?
A. Angelos treats modern winery technology as "a precision tool, not a stylistic filter." Tools like optical sorting and gravity movement exist to protect what the vineyard already created, not to modernize the wine's style. His stated philosophy is high technology in the cellar paired with deep humility toward the vineyard.

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