Muses Estate Mouhtaro 2024
Muses Estate Mouhtaro is a remarkably rare red wine grown exclusively in the village of Askri, nestled at the foot of Mount Helicon in Central Greece. The survival of this ancient indigenous grape is entirely down to the efforts of Athanasios Zacharias, who rescued the vines from near extinction to produce his first commercial vintage in 1998. Following a careful hand-harvest, the fruit is gently destemmed and fermented using only wild yeasts to capture the true character of the vineyard. The wine then matures for twelve months in a precise mix of French oak barrels, utilising twenty percent new wood alongside older second and third-use casks to lend a subtle toasted complexity without overpowering the fruit. The result is an intensely expressive pour that balances an explosion of ripe red fruit and warm spice with beautifully silky tannins and a vibrant backbone of acidity. It is a genuine rarity that deserves a prominent place on the dining table, pairing brilliantly with slow-roasted pork or a rich tomato and lamb stew.
