First Taste: Cuvée Premno 2022, a Different Side of Mandilaria

By Yiannis Karakasis MW

Paros Farming Community has transformed remarkably quickly. 2021 was a major turning point, as the island’s historic cooperative began a new chapter. The winery received substantial investment and a fresh winemaking direction from Dimitris Mansolas and Hetero Wines. Eventually, the new wines were released in 2022 under the Seiradi name.

Mansolas brought extensive winemaking experience to Paros from his previous projects in Crete and beyond, so it was logical for him to explore different sites and vineyards. Grouping different parcels by altitude, soil type, and ripening patterns was the obvious next step.  At the centre of this exploration were the island's two principal varieties: white Monemvassia and red Mandilaria.

For anyone familiar with Greek wine, producing a 100% Mandilaria wine is a very challenging task. The combination of big tannins, a hollow mid-palate, and high acidity makes blending mandatory. This is how it is produced in the Aegean and Crete, except for a handful of brave exceptions from Lyrarakis and Avantis (Mavrokoudoura). Cuvée Premno now joins this select group.