Moropoulos in Mantinia, new ideas and brilliant wines

Βy Yiannis Karakasis MW

Standing out in Mantinia today is difficult. Moschofilero is well known, often praised for its quick, aromatic profile and early release. However, regions do not progress by staying familiar. They advance when someone encourages a different rhythm, a deeper focus, and a new understanding of what the variety can achieve.

The turning point: Mantinia “72” - The parcel that was never blended

Over the past two months, one of the most captivating Greek whites I tasted was from Ktima Moropoulos, the brainchild of Georgia and Kostas Moropoulos. It is a single-vineyard Moschofilero from vines planted in 1972, trained as bush vines, and aged on the lees for four years. The wine is called “72”; the vintage is 2021, and it appears to mark a turning point for a winery that has quietly entered a new phase of ambition and clarity.

“From the first day, that parcel was never blended,” says Lefteris Anagnostou, the winery’s winemaker and a true master of lees ageing. “The wine showed special aromas and texture.” In a region where blending can smooth differences and protect producers from risk, this decision matters. It signals confidence in a specific place, not just in the broad name Mantinia. It also fits the wider trajectory of Moropoulos, a winery that began cautiously with two labels and around 20,000 bottles and has now reached roughly 40,000 bottles, adding new projects such as the sparkling Remuage. The growth is not just numerical. It is conceptual.