Name: Zorba The Greek Tavernas 2021 Douloufakis Enotria Recipe
Cook time: 438 h
Total time: 438 h
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 5 kg Liatiko grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent); 3 kg Kotsifali grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent); 2 kg Syrah grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent); 5 g Wine yeast (e.g., Lalvin RC212 or suitable red strain); 2 tsp Yeast nutrient; 1 g Potassium metabisulfite (for sanitation and SO2 adjustment); 1 tsp Tartaric acid (if needed to adjust acidity); 3 g Enological tannin (optional, to balance structure); 1 tsp Campden tablets (or crushed potassium metabisulfite); 1 unit Oak (medium toast) — alternative: oak chips or 225L barrique; 1 unit Cold-stabilization capacity (ice or refrigeration for 0°C treatment); 10 unit Bottles (750 ml); 10 unit Corks; 1 tsp Bottling sulfite solution (to target free SO2 30 mg/L)

THIS FAMED BIO DYNAMIC/ORGANIC WINERY HAS BEEN PRODUCING WORLD CLASS WINES IN DRY CREEK, SONOMA COUNTY, FOR DECADES. THE WINE IS JUICY, PEPPERY AND HAS A FLUID EASE TO ITS FINISH.

2023 ZINFANDEL, PRESTON (ORGANIC), DRY CREEK

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Harvest or source ripe Liatiko, Kotsifali and Syrah grapes. Aim for balanced ripeness: Liatiko provides aromatic lift and red fruit, Kotsifali brings body and red fruit spice, Syrah adds color, tannin and pepper. Sort out underripe, raisined or rotten berries; remove leaves and stems as needed.

Harvest and Sorting

Crush and destem the fruit to a clean fermenter. For a 10 kg total fruit blend (5 kg Liatiko, 3 kg Kotsifali, 2 kg Syrah) keep some whole berries if you want gentler tannin extraction; otherwise fully destem and lightly crush to expose juice.

Crush/Destem

Measure starting Brix (sugar), pH and TA. Target must around 22–24°Brix for ~12.5–13.5% ABV. If acidity is low, add tartaric acid sparingly (up to the indicated 1 tsp) to reach desired TA (typical red TA 5–7 g/L). Add crushed Campden (or potassium metabisulfite at sanitation dose) and wait 24 hours before inoculation if fruit was not sterile to control wild microbes.

Juice Analysis & Adjustment

Rehydrate the yeast per manufacturer instructions. Add yeast nutrient (2 tsp) to the must to support fermentation and inoculate with the chosen red wine yeast (approx. 5 g for this batch). Mix gently to distribute yeast.

Inoculation

Ferment at 24–27°C (75–80°F) for red fermentation to optimize color and aroma extraction. Punch down the cap 2–3 times daily for even extraction; if using whole berries, gently pump over once per day. Monitor temperature and Brix daily. Fermentation should proceed vigorously for 4–10 days and slow toward the end.

Primary Fermentation

If extraction is too aggressive, reduce punch-down frequency or cooler fermentation temperature. If extraction is light, allow extended maceration on skins after primary fermentation for up to 7–14 days to extract more color and tannin. Add enological tannin (3 g) if the wine needs more structure — dissolve and add early during fermentation.

Managing Tannin & Color

After alcoholic fermentation completes (Brix ~0 or stable specific gravity), rack off gross lees and allow malolactic fermentation (MLF) to proceed spontaneously or inoculate MLF bacteria if desired to soften acidity and add complexity. Keep temperature around 18–22°C for MLF and monitor malic acid levels until conversion is complete.

Malolactic Fermentation (Optional)

When primary fermentation and desired maceration are complete, press the pomace gently to separate free-run and press fractions. Combine or keep them separate depending on style — for a premium balanced wine, blend some press fraction but avoid harsh late-press material.

Pressing

Rack the wine off gross lees into a clean vessel. Add sulfite to target a total free SO2 appropriate for the pH (the ingredients include a small Campden dose earlier; adjust now to target ~30 mg/L free SO2 before bottling). Cold-stabilize near 0–1°C for several days to precipitate tartrates if needed.

Stabilization & Clarification

Transfer wine to oak (one 225 L barrique or equivalent oak chips scaled to batch size) for aging. For this small 10 kg fruit batch (approx. 7–8 liters finished), use 1 small medium-toast oak piece or small oak barrel alternative. Age 6–12 months depending on desired oak integration and structure, sampling monthly. Monitor and top up to minimize oxidation.

Oak Aging

After aging, rack and perform any fining (e.g., protein fining, bentonite, gelatin, or PVPP) to achieve clarity and remove off-notes. Re-check acidity and sulfite and adjust to target. If residual sugars or other adjustments are needed, make them now and re-stabilize.

Fining and Final Adjustments

Bring wine to final volume, filter if desired, and add bottling sulfite to reach a free SO2 around 25–35 mg/L depending on pH. Bottle into 750 ml bottles (10 bottles approximated by this batch), cork and label. Allow bottle aging at cellar temperature (12–16°C) for at least 6 months before release; many premium examples benefit from 1–3 years of bottle age to integrate Liatiko aromatics, Kotsifali structure and Syrah spice.

Final SO2 and Bottling

Serve slightly below room temperature (16–18°C) in large-bowled red wine glasses. Decanting for 30–60 minutes can open aromas for younger bottles. Pair with grilled lamb, tomato-based Mediterranean dishes, mature cheeses and herb-forward preparations.

Serving Suggestion

Liatiko grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent)

Kotsifali grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent)

Syrah grapes (fresh or whole-berry equivalent)

Wine yeast (e.g., Lalvin RC212 or suitable red strain)

Yeast nutrient

Potassium metabisulfite (for sanitation and SO2 adjustment)

Tartaric acid (if needed to adjust acidity)

Enological tannin (optional, to balance structure)

Campden tablets (or crushed potassium metabisulfite)

Oak (medium toast) — alternative: oak chips or 225L barrique

Cold-stabilization capacity (ice or refrigeration for 0°C treatment)

Bottles (750 ml)

Corks

Bottling sulfite solution (to target free SO2 30 mg/L)

2021 Douloufakis Enotria

2 for $35 cocktail

Zorba White

CHICKEN MOUSSAKA

2021 Douloufakis Enotria Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

You might also like