Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Visanto

Vinsanto is a traditional sweet wine from Santorini. Its color is dark bronze. It belongs to the category of wines Appellation Origine High Quality (OPAP Santorini). Grapes are harvested at the end of September and are exposed to sun for almost two weeks. During this process, grapes loose much of their water and sugars concision is increased. After pressing of the grapes must is driven into wooden barrels, to follow the process of fermentation for at least four months. Then left to mature for at least two years in oak barrels. In order for a wine to be named visanto, apart from the above mentioned procedure that has to be followed, the grapes must be at least 51% of Assyrtiko variety, while the remainder will be varieties of grapes and Aidani, Athiri or other white grapes grown in Santorini. There are two theories about the origin of the name. One theory is the name comes from the use of the Holy Eucharist (Italian vino santo: "holy wine") while the other suggests that the origin of the wine (Italian vino di Santorini: "wine from Santorini) . In Santorini make also vinsanto with sweet black grapes Mantilaria which, however, does not belong to the category of wines Opap. Visanto Kamaritis by Koutsogiαnnopoulos is a visanto made from mantilaria you should try (approximately 16 euro).

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