Alpha Estate 2018 Xinomavro Hedgehog Vineyard 750ml

The 2017 Xinomavro Hedgehog Vineyard was aged for 12 months in an equal mixture of used and new French barriques. It comes in at 13.8% alcohol. Always a great value in the lineup, and very consistent, this provides earthy complexity, power and a bright finish. The mid-palate tends to be not as impressive, but this hardly feels thin. It is nicely textured as well, silky at times and velvety most always. The best part, though, is its juicy energy. It is a little mouthwatering. This is not, of course, a sweet and fruity wine—it's more classic Xinomavro, with its fair share of tannins and acidity. At the same time, it is very balanced, vaguely approachable even now. It was pretty fine the next day. It should come along well, though, if you can give it a year or so to settle down. It is balanced and the tannins are not overly hard. It's another fine effort in this brand, which is always a good source for value. It should age well.

Score: 91 points -- Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate, 2020