Naousa (or Náoussa) is a town in the hills of Macedonia, northern Greece. It is situated an hour's drive west of the regional capital Thessaloniki, and is not to be confused with the identically-named village on the Aegean island of Paros. In 1971 it became Greece's very first wine region to be given its own official appellation title, and served as a model for the Greek appellation system. The classic Naoussa wine is a structured, savory red made exclusively from Macedonia's flagship red-wine grape Xynomavro.
Top-quality Naoussa ranks among Greece's very finest red wines. The best examples inspire comparisons with the Nebbiolo-based reds of Piedmont. It is easy to see why: both are high-acid, age-worthy styles which are aggressively tannic in their youth, and whose vibrant purple-black coloring fades to brick-like garnet at a relatively early age. Until disproved by DNA analysis, there was even a theory in some ampelographic circles that the Xynomavro and Nebbiolo varieties might closely related. Also worth noting are the various geographical similarities between Naousa and, say, Barolo. Both are located amid mountain foothills rich in limestone and clay, 330m above sea level and 30 miles north-west of the nearest coastline.
The Naoussa vineyards are located all around the eponymous town, on the eastern slopes of the 6,730ft (2,050m) Mount Vermion, the highest point in the Vermio Mountains. They are planted at altitudes between 500ft and 1100ft (150m and 350m) above sea level. The best spots are those on south and southeast-facing slopes which make the most of all available sunshine. Unlikely as it might seem (given Greece's reputation as a warm, sunny country) there are areas within the Naoussa viticultural zone which qualify as 'cool-climate', and in which grapes struggle to ripen.
Naousa's climate is more continental (and less Mediterranean) than that found in most Greek wine regions. It is heavily influenced by the mountains which rise rapidly up to the west, and by the plain of Kambania to the east. On one hand, the mountains shelter the area from cold winds blowing from the north and west down the Balkan Peninsula. On the other they create föhn winds, which draw in cool, damp air from the Aegean coast. Winters are particularly cold here; the Vermion ranges are home to several of Greece's top skiing resorts.
Pruning techniques are used to control the naturally high-yielding Xynomavro variety; the most quality-conscious producers harvest yields much smaller than the appellation's official thresholds. Site selection is also important. The best sites around Naousa have well-drained, low-fertility soils that encourage the development of strong root systems.
During the 19th Century, Naousa wine was found in well-to-do households across Europe as local producers were able to get around the high taxes and bans on winemaking imposed in much of mainland Greece by the ruling Ottomans. However, an outbreak of phylloxera in the early 20th Century led to many of Naousa's vineyards being ripped out. In the 1960s, vines were replanted with phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, and more-modern viticulture and winemaking techniques saw a resurgence of Naousa wines. The arrival of the Naoussa appellation (a PDO) in 1971 precipitated significant improvements in both viticulture and winemaking.
The relationship between Naousa and its Xynomavro is close and well-established; the appellation laws state that the wines must be made from 100% Xynomavro. A few producers in the area are experimenting with international grape varieties such as Merlot and Syrah, but these must be sold under the less prestigious Macedonia PGI appellation. Naousa is arguably Greece's most famous expression of Xynomavro wine, but the variety is also attracting attention through the wines of nearby Amyndaio.
