Markovitis Alkemi Xinomavro Rosé

Some rosés are built for sunny afternoons and very little else. Alkemi has other ideas. Produced by Markovitis in Naoussa, northern Greece, this is a rosé that behaves more like a serious table wine, carrying the structure, savoury edge and quiet confidence of the Xinomavro grape from which it's made. If your benchmark for rosé is pale Provence and polite red fruit, prepare for a slight recalibration.

Markovitis is one of the great names of modern Greek wine. Formerly known as Château Pegasus, the family estate was among the first in Greece to farm organically and has spent decades championing Xinomavro, the noble variety that defines Naoussa. Often compared to Nebbiolo for its combination of acidity, tannin and longevity, Xinomavro can produce wines of remarkable complexity, but it also has a knack for making rosé with genuine personality.

Alkemi takes inspiration from the darker, more gastronomic rosé styles that sommeliers have quietly loved for years. Produced using the saignée method and aged in stainless steel, it combines freshness with substance in a way that feels distinctly Mediterranean. There's a herbal, savoury thread running through the wine that sits alongside citrus peel, wild berries and floral notes, giving it far more range at the table than most bottles labelled "rosé".

Alkemi is particularly compelling because it never feels caught between categories. It isn't trying to be a light red, and it certainly isn't chasing poolside simplicity. Instead, it lands in that sweet spot occupied by the best food wines: versatile, expressive and capable of improving almost any meal without demanding all the attention for itself. Grilled fish, lamb, roasted vegetables, tomato-based dishes or a spread of mezze all seem perfectly reasonable places to start.

Greek wine has spent the last decade shedding old assumptions and rediscovering the strengths of its indigenous grapes. Alkemi feels like a perfect example of why that's happened. Distinctive without being difficult, serious without becoming solemn, it offers a glimpse of what Xinomavro can do when it steps outside its usual role and into something altogether more unexpected.