A Taste of History - Limnio
A deep dive into the oldest varietal you've (probably) never heard of.
At the heart of the Aegean Sea, roughly situated between the ancient city of Troy and the holy mountain of Athos on the eastern tip of the Halkidiki peninsula, lies the island of Lemnos. Today, home to around 16,500 inhabitants, the island has seen continuous habitation for at least 6,000 years, with some evidence suggesting settlements as far back as 10,000 BC. It is impossible to determine exactly how long the inhabitants of this island have been involved in wine production, but by the time the Iliad was composed by Homer sometime around 800-750 BC, Lemnian wine had already gained a reputation for high quality. This reputation, although likely reflecting its status at the time the Iliad was written, could plausibly have been established during the events described in the epic, though there is debate as to whether the famed battle for Troy took place at all. If it did, it would have been around 1,200-1,100 BC.
Aristotle (384-322 BC) praised Lemnian wine in his Meteorology, Book IV, Chapter 9, noting that wines from the island were the best, although they caused headaches, like other sweet, dark wines. The modern reader would be best off interpreting this as indicating a rather alcoholic wine, recognising that Aristotle, in his wisdom, is describing a hangover.
"Wine made from unripe grapes is more nourishing and more digestible, but weaker and not so good for the stomach, and gives no headaches. The sweet, dark wine is strong and good for the stomach but causes headaches. This is generally said of all sweet wines. It is generally said that wine made in the island of Lemnos is the best, but it gives headaches."
Aristotle - Meteorology, Book IV, Ch. 9
The fascinating aspect of these and other historical accounts of Lemnian wine is that we know with some certainty it was made from a varietal called Limnio. This makes Limnio the oldest recorded blue varietal in the world! It should not be confused with Limniona, which, while sometimes used interchangeably, has been shown through genetic analysis to be a separate varietal.
Often known as Kalambaki on Lemnos, Limnio is no longer the primary varietal of the Lemnos PDO (local appellation), which mainly produces white wines from Muscat of Alexandria. Examples are still made, of course, but in comparatively small volumes. However, Limnio has found much broader adoption in northern Greece, particularly in Thrace, Macedonia, and Thessaly, where it truly thrives.
Climate Change and Adaptability
Limnio is a varietal very well adapted to the warm Mediterranean climates of this region and is particularly known for its ability to withstand heat and its drought tolerance. These traits would certainly have been advantageous before farmers could resort to irrigation, and in an age where average temperature records seem to be surpassed every year, it could be a varietal that sees wider adoption going forward.
In a 2020 study titled “Adaptive capacity of winegrape varieties cultivated in Greece to climate change: current trends and future projections,” Koufos et al. closely examine the relationship between harvest dates and air temperature during the growing season for 29 key international and indigenous Greek varietals. It is a well written study and well worth reading. In addition to carefully calculating the growing degree days (GDD) for each varietal, which is highly useful information for those interested in growing grapes, they also use climate projections to forecast the impact that further increases in temperatures during the growing season will have on harvest dates. GDD is generally calculated as follows:
GDs are calculated each day as the maximum temperature plus the minimum temperature divided by 2 (or the mean temperature), minus the base temperature. GDDs are accumulated by adding each day’s GDs contribution as the season progresses. If the average temperature is below the base temperature, the growing degree day value for that day is zero. For grapes, the base temperature is usually set to 10 degrees Celsius. A later ripening variety would therefore require a higher GDD to ripen.
One of the key findings of this study is that indigenous varietals show a clear adaptive advantage over international varietals, requiring significantly higher GDD on average and typically requiring later harvesting to reach maturity. This is well illustrated in the following two graphs excerpted from the above-mentioned study.
As the climate is expected to heat up, this means that harvest dates for all varietals will be brought forward. For early ripening varietals, this may mean they will no longer be suitable for the same sites as they are currently and may need to be planted at higher altitudes or in more northerly locations altogether.
Limnio falls into the late ripening category and, according to these results, is expected to be far less susceptible to environmental changes, though not entirely immune. In practical terms, harvest dates for Limnio may be brought forward from the current average of around 8th September to around 18th August for an RCP4.5 scenario (2041-2065) and 9th August for RCP8.5 (2071-2095). If you are unfamiliar with these terms, don’t worry. I had to look it up as well. Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) are climate change scenarios used to project future greenhouse gas concentrations. The Wikipedia article is quite thorough, but in short, RCP8.5 represents a bit of a worst-case scenario for global warming if we do not get our act together.
The relationship between temperature during the growing season and the time for grapes to reach maturity is far from linear, with hotter temperatures not necessarily leading to earlier harvests. It should be noted that grape maturity and harvest dates are uniquely human constraints dictated by the desired qualities of the grape as they relate to winemaking. The aforementioned study showed that, for instance, the mid-ripening variety Athiri experienced a statistically significant delay. Though further research is needed to explain why this occurs, it may be due to the metabolic responses that vines have to extreme heat events, sometimes shutting down photosynthesis. A study by H. Greer et al. looks into this in further detail in the context of Semillon, finding that:
Photosynthesis was reduced 35% by the heat event while transpiration increased nearly threefold and was accounted for by increased stomatal conductance. The conclusion of this study was that heat events delayed ripening in Semillon berries and caused a significant reduction in berry quality.
Delayed harvest windows in a warming climate appear therefore to be a clear indication that the conditions for that varietal have become too extreme, compromising quality.
With regards to Limnio, however, the news is a little better as its response to increased heat is far more moderate than earlier ripening varieties, meaning that in all likelihood, Limnio will remain a viable option for vintners in Greece going forward.
At this stage, I must admit to a personal interest in this varietal. Having a small plot of land in the province of Central Macedonia, Limnio represents a good potential candidate for what I think can become a beautiful little vineyard someday. Planting a vineyard in one of the hottest countries on the northern shore of the Mediterranean might, in this age of climate change, not sound like a good idea, which is why it’s so heartening to learn about high-quality indigenous varietals that can withstand the current and coming climate (at least in my lifetime). Initially, the marketability of an international varietal such as Syrah was appealing, though do we really need another warm climate Syrah? The downside of this varietal of course, being thin skinned is that it is quite susceptible to mildew and other diseases which may make management too tricky for my purposes. More on this below. Anyway, this little project aside (hope to have more news on that going forward), let’s take a look at what this ancient varietal tastes like.
Organoleptic Qualities and Cultivation
From Aristotle’s testimony, we know that Limnio is capable of producing sweet wines with high alcohol content. However, modern winemaking techniques can tame this tendency to produce heady wines, allowing Limnio to produce a range of styles from refreshingly light to medium bodied wines. Limnio typically produces complex wines with red fruits such as cherries and raspberries. They are also known to exhibit herbal aromas of thyme, oregano, and bay leaf, a tendency which increases as the grapes mature. Longer hang-time tends to lead to increased herbal expressions.
On the palate, it offers medium to high acidity and medium tannins, lending itself to a smooth mouthfeel. It is quite often blended with international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, to which it lends fresh ancidity and red fruit flavours.
It’s interesting that for a heat tolerant varietal such as this, it is quite thin skinned. Normally, thin skin varietals, Pinot Noir being a good example, prefer cool climates. This presents challenges in cultivation as the thinner skins make the clusters more susceptible to fungal diseases like powdery mildew and botrytis (bunch rot), as well as pests, particularly in humid or rainy regions. In return for the added effort however, they can deliver delicate aromas and flavour profiles as a result, depending on how they are cultivated. While most thin skinned varietals are adapted to cooler climates, some have adapted to hot climates despite their thin skins. Notable examples that most would be familiar with are Zinfandel and Grenache which both produce stunning wines from warm regions (think Lodi in California and Southern Rhone). They can achieve this due to physiological adaptations that allow the vines to deal with heat stress, such as deep root systems, efficient water use, or particular leaf structures that provide better shading and reduce transpiration. Limnio falls into this category, and has been described to me as expressing itself more like a Burgundy than anything else. It does however have a very narrow harvest window, which means that if the grower is not on top of sugar levels, the resulting wine can quickly become jammy, losing that delicacy and vibrant fruit it should have.
The above tasting notes are of course quite general and, as they say, mileage may vary. To find out myself, I got my hands on an example of 100% Limnio from the Vourvoukeli Estate in Avdira, Thrace. Below is the brief technical specifications borrowed from the website that sold me the bottle:
Vourvoukelis, Limnio (2018) - £21.50
Type: Dry Red, 13% ABV
Varietal Composition: 100% Limnio
Region: Avdira, Thrace, Greece
Vinification: Skin contact for 1 week with recirculation at 12-15°C, free run juice up to 50 % because of coloured skins, alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at 21-23°C, short ageing over fine lees, oak age for 6 months. Chalky substratum covered by lime stones. Harvested end of September 2015, end of September 2016
On popping the cork on this one, the first thing that stood out to me was just how light it is. A gorgeous pale ruby, crystal clear and light, it certainly looks Burgundian. The aromatics are also delicate, bursting with red fruit, raspberries and redcurrants in particular. It is not the most pronounced, but again I am reminded of Burgundy. That said, there is a peppery, savoury and herb driven undertone to this that takes us away from France and brings us right back down to Thrace. Through firm and mouthwatering acidity, comes thyme, oregano, and a bit of that bay leaf that Oz Clarke is known to have said Limnio can produce. The finish is long, and quite frankly, it is a wine that I really like.
I must admit I did not fully know what to expect here. I begun researching this varietal based on its historical prominence and a combination of qualities that I think would make for an interesting read, not having ever tried one before. This will not be my last foray into the world of Limnio however, and I’m already looking for the next bottle.
That it would produce such a delicate wine is perhaps what surprises me most about this varietal. If you’ve been to Greece, you know it can get punishingly hot, and while temperatures in the northern regions where this varietal thrives tend to be more moderate, you can regularly expect the mercury to creep above 30 centigrade. That would have lovers of Pinot Noir, myself included, cry out in horror saying that such climate can never produce light and delicate wines. Well… this may not be DRC, but it is seriously good, and forces me to re-assess what I thought about warm climate varietals.
Other Notable Producers
Though often featuring in blends, there are a fair few examples of single varietal Limnio wines out there. I have not tried the following myself, but have selected some that look the most interesting that may offer you a starting point should you want to explore the varietal. Domaine Kikones in particular make excellent wine with international varietals, so expect their Limnio to be of the same high standard.
Kikones Limnio Red (2008) - £35.39
Type: Dry Red, 13% ABV
Varietal Composition: 100% Limnio
Region: Maronia, Thrace, Greece
Vinification: Pigeage by hand, 12 months in French oak barrels, unfined and unfiltered.
Garalis, Limnio (2020) - £23.50
Type: Dry Red, 13% ABV
Varietal Composition: 100% Limnio
Region: Lemnos, Greece
Vinification: 45 year old vines planted on volcanic soil at 150m above sea level. 100% Limnio, hand-harvested, commercial yeast, gentle pneumatic pressing and vinication in stainless steel for 7 days before malolactic conversion, fined, filtered and 2,000 bottles made.
Tatsis, Limnio Red (2018) - £29.00
Type: Dry Red, 13.5% ABV
Varietal Composition: 100% Limnio
Region: Goumenissa, Macedonia, Greece
Vinification: The vines grow on calcareous, non-irrigated soil yielding a very modest production of about 3 to 7t/ha. All grapes come from the Estate, where vinification and maturation take place.
There are of course more examples of this varietal, but the list is not particularly long, and the ones available in the UK, let alone any other part of the world you might find yourself in aside from Greece, is even shorter. Hopefully this gives you a good starting point though.
In general, prices appear to average just over £15, based on data from Winesearcher. Getting hold of these wines outside of Greece however does come with a premium which I believe is reflected in the prices above.
Final Thoughts
That there is limited information about this varietal online is a bit of an understatement, and there are a lot of questions I still have regarding Limnio and its growth characteristics, preferences regarding soil ph, responses to different wine making techniques and more. The majority of sources regurgitate the same vague mentions of Aristotle, Homer and Hesiod, not indicating where or indeed what they actually say about it. While I feel it adds to the charm and historical background of this varietal, it is frustrating to see that it often stops there. I hope therefore that the above information provides a better, and somewhat more complete, overview of this super interesting varietal for those that might be interested.
If you know something I have missed, or gotten wrong, please let me know in the comments.
Limnio is a grape variety that is new to me. Usually this would mean having to do my own homework. But not in this case. Thanks for sharing this incredible deep dive!!
What a deep dive indeed! This is a great resource for a grape I've never heard of before... I'll be bookmarking this article for future study, too.