Editing Agiorgitiko (section)

==Styles==
[[File:Agiorgitiko from nemea.jpg|right|thumb|A Nemea wine made from 100% Agiorgitiko]]
Agiorgitiko is a very versatile grape variety that can be made in a wide range of styles from light rosés to soft, fruity reds made by [[carbonic maceration]] in a style similar to the [[French wines]] of [[Beaujolais]], to very tannic wines with spicy, red fruit [[aromas (wine)|aromas]] and the [[potential to age]]. At its most extreme, Agiorgitiko wines have the potential to be very low in acidity, high [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] and high in [[phenolics (wine)|phenolics]] with both issues requiring the winemaker to make decisions on how to handle these components in order to make a balanced wine.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

The small berries and thick skins of the grape contribute to high phenolic levels of Agiorgitiko which leads the wine needing very little [[maceration (wine)|maceration]] time in order to extract the deep, dark color associated with the grape. It also contribute to the tannin levels and the grape's ability to handle the effects of [[oak aging]] in the barrel.<ref name="Wine Grapes"/>

According to wine expert [[Karen MacNeil]], some examples of Agiorgitiko can be lush and "almost [[Port (wine)|Port-like]]" with spicy, peppery flavors.<ref name="MacNeil"/> [[Oz Clarke]] notes that the quality of Nemean wine made from Agiorgitiko is highly dependent on the individual skill of the winemaker and that "Only an example whose burly, rugged power has not been diminished by [[oxidation]] and lazy winemaking will age properly".<ref name="Clarke encyclopedia"/> Tom Stevenson notes that some examples can "be spoiled by dried-out or dead fruit" that is harvested too late, with too little acidity, at excessively ripe levels.<ref name="Sotheby"/>

According to the [[Wine & Spirit Education Trust]] (WSET), the best examples of Agiorgitiko tend to have moderate to low acidity, with a deep, ruby color, red fruit aromas and a sweet spicy note. These examples tend to come from vineyards planted in the middle range of the hillside slopes around Nemea with grapes harvested near the top of the {{convert|900|m|ft}} hills being excessively acidic while those harvested from the very warm valley floor often being too "jammy". The variance in quality of Agiorgitiko from the different vineyards around Nemea have led some Greek wine producers to investigate developing a [[cru (wine)|cru]] [[Classification of wine|classification system]].<ref name="WSET"/>

Unlike the [[Xinomavro]]-based wines of fellow OPAP region [[Naousa, Imathia|Naousa]], the wine experts at WSET note that the Agiorgitiko-based wines of Nemea tend to have a more "international style" which may enhance the potential of Greek wines on the international market.<ref name="WSET"/>