Why this wine matters
More than a famous label.
The blend is 60% Syrah, 20% Xinomavro and 20% Merlot from the Amyndeon plateau at around 620–710 metres.
Alpha Estate · Amyndeon, Florina
Alpha Estate Red S.M.X.
Syrah/Xinomavro/Merlot · dark fruit · spice · new oak · structured
S.M.X. is Alpha Estate’s flagship-style red blend, joining Syrah and Merlot with Greece’s Xinomavro at high altitude.
Country
Greece
Region
Amyndeon, Florina
Appellation
PGI Florina
Grapes
Syrah · Xinomavro · Merlot
Style
Red
Realistic spend
£25–£32
Budget band: £20–£35
Best moments
birthdayfathers daychristmasdinner partygifttasting night
A powerful high-altitude Greek red for Father’s Day, Christmas and tasting nights.
How it is made
The decisions behind the style.
After cold soak and temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine spends at least 18 months in new French oak and at least another year in bottle before release.
What does it taste like?
The shape of the wine.
Dark berries and plum meet spice, violet and oak, with firm tannin, fresh acidity and a long structured finish.
Body5/5
Acidity4/5
Tannin5/5
Sweetness0/5
Oak influence4/5
Freshness4/5
Aroma5/5
Serve it well
Serve around 16–18°C.
If this wine were human…
The understated heavyweight
If Alpha Estate Red S.M.X. were human, it would be carries far more presence than the lack of theatrics initially suggests.
substantialsharp-mindedstrong-willedpolished
Does any of this sound suspiciously familiar?
Carries far more presence than the lack of theatrics initially suggests. You appreciate tradition, but only when it has earned the right to stay.
At dinner, you know when the table needs another bottle and when it needs coffee instead. Secretly, you enjoy being underestimated until the second half of the evening.
In short: carries far more presence than the lack of theatrics initially suggests. syrah/xinomavro/merlot energy, translated into a person.
Purely for fun — this is the wine’s fictional personality, not a psychological reading of yours.
What to eat with it
And the cheese?
No dead ends.
Start with this wine and move straight into cheese, or build a whole tasting around it.
Keep exploring
There are 365 more wines where this came from.
Research sources
This profile is researched against producer or similarly authoritative material. Vintage-specific details are kept separate from the permanent wine identity.