Gentilini Robola 2015

Robola is a citrusy, floral and chunky white, chosen for Oddbins by Londoner Jessica Shinner after she discovered it on holiday in Kefalonia, via The Listing. If you haven’t had your ear pinned to the ground (tut tut), The Listing gives you, the consumer, the opportunity to tell us about your favourite holiday wine which, if we concur, could end up on our shelves! V v exciting, darlings.

The weird (and wonderful) thing about Robola is that it was actually featured in the bestselling book, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, which became a film starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz. Talk about pedigree! But this is what Jessica has to say about it:

'The pale lemon appearance reflects the clean, crisp nose but neither give away the interesting combination of flavours on the palate. Some citrus and slight vegetal notes complement the warm apricot and subtle honey tones to create this wonderfully drinkable wine. Pair with fresh seafood for a delicious Mediterranean feast'.

The Gentilini family’s presence on Kephalonia dates back to 1593, when Marino Gentilini, an Italian army engineer, was commissioned by the Venetian Senate to build the extensive Assos fortifications on Kephalonia. He eventually married and settled here, and his name was inscribed in the Libro d'Oro of noble families.

A few centuries later, in 1984, his descendent Spiro-Nicholas Kosmetatos planted his first vineyard of local and classic white grape varieties on Kefalonia. At the time he was a pioneer in fine wine making in Greece and helped pave the way for other boutique wineries.

Nicholas’ daughter Marianna and her husband Petros Markantonatos took over the estate in 2002 with an eye on the future which, however, respects the experience of the past. They aim to produce top quality, exciting and unique wines while promoting the unique flavours and aromas of the local Kefalonian varieties. All the steps that go into the making of these fine wines, from vineyard management to bottling and marketing, are overseen and controlled by Marianna and Petros together with their resident winemaker, Mike Jones.

Today, they have 10 hectares under vine which are certified organic and make a core range of six wines. They also produce experimental wines each year to ensure that Gentilini keeps moving forward. Quantities are purposefully kept low to ensure that quality is not compromised, with a total production of just 50,000 bottles annually.

Made 100% with the native Kefalonian variety, Robola, this has a cleansing lemon acidity, gentle floral notes and a chunky body, making it a brilliant match for simply cooked, fresh seafood.