Robola is a white grape indigenous to either the Ionian Islands or the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. The grape is mainly cultivated across the Ionian Islands, where it has gained a reputation for producing high quality wines. Despite having a name very similar to Ribolla Gialla from the Friuli region of northern Italy, they are genetically unrelated. Robola is a grape variety that loses acidity quickly during the ripening process, meaning that harvesting at an optimal time is essential. Some vineyards are planted at higher altitudes which can help retain the acid a little longer. This is because there is a wider variation in the daytime high and overnight low temperatures. This allows grapes to cool overnight, slowing the ripening process. Robola is used to make varietal wines to showcase its citrus character and light aromatics.
This week I drank a 2021 Sarris Old Vine Robola from Kefalonia, PDO. Old vine does not have a legal definition in this region but the vines were planted in 1980 on their own rootstock. Planting grape vines on their own rootstock can be a risky proposition because it can reduce the disease resistance. Most vines around the globe are grafted onto American rootstocks. They can provide a variety of benefits depending on the characteristics the grower is seeking, such as tolerance to nematodes, phylloxera, soil pH, and drought, to name a few examples. My glass of Robola is a pale lemon color. It has aromas of flint with white grapefruit, lemon zest, lemon pith, green pear, and salinity. This dry, medium alcohol, moderate body wine has a higher level of acid. The complex array of aromas are also present on the palate and slowly fade on a long finish. This was a very refreshing wine after a day of doing yard work. It would pair well with light seafood dishes, salty cheeses, asparagus with hollandaise, or artichokes with lemon aioli.
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 