Charilys Spumante Brut

About this wine

This Spumante Brut from Matamis blends Assyrtiko and Malagousia to produce a bright, aromatic sparkling wine. On the nose it shows citrus peel, white flowers and a touch of acacia with subtle bready lees character. The palate is lively and creamy, with crisp acidity, persistent fine bubbles and flavors of white flesh fruit and lemon zest. The wine is made by the Charmat method and rests on its lees for about two months, which contributes to the soft texture and gentle foam. Technical figures from the producer list 11.5 percent alcohol, residual sugar around 8 grams per liter and total acidity near 7.5 grams per liter, reflecting its fresh balanced profile.

About the grape

Assyrtiko is a white grape originally associated with Santorini that is prized for keeping high natural acidity and for developing mineral character, here it is grown in Epanomi on sandy loam soils where the sea dew and cool summers help preserve that acidity for sparkling wine production. Malagousia is a rediscovered aromatic Greek variety that contributes floral and citrus lift, it is often managed to moderate yields and in this bottling it is planted at about 450 plants per acre with an average yield near 1000 kg per acre to preserve its perfume. In the Matamis Charilys Spumante both varieties are tended with simple Guyot training and a focus on drainage and gentle ripening, then the blend is made into sparkling wine by the Charmat method with two months on the lees to build texture. These choices reflect the local Epanomi climate and soils, using Assyrtiko for backbone and Malagousia for aromatic lift in a sparkling style.

Quick facts

• ✨ Charilys is a sparkling blend of Assyrtiko and Malagousia, a rare pairing that brings mineral bite and floral perfume to a fizzy wine.
• 📍 It is made in Epanomi outside Thessaloniki, so the Assyrtiko here shows temperate mainland character rather than the volcanic style of island Assyrtiko.
• 🍾 The wine is produced with the Charmat method and spends two months on its lees, which gives surprisingly creamy bubbles and a soft foamy texture.
• ⚖️ Charilys is a deliberately light styled spumante at 11.5 percent alcohol and about 5.8 bar pressure, making it bright and easy drinking but still playful.
• 🏅 Matamis winery prides itself on sparkling innovation, they released one of Greeces early commercial spumantes from Moschato Alexandrias in 2009, showing a long term focus on bubblies.

Palate profile

Producer

Matamis Winery was founded in 2007 by Apostolos Matamis, who serves as the scientific director and works closely with his sons Stelios and Giannis. The company focuses on producing wines that showcase Greek grape varieties and selected vineyard sites across regions such as Epanomi and Lemnos. Matamis specializes in both still and sparkling wines, including Moschato based sparklings that highlight local traditions. The winery operates from Epanomi near Thessaloniki, and it has built a reputation for careful vineyard selection and modern winemaking techniques.