Naoussa is the finest wine of northern Greece, from a region of gentle foothills between the Macedonian plain and the mountainous spine of the country that defines so much of Greek history, culture and day-to-day life. This was the first Greek wine to re-emerge on the world stage in the late 20th century, drawing comparisons to Piedmont’s Nebbiolo. In truth, Naoussa was famous across the Mediterranean centuries before Nebbiolo’s moment arrived in the 1950s, but the last five hundred years have been complicated for Greece, and until recently the Xinomavro grape was a strictly local treat in the dockside cafes of Thessaloniki. Vaeni is a cooperative representing more than 200 growers, more than half of all wine made in Naoussa, every one of them farming sustainably. The wine ages for a year in oak barrels before release, and emerges as a wildly complex wine. Aromas include raspberry jelly, raspberry leaf, cherry and sage and orange peel. The palate is lithe, with silky tannins and fresh acidity that brings to life flavors of cherry and anise and cinnamon. Orange zest and cherries linger on the persistent finish.