The “swan song” of Aivalis’ majestic Agiorgitiko has sadly arrived. The pre-phylloxera vineyard of four hectares that lay behind the legendary Tessera “4” gave its final fruit in 2022, creating the collectible TESSERA AVE ATQUE VALE (“hail & farewell”), in just 220 bottles. A piece of Nemea’s history, imbued with deep emotion and unmatched class—a wine that truly deserves a place in your cellar and collection.

This vineyard has witnessed the entire evolution of modern viticulture—from the horse and the farmer’s sweat to the hum of the modern tractor. Here, 980 Agiorgitiko vines, a dowry from his great-great-grandmother, stood for over 130 years, yielding fruit so concentrated it forged the legend and character of Aivalis’ “Tessera”—one of the most coveted, rare, and iconic Greek wines. Four (Tessera means four)—like the hectares of the dry, pre-phylloxera vineyard in the Fliassio Field. Four—like the minutes its endless finish lingers.

“Tessera” was the wine that established Christos Aivalis as one of Nemea’s leading winemakers and elevated Agiorgitiko to premium heights. With a heavy heart, Christos bid farewell to this vineyard in 2022, as it could give no more fruit. Its final, intensely concentrated fruit became the foundation for TESSERA AVE ATQUE VALE. Vinification took place in open tanks with an exceptionally long 45-day extraction (responsible for its inky color and powerful structure), followed by 30 months of aging in French oak barrels and 6 months in bottle.

Christos Aivalis dared to push Agiorgitiko to its limits, creating a legendary wine that stands shoulder to shoulder with the giants of the global vineyard.

The bottles of TESSERA AVE ATQUE VALE are strictly limited—so act fast!