Category Archives: Greece

Mediterranean Aperitivo: Delicious Products of Place on Your Plate

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I’ve noticed an interesting trend recently of food and wine products banding together to take their message to the masses. Case in point, the Charming Taste of Europe Consortium dinner I attended a few weeks ago. I think this is a great idea and, frankly, it makes a lot of sense since it can be challenging to showcase a single product and moreover, we don’t eat and drink in a vacuum.

This type of collaborative effort was also seen at the Mediterranean Aperitivo event, which was held at Eataly Flatiron’s winter wonderland rooftop in mid-December. As I was unable to attend, the organizers offered me the opportunity to recreate the festivities at home and I happily accepted.

Admittedly unsure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a cute package revealing Vermouth di Torino PGI, Pecorino Toscana PDO, a Costa d’Amalfi PGI Lemon and Greek olives, along with an informative guide. You’ll spot a lot of letters in the above product names and that’s both intentional and important.

Specifically, PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) are legal terms that mean that the products have been deemed by the European Union to be of high quality and of particular connection to a territory or geographical area. Much like Champagne (a sparkling wine that only comes from the Champagne region in France), these labels signal to the consumer that this is a special product coming from a very specific place.

Vermouth di Torino PGI: While many people are familiar with vermouth in the context of a martini, they may not know precisely what vermouth is. It is, in fact, an aromatized wine. In this regard, a local wine has been infused with local, aromatic plants. Think of it as the gin of wine! Vermouth is commonly produced in alpine areas and Piedmont’s Torino, at the foothills of the Alps, is no exception. The region’s vermouth developed its stellar reputation in the 18th century and has continued to uphold the same standards and receive continued recognition.

While the guide suggested making a classic martini, paired with the enclosed Greek olives, our household was a bit shy of the required quantities of either gin or vodka at that moment. Instead, I opted to mix up a slightly altered version of the guide’s other recipe, Contessa of Piedmont, substituting the sweet vermouth for the dry and Campari for the Aperol. It was well balanced and delicious with floral and botanical notes!

Pecorino Toscano PDO: While pecorino is a general term for cheese produced from sheep’s milk, Pecorino Toscano PDO hails specifically from sheep’s milk produced in Tuscany and a few municipalities in Umbria and Lazio. It can be made as a soft or semi-hard cheese, depending on the maturation (20 days and four months minimums, respectively). It was relatively mild and slightly salty, with nice richness.

Costa d’Amalfi PGI: Groves for the Costa d’Amalfi PGI lemons were first planted between the 10th and 12th centuries along the coast from Positano and Cetara in Campania. Interestingly, these should not be confused with the lemons of Sorrento, which have their own PGI and are a different variety of lemon. The Costa d’Amalfi lemons are quite large, weighing a minimum of 100 grams and are less acidic than the typical, store-bought lemon. These lemons frequently find their way into limoncello, but as was evidenced by enjoying it on its own, they are great in their unadulterated form, with freshness, beautiful fragrance and bright acidity.

Greek olives: Finally, we have the olives produced in Western Greece, which has a biblical history of olive groves. Formal cultivation of olives within Greece dates to 3500-2500 BCE. Today, the area is home to 150 million olive trees, 600,000 olive farmers and 2,800 mills. The type of olives wasn’t specified, but I suspect them to be Kalamata olives, with their intense briny, acidic and salty flavors.

After making my cocktail and plating up the cheese, olives and crackers, I sat down to enjoy a wonderful collection of tastes and flavors, all of which proved to be a perfect pairing. Overall, I encountered lots of freshness on the plate and in the glass. The next time you are shopping for various ingredients, reward your palate by seeking out the unique products that are produced in very special places. Salut!

Domaine Katsaros and Ricossa offer up modern wines for modern times

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Although the world of wine has a long and storied history, two recent events – dinner with Evripidis Katsaros of Domaine Katsaros and lunch with Andrea Marazia of Ricossa winery – underscored the ever-evolving nature of the industry.

Domaine Katsaros, modernity in ancient Greece

KatsarosThinking about Greece, images of the Acropolis and other ancient temples might spring to mind –  crumbling pillars as a testament to a bygone civilization. But, despite this legacy of antiquity, there is a very modern bent to the winemaking currently taking place in Greece and Italy.

Instead of meeting Katsaros’ winemaker at a Greek establishment, the invitation promised pizza at Marta, the resident restaurant at the Martha Washington Hotel. Part of Danny Meyer’s empire (aka Union Square Hospitality Group), Marta is known for its wood-burning ovens, which turn out beautiful thin-crust pizzas and tempting grilled meats.

But, before the food was served, the journalists were given the opportunity to blind taste two wines and guess which one was the Katsaros 2015 Xinomavro barrel sample and which… was a Barolo. Like Nebbiolo — the grape responsible for Barolo (among others) — Xinomavro needs a lengthy time to fully ripen and has similarly high acidity and firm tannins. Evripidis further described Xinomavro wines as showing aromas of black fruit, rose petals, olive and tomato.

Interestingly, while the blind comparison didn’t seem to stump the participants, it did illustrate the shared characteristics of the two varieties. Yet, in the end, the Barolo’s significantly more tannic structure and less overt fruit aromas gave itself away. Meanwhile, despite its youth, the Xinomavro was rather enjoyable with its pronounced floral nose, brighter acidity and softer tannins.

For many of the guests, this was a first introduction to both Xinomavro and to Domaine Katsaros. The Domaine got its start in the early 1980s, when Evripidis’ father, Dr. Dimitrios Katsaros, purchased a small estate on the slopes of Mount Olympus. The property was initially intended as a family vacation home, but the area beckoned to him and soon he was buying additional land and planting grapevines on the 2500-foot elevation plots.

At the time, technical information on Greek grapes was non-existent, so Dimitrios looked to a grape with a proven track record: Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet was followed by Merlot, which was originally intended solely as a blending partner for the estate blend. However, they quickly discovered that the grapes were of significant quality to be crafted into a single variety Merlot.

In the early days, Dimitrios made wine only for friends and family, but, by 1985, the winery became official, coinciding with Evripidis’ childhood and adolescence. Having spent his summers watching his father build up the estate, it was a natural fit for him to study bio-chemistry at Bordeaux University, followed by a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Burgundy University.

Consequently, Evripidis knows his way around French grapes and his contribution in this regard has been the addition of Chardonnay, thanks to his belief that they would get good results from this variety. While many areas of Greece would be too hot for a grape that thrives in Burgundy’s cool climate, the northerly position of Domaine Katsaros’ provides a suitable home with a latitude and weather akin to that of Tuscany. In true French fashion, the Chardonnay is aged in French oak for several months, although Evripidis, who took over as head winemaker in 2008, admits that he prefers less wood than his father, especially in white wines.

However, despite the heavy reliance on French varieties, a subtle shift seems to be taking place, with a new interest in indigenous grapes, as evidenced by the planting of Xinomavro grapes in 2010. And, soon, they will add Robola Kefalonia, a white grape that originated on the island of Cephalonia.

Today, the family-owned winery is still the only one within Thessally’s PGI Krania, and maintains its dedication to using only estate grown fruit even though the vineyards are dispersed among 21 separate parcels. In recognition of their good stewardship of the land, the vineyards received organic certification in 1998.

Overall, the wines were very well made and showed off Evripidis’ skill as a French-trained winemaker. In this regard, although the Xinomavro/Barolo comparison was quite fun, it would be equally fascinating to taste his Merlot beside a glass of Right Bank Bordeaux.

Unfortunately, not only do people really like the Domaine Katsaros’ wines, but they (or at least the grapes that go into them) are a big hit with wild boars; nearly all of the 2014 crop was eaten by the pigs. Thus, it was with some sense of poetic justice that we eagerly devoured the meat-heavy Macellaio pizza (Sopressata, Guanciale, Pork Sausage, Mozzarella and Grana Padano) and the grilled pork loin with the wines. Thankfully, the boar were less destructive in 2015, ensuring that there will be more wine to go around for this latest vintage.

Ricossa wine, co-opting old traditions to create new trends

RicossaAlthough not nearly as ancient as ancient Greece, winemaking in Italy’s Piedmont region – home to the aforementioned Nebbiolo and hence, Barolo – dates back several centuries. Here, traditional winemaking has primarily centered on producing powerful, long-lived reds that take decades to reach their full potential. And, it seemed that such traditions were firmly entrenched.

But, even here, things are shifting. For one, classic wine styles have been evolving since the 1980s as a decidedly different view of Barolo winemaking came to the fore, splitting producers into one of two camps — Traditionalist vs. Modernist.

More recently, in another blending of old and new, the region has co-opted the age-old tradition of drying grapes in service of a new, modern style of Barbera. The newly minted Barbera Appassimento DOC owes a debt of gratitude to Ricossa Winery, which was the brainchild behind the creation of this wine.

The company, part of the MGM Mondo del Vino group, felt that there was something missing from the Piedmontese winescape – wines made in the appasimento style – and specifically targeted the Barbera grape as the beneficiary of this process. And, after only a year of discussions with the Consorzio, this new wine was approved as of the 2014 vintage.

The appasimento style is most closely associated with Italy’s Veneto region – think Amarone della Valpolicella, but, essentially, these wines are produced from grapes that are dried in humidity-controlled, ventilated room, thereby reducing water content and concentrating aromas and flavors in the grape.

Moreover, the specific rules for the Barbera Appassimento DOC are vastly different than those of Amarone. Of note, the drying process for this new wine is limited to four to six weeks, a much shorter time frame than the four months required for Amarone production. Further, there is no wood aging permitted compared to the minimum two years of oak aging for Amarone.

Yet, despite the obvious comparison to the Veneto, the true intent was to express the Barbera grape in a alternate way rather than mimic Amarone, as evidenced by the resulting style of wine. The group was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and light the wine was, finding it to be a great expression of the grape with softer acidity and fuller body than more traditional Barbera wines. Lunch guests also tasted Ricossa’s Gavi as well as its Barbaresco 2011 and Barolo Riserva 2008, which provided a broader introduction to the winery’s portfolio.

Island Wines: Santorini Edition

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There is something special about visiting an island. The discrete borders, the intimate setting and the separation from the mainland all conspire to conjure images of serene beauty. It’s why “Island Getaway” makes a much better headline than “Landlocked Getwaway”!

This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting several different islands, either in body (Long Island) or in spirit (Sicilia and Santorini), succumbing to their charms through the lovely wines that capture their essence.

Admittedly, Greece has been the talk of the town lately – what with a collapsing economy and all that. But, the good news coming out of Greece is the quality and diversity its wines. I presented a session on Greek wines for IWAGY back in the spring, which was a great opportunity to refresh my memory on Greece’s regions and indigenous varieties. Then, in June, I was (virtually) off to the island of Santorini with a tasting featuring the wines of this volcanic island.

The volcanic island of Santorini is exactly what one would expect from a Greek island. Vivid photographs of blindingly white stone buildings juxtaposed against the brilliance of the azure sea, central casting couldn’t have done a better job in creating the perfect setting.

Viticulture on the island dates to 3500 BCE, but the island owes its true viticultural heritage to the volcanic eruptions that took place in 1600 BCE. The resulting caldera, volcanic soils coupled with the climatic winds and limited rainfall, require vines to be grown in a unique, basket-shaped trellis (known as kouloura) nestled close to the ground for protection.

Here, producers rely on a mixture of indigenous varieties, most notably the white grape Assyrtiko, which creates crisp, dry refreshing whites that are mineral driven. Other local grapes include Athiri, Aidani and the reds: Mavrotragano and Mandelaria.

There are three appellations assigned to the small island: Santorini (dry whites, which must include a minimum of 75% Assyrtiko, rounded out with Athiri and Aidani), Vinsanto (sweet wines producead from at least 51% Assyrtiko and made from late harvested grapes, which are dried in the sun for about 2 weeks prior to fermentetaion) and Nykteri (originally named for the now-defunct restriction that the grapes be harvested at night (nikta), these dry whites are also produced with a minimum of 75% Assyrtiko, but with the additional requirement that the wines be aged for at least 3 months in oak barrels). Additionally, the luscious dessert wine, vinsanto, is also produced on the island.

ESTATE ARGYROS
This winery, originally established in 1903 by George Argyros, is now under the leadership of the fourth generation in the guise of Matthew Argyros. With 30 hectares of vineyards, the company’s holdings are among the largest on the island.

Argyros Aidani 2014, PGI Cyclades
This wine has bright fruit aromas with flavors of floral and peach.

Argyros Assyrtiko 2014, PDO Santorini
This wine displays distinct minerality and salinity on both the nose and palate, with good acidity and texture.

Estate Argyros 2014, PDO Santorini
This wine was fuller-bodied and more structured due to the barrel influence than the Assyrtiko.

Estate Argyros Vinsanto 1998, PDO Santorini
Aromas of caramel, honey, with a mineral characteristic. On the palate, it is rich, but not heavy or cloying; bright and fresh with a long finish.

Estate Argyros Vinsanto 1990, PDO Santorini
Darker in color than 1998, this wine offered up an intense nose of dried fruits, with a sweet, viscous palate with caramel, honey and fig, balanced by sufficient acidity.


GAIA
Gaia was established by Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos in 1994 and is considered to be a boutique winery. As an internationally trained winemaker, Yiannis is at the forefront of Santorini’s rebirth.

Gaia Thalassitis 2014, PDO Santorini
This unoaked version is pithy and fresh, with chalk and mineral notes throughout.

Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2014, PDO Santorini
A yeasty character pervades the nose and palate most likely a result of the use of natural yeast.

Gaia Thalassitis Oak Fermented 2013, PDO Santorini
This oak-treated wine displays both a fuller body and notes of oak due to the winemaking.


GAVALAS
 A true family business, the Gavalas Winery is presently headed by George Gavalas, who fuses his family’s traditions with a modern sensibility in the creation of his wines. In this regard, he has been instrumental in reviving some of the more obscure varieties on the island.

Gavalas Katsano 2014, PGI Cyclades
Floral and almond aromas on the nose give way to floral and pear flavors on the soft palate.

Gavalas Santorini 2014, PDO Santorini
Fresh with citrus and chalk, this is a lovely example of Assyrtiko.

Gavalas Santorini Natural Ferment 2014, PDO Santorini
Yeasty notes are joined by citrus and minerality. Very special.

Gavalas Vinsanto 2006, PDO Santorini
Intense nose with caramel and honey.

 

HATZIDAKIS
Forced to abandon the family vineyards in the wake of the 1956 earthquake, Haridimos and Konstatina Hadzidakis returned to the island forty years later to rebuild, replant and restore their family’s winemaking legacy.

Hatzidakis Aidani 2014, PGI Cyclades
With floral and peach aromas and flavors, this wine is lively on the palate with good acidity.

Hatzidakis Nykteri 2013, PDO Santorini
Fresh, with just a hint of sweetness on the attack. This wine is big and bold with good acidity.

Hatzidakis Mavrotragano 2013, PGI Cyclades
This wine has a deceptively soft start, giving way to its tannic grip and bright plum fruit.

Hatzidakis Vinsanto 2003, PDO Santorini
This wine is extremely fresh despite its sweetness level. It offers notes of honey, fig and quince.


KOUTSOYANNOPOULOS
The Koutsoyannopoulos family has been making wine since Grigoris and Dimitris Koutsoyannopoulos established Volcan Wines in 1880. Today, the fourth generation continues this tradition, under the family name, while still retaining the old logo.

Koutsoyannopoulos Santorini 2013, PDO Santorini
A bit weightier on the palate compared to some of the other examples, this wine still provides lively acidity and lots of minerality.

Koutsoyannopoulos Santorini 2012, PDO Santorini
With a decidedly mineral nose, the palate is more redolent of fresh fruit, namely pear and citrus. One of my favorites of the event.

Koutsoyannopoulos Nykteri 2012, PDO Santorini
Very floral on the nose, this wine offers up citrus, pith and mineral flavors on its complex palate.

 

SANTO WINES
Established in 1947, the SantoWines cooperative presently has 2500 members that support its activities in growing grapes and making wine.

Santo Wines Sparkling 2014
Quite lovely and fresh with a creamy mousse and floral notes.

Santo Wines Nykteri 2014, PDO Santorini
Floral and fruit aromas greet the nose and persist on the palate through the long length.

 

Then, in late June, just as the crisis was really heating up, an unusual event heralded the launch of Agrino.  Promoting the Mediterranean diet, these packaged rice dishes offer flavor and convenience and will, of course, pair well with Greek and other wines. Coming soon to a grocery shelf near you!

Captain & Tennille Redux – Muscat Love (Grand Cru Grapevine: June 2012)

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Back in the day, Captain & Tennille sang about Muskrat Love, but these days everyone seems to have fallen, not for rodents, but for the Muscat grape. In fact, Nielsen data presented in January 2012 indicated that sales of Moscato (which is a wine produced from the Muscat grape) has risen more than 70% from 2010 to 2011.

Among the oldest grape varieties in the world, Muscat shines in a plethora of places from the cool climate of Piedmont where it sparkles as Asti and Moscato d’Asti to the warmth of Southern France where it dazzles as Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. And, equally notable, it thrives off the coast of mainland Greece in the Aegean Sea.

Here, the Mediterranean island of Samos nurtures the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grape with its steep, terraced vineyards (“pezoules”), deep soils, high altitude and abundant sunshine (3,300 hours per year). Home to the philosopher Pythagoras, of triangular fame (which is presumably better than singular fame), Samos has produced Muscat wine for centuries and is closely linked with its use for the liturgies surrounding the sacrament of Holy Eucharist service of the Roman Catholic Church.

In more modern history, the Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos (UWC) was established in 1934 and was among the first cooperatives in Greece. With the participation of 26 wine growing villages, EOSS represents all of the island’s growers. In this regard, it is responsible for wine production (it maintains two full-scale wineries for its members), along with sales and marketing activities on behalf of brand Samos.

Given that 97% of the island’s 4,000 acres of vineyards are planted to Muscat, Samos wines are nearly synonymous with this indigenous variety. As per Greek wine laws, Samos wines are one of eight dessert wines classified under the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation and are produced in three different styles: Samos Doux, Samos Vin Doux Naturel and Samos Nectar.

Samos Doux is known as a vin de liqueur (aka mistela), produced by the addition of a neutral spirit almost immediately after pressing. With fermentation stopped so quickly, these wines have high levels of residual sugar (200 g/l). The Samos Vin Doux Naturel is akin to the fortified wines of Languedoc-Roussillon, whereby the neutral spirit is added after fermentation has begun. Conversely, Samos Nectar wines are not fortified at all; rather, their sweetness is a result of drying the grapes in the sun to concentrate the sugars before fermentation and then being aged in cask for three years. Although still quite sweet, these latter two wines are less sweet than the Samos Doux wines.

With rich, unctuous notes that range from honey, apricot and candied citrus to burnt orange and butterscotch, what’s not to love?

SAMOS NECTAR 

Despite the high levels of residual sugar in these wines, they do have  balanced acidity to keep them from becoming cloying on the palate.

However, with that said, these are decidedly dessert wines and pair best  with rich, flavorful cheeses (such as sharp cheddar or intense blue  cheese), or fruit- or custard-style desserts (i.e. strawberry  cheesecake, zabaglione).

A third option is to pair them in a cocktail as  their aromatic profile and sweet taste can balance bitter elements and  add weight to the palate. Dushan Zaric, co-owner and bartender of the  New York City-based Macao Trading Company, has crafted a number of  Samos-based cocktails, which work well, including the Nectar Fix. And, with the arrival of summer’s warmer weather, a chilled cocktail might be just the thing.

Nectar Fix

Glass:
Martini-Cocktail
Ingredients:
1¼ ounces Samos Nectar
1 ounce Rye
½ ounce Campari
1 fresh strawberry, quartered
fresh strawberry, halved, for garnish
Directions:
Pour all ingredients including the quartered strawberry into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice. Stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a Martini-Cocktail glass and garnish with half a strawberry.

Greek wines embraced by NYC and its wine stores

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It used to be that one had to venture to Queens’ Greek neighborhood to find a decent selection of wines from Greece and similar countries. These wines were sold almost expressly for ex-patriots who wanted a taste of wine from the old country in their new homeland. However, Greek wines have become more visible in the wine world, due to the increased focus on quality and influx of new, young winemakers.

In northern Greece, up and coming winemakers Evripidis Katsaros from Katsaros Estate; Thrassos Giantsidis from Estate Gerovassiliou; and Annegret Stamos from Biblia Chora are establishing high quality reputations both at home and broad. Their dry and windy area produces mostly whites, but, beautiful red wines are also being made.

With training in Bordeaux, Giantsidis has applied French winemaking techniques to indigenous grape varieties, while Katsaros has experience in Burgundy. Annegret is originally from Germany, bringing yet another unique perspective to the region. Wines produced in this region have good acidity, but less so than the same grape, such as Assyrtiko, grown in Santorini. While import markets clambor for Greek varieties, the local market wants the diversity of international varieties as well, which accounts for the use of both in these wines. The importer advised that these wines may be found at Acker Merrall & Condit, among other outlets in New York City. For more information on these wineries, visit Cava Spiliadis.

As further evidence of the increased interest in Greek wines, Chelsea Wine Vault has just announced the addition of a new Greek wine section. Their recent newsletter highlighted a number of wines including a nice range of affordable reds and whites. The store has not yet added “Greece” to its search by region function, but it is likely an oversight soon to be corrected. Chelsea Wine Vault will host a Greek wine class on July 13, 2010 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM at the store. Tickets are $45/ person and may be purchased online.
75 Ninth Avenue, at 16th Street, New York, NY

In addition, Picada y Vino  will offer a free tasting this weekend of a Greek wine and a Lebanese wine: Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 4:00 – 7:00PM. Wines include Greece’s Domaine Tselepos Mantinia Moschofilero 2008 (a white produced from 100% Moschofilero) and Lebanon’s Château Kefraya Les Bretèches (a red blend of Cinsault (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Syrah (5%), Grenache (5%), Tempranillo (5%), Carignan (3%) and Mourvèdre (2%). These two featured wines will be 10% off, all day. 327 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11215

Grand Cru Grapevine: It’s All Greek to Me (January 2009)

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Welcome to 2009! A new year always heralds the start of something big and for Grand Cru Classes, 2009 is no exception. This month we launch our recently revamped website and newsletter. Our website URL remains the same (www.GrandCruClasses.com), but the new site is much improved and finally completes our rebrand to the beautiful logo designed by May Matta-Aliah of Red Dot Solutions. 

As we bid goodbye to 2008, we began our partnership with Judith Steinhart and introduced our Sex, Wine & Chocolate event, which was a huge success for this first effort. We welcomed 20 participants to the inaugural presentation and were delighted to feature Alexander Valley Vineyards’ aptly named Temptation Zin (Zinfandel); Banfi Vintners’ beautifully-hued sparkler, Rosa Regale; and Godiva Chocolatier’s decadent chocolates and truffles (with special thank yous to Andrew Feigelman, Sharon McCarthy and Traci Schiffer, respectively, for their gracious support of this event). No specific plans have as yet been made, but we do plan to reprise this event in the future and have even received an inquiry to bring the event to Washington, D.C. We also thank the attendees for their candid and thoughtful feedback, which will certainly be useful as we improve future presentations of this fun and festive event. There’s a synopsis of the event on Tracy’s blog. 

Other year-end festivities included the comedy debut of our own Tracy Ellen Kamens, who killed (in comedy, that’s a good thing) at her graduation show and was invited to participate in a New Talent Showcase at Comix on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00 PM. (Call 212-524-2500 and mention Tracy’s name or book online.) 

Tracy’s other accomplishments include her induction into the Wine Media Guild and receipt of the Greek Wine Ambassador title and certification from Wines of Greece. In this vein, we turn this month’s attention to just that…wines from Greece. 

Drink wisely and well, 

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer
and
Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer 

IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME
Last May, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a seminar hosted by Wines from Greece. The illustrious panel included Steven Olsen (aka Wine Geek), Doug Frost, MW, MS (author and consultant); Roger Daghorn (sommelier from Chanterelle restaurant); Tara Thomas (journalist and author); Michael Weiss (Director of Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America) and Sophia Perpera (oenologist and founder, All About Greek Wine). 

While Greek wines haven’t made big headlines in recent years, Greece has a long vinous history dating back 4,000 years and is actually considered to be the birthplace of food and wine as a culture. Among its more well-known wine exports is Retsina, which owes its unique flavor to its infusion with pine resin. While not most people’s preference, traditionally, this process actually served a purpose, acting as a preservative and preventing oxidation long before the advent of refrigeration and other modern technology. Other additives, such as opiates, were also common in ancient Greece, which gave rise to those bacchanalian parties. As further evidence of its forward thinking, Greece also pioneered the concept of using specific vessels for specific wines long before Riedel crafted his first crystal stemware. Moreover, antique amphorae also sported the first wine labels, with seals indicating the vintner, vintage, etc 

But, it wasn’t until more modern history that Greece has once again become a world class producer of wine. Previously, wines were high in alcohol, low in acidity and prone to oxidation due in part to poor winemaking, high yields and over-oaking. Conversely, today, Greek wines are clean and fresh, with balanced structure and acidity and are quite food friendly. Combining Old World tradition with New World technology, many producers are using indigenous grapes grown at low yields and applying new technologies such as refrigeration to produce high quality wines. 

Geographically, Greece resembles an outstretched hand, reaching into the water. Located within the Mediterranean Sea, Greece is a country primarily made up of volcanic islands and qualifying as the third most mountainous country in Europe. Not surprisingly, this is a country whose vineyards are made up of small plots of land with ancient soils, in isolated areas and at high elevations (among the highest in the world, second only to Argentina). Given its maritime location, it has a Mediterranean climate, with a heavy influence from the sea. In fact, low rainfall plagues most of Greece, with moisture coming from fog instead. 

Home to over 300 indigenous grapes that have been catalogued, Greece provides great diversity and originality in its wines. Yes, you can find the usual suspects – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – but more importantly, and more significantly, are grapes such as Roditis, Assyrtiko, Agiorghitiko and Xinomavro. 

Amidst the Aegean Islands, Santorini seems like an unlikely place for wine production. Here, soils are a mix of volcanic and minced rock while the climate is extremely dry and windy, so much so that vines must be trained low to the ground in a circular pattern, resembling a woven basket. Yet despite this inhospitable climate, Assyrtiko thrives, producing wines with vibrant acidity and minerality that develop a beautiful richness over time. Among other whites, Athiri grapes are grown in Rhodes and Santorini, providing wines with low acidity, good weight and high aromatics. Roditis is the grape best known for the wines from Patras, which are elegant, light white wines, displaying notes of citrus flavors. 

Red grape star Agiorgitiko provides dark color and soft tannins and results in wines with a roundness and balance similar to Pinot Noir. Found in Nemea (the largest red wine appellation in Greece), on the Peleponnese, these wines can be aged and have nice acidity and good aromatics. Another well-respected red variety is Xinomavro, which loosely translates as sour black. This grape is grown in Naoussa within the region of Macedonia, and is responsible in part for the blend in Rapsani on Mount Olympus. 

Greece is also known for its dessert wines. Mavrodaphne grapes are generally used to produce sweet, fortified wines that are similar in style to ruby Ports. Other sweet Greek wines include Muscats of Samos as well as those from Rion and Patras, with notes of apricot, honey, orange peel and spice. 

The wine renaissance taking place in modern Greece is long overdue, but well worth the wait. And, just in time, too, as Greek food has become an important trend in Metropolitan restaurants. In fact, according to Olsen, New York Magazine declared that “octopus is the new calamari.” But, regardless of what you order, Greek wines are food friendly wines that can pair easily with a wealth of cuisines. And, with your newly acquired knowledge, reviewing a list of Greek wines should no longer have you saying, “It’s all Greek to me.” 

Tasting Notes

 

 

Emery, Athiri, VDQS Rhodes, 2007, Rhodes, Greece, $14.00
A whitewine with intense aromatics of citrus, peach and slight mineral notes, the palate is dry with medium acidity and flavors of citrus, an herbal undercurrent and some floral notes.  

Tselepos, Mantinia VDQS, 2007, Mantinia/Peloponnese, Greece, $17.00
From the Moschofilero grape, floral, spice, peach and pear notes are immediately evident in this highly aromatic wine. On the palate, it has high acidity and long length, which harmonize with the wine’s complex flavors of strawberry, nectarine, jasmine and ginger, making it extremely versatile for food matching.  

Sigalas, Santorini VDQS, 2007, Santorini/Aegean Islands, Greece, $19.00
Produced from Assyrtiko grapes, this wine has herbal and citrus aromas on the nose. It is dry, with medium acidity, and good concentrated fruit flavors of peach and herbs, culminating in a long length. 

Gaia Estate, Nemea VDQS, 2005, Nemea/Peloponnese, Greece, $35.00
Aromas of black fruit, cherry, spice and wood greet the nose. This dry and well structured red wine, made from Agiorghitiko grapes, has medium acidity with a medium+ body and ripe tannins. Fruit-forward, explosive flavors of wood, blackberry, spice and oak persist on the palate.  

Boutari, Grande Reserve, Naoussa VDQS, 2001, Naoussa/Macedonia, Greece, $22.00
Produced from the Xinomavro grape, this is a very aromatic red wine, with notes of black cherry, herbal, dried fruits and tar that echo on the palate. Dry and full bodied, it has grippy, but ripe tannins with bright acidity and long length. Rich and complex with black olives, dried tomatoes and concentrated fruit, the wine is still young and could use some additional age. It would pair well with gamey meat and hard cheeses.