It's All Greek: A New Love in My Life!

So I have stopped and started this post about five times and I have just decided that I must get it down on "paper." I love wine and maybe a little too much. It is an OCD force in my life (for good and bad). As I continually search for wines, spirits, and beers that make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, I am more often than not disappointed. It is not that the wines I try are bad, but they simply do not excite me or leave me wanting more.

Two years ago I attended a tasting that featured a group of Greek wines that I thought were very interesting and defied what I had previously experienced in Greek wines (albeit, I had tried only about two wines). This brief encounter led me to want more. In November 2006 I sat down with one of the sales reps who calls on me and she pulled out six wines, four from Domaine Skouras of Nemea and two from Domaine Sigalas of Santorini. Immediately I was blown away and got very excited, started feeling those hairs creep up and getting that warm fuzzy feeling... Then she told me the price! I nearly keeled over.

These wines represent everything I look for in a wine: a beautiful nose, a complex palate, length, and value. How could I pass on this... Well, they are Greek right? I decided to give it a shot and promote the wines. When I informed the wine stewards at our stores that we would have an entire end cap dedicated to four Greek wines from Domaine Skouras, I was met with confusion, skepticism and some head shaking (there is ol' Jeff, trying something "weird"). All those frowns were turned upside down once they tried the wines. In fact, each person I try these wines with becomes a believer.

Two weeks ago I attended a seminar called "Road Shows: Experience the Greek Wine," hosted by All About Greek Wines. This was one of the best wine seminars I have attended in my career. There were Master Sommeliers, wine makers, the best sommeliers of San Francisco, all coming to learn more about a region that has been making wine for over 3,000 years—and we are now just getting to know it. What makes these wines so good? Each wine I tried spoke to me.

They each express what wine should: a place, a time, and a history. The whites, with varieties of Roditis, Moscholfilero, and Assyrtiko (plus many more) have qualities that so few wines have these days: pristine balance and texture. The wines grip your palate and will not let go, begging you to take another sip. The wines evolve and evoke expressions in the faces of those trying them for the first time. They ask themselves, "What's going on?" These wines ARE special.

The reds, wines such as Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro are very hard to pronounce but not hard to drink. Both varieties express themselves so purely and uniquely that they require time to get to know, time to ponder what they want to express at a given time. One of the most unique characteristics in these wines are how fresh, balanced, and acidic (in a REALLY good way) they are. The wines beg you to take another sip. As I continue my quest to find wines that excite me and continue to drive my passion, Greek wine has found a very fond place in my heart.

A recommended list of Greek wines to RUN to
Rating system:
x = quaffer, fun to drink
xx = expressive, well balanced, good
xxx = Really good, knock your socks off good
xxxx = AMAZING! RUN TO FIND, do not waste any time

Emery Villare, Athiri, Rhodes AO 2006 ($14 - $16 retail): xx
Antonopoulous, "Mantinia" Peloponnese 2006 ($16): xx
Domaine Sigalas, Assyrtiko, Santorini AO 2006 ($20): xxx 1/2
Domaine Skouras "Megas Oenos" Agiorgitiko (80%) + Cab. Sauv. (20%) Nemea 2003 ($25): xx 1/2
Alpah Estate, Xinomavro, Macedonia 2004 ($45): xxx

Link
All About Greek Wine

Comments

[robin]

Jeff!
I was at Domaine Sigalas in Santorini. Cruise ship excursion...no one interested in seeing vineyards (crazy thorny-crown method of viticulture...protects fruit from strong winds. neet-o) and everyone sitting on patio quaffing assyrtiko. Soon a scream (mine) is heard from the vineyards...almost ran into the most massive spider&spider web spread in between two vines. Almost assyrtikoed in my pants...spider would have definately punctured my heart with venom. Crazy things survive in volcanic soil...