It’s Not All Retsina

To most most Americans Greek wine is relegated into two categories: wines that are drunk while on vacation in Greece or “Ewh, Greece makes Retsina.” Well both can be true but what one drinks while in Greece and Retsina just skim the surface of what wine is in Greece. Though wine was not first made in Greece it can be said that Greece is the home to wine culture. Records show that wine production and consumption was in full swing by the 7^th century B.C. and a fixture in all of Greece. Some archeological finds suggest that wine was a staple of the Minoan diet and other ancient civilizations as early as 3^rd millennium B.C. So to say that Retsina is the “alpha – omega” of Greek wine would be a sad misnomer.

Over the past 3,000 years Greek wine has come a long way. Today if one explores the many great wines of Greece one will find wines of such depth, complexity and style that it might make you do a double take. Last year, I was able to go on a world-wind tour of the wine regions of Greece and explore the newest generation of wines, vineyards, and wine makers. I am now a full-fledged believer in the greatness of Greek wines. The revolution in Greek wine production began in the late 1960’s when shipping magnate John Carras decided he wanted to have a winery that could compete in quality with the likes of First Growth Bordeaux or Grand Cru Burgundy. He decided to do this he would need the assistance of famed French oenologist Émile Peynaud and together they created Domaine Carras and changed the face of Greek wine forever.

Today there are hundreds of boutique wineries (see links below) throughout Greece each of them producing wines of style, substance, and beauty. This new generation of Greek wine makers are working hard to show the beauty of the native grapes of Greece. Though the names of these grapes are truly a mouthful (Xynomavro, Rhoditis, Mavrodaphne, Agiorgitiko, and Assyrtiko) once you take a sip you will dream of being on Santorini looking out across the sea.

Recommended Greek Wineries
I highly recommend the wineries below. I have tried the entire range of wines from multiple vintages of each of the these, and have found they produce wines of distinction and quality.

Winery and Region
Gaia Winery, Peloponnese
Domaine Skouras, Peloponnese
Douloufakis Winery, Crete
Sigalas, Santorini
Domaine Gerovassiliou, Macedonia
Ktima Kir Yianni, Macedonia

Glossary to Greek Grapes

Red
Agiorgitiko (Ah yor yee’ ti ko): One of the primary red grapes of Greece. Grown primarly in the A.O.C of Nemea of the Peloponnese, this grape is an ethereal experience. Deep red in color with layers upon layers of aromas, this wine is medium to full bodied with soft tannins and bright acidty. It is also know as St. George.

Xinomavro (Ksee no’ ma vro): Meaning “acid-black” this dark grape is known for it ability to age a long time. It is primarily grown in Macedonia in northern Greece. This is dense and full-bodied wine with firm tannins (hence the need for again and/or decanting) and aromas of black cherries, black olives, and exotic spices.

Mavrodaphne (Mav ro tha’f nee): This may be one of the most famous grapes from Greece. Know for producing exotic fortified dessert wines, it can also be found in dry styles. The wine is rich and lush with intense black fruit aromas and flavors. It is primarly grown in the Achaia region of the Peloponnese and on the Ionian Islands. It means “black laurel”

White
Assyrtiko (A seer’ tee ko): This is an AMAZING grape. It is at its best when grown on the island of Santorini. It is a bright, fresh wine with exotic citrus notes, hints of fresh herbs, and minerals. The wines are bracingly acidic. It blended with various other grapes (Aidani and Athiri are the most common).

Moschofilero (Mos ko fee’ le ro): A gorgeous aromatic varietal grown in the AOC region of Mantinia within the Peloponnese. The wine has a nose of white flowers, melons, stone fruit, and spices. A great aperitif or perfect with grilled or roasted fish.

These are just samplings of the wines you will find from Greece. I hope you will enjoy exploring them just as much as I do!

Comments

[Shannon]

Hi Jeff,

My name is Shannon and I'm the editorial assistant at Foodbuzz.com. Following up on a recent email invitation to be a part of our newly launched Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I just want to reiterate that I am very impressed with the quality of your posts. I would love to send you more details about the program, so if you are interested, please email me at Shannon@foodbuzz.com.

Cheers!

Shannon Eliot
Editorial Assistant, Foodbuzz.com
shannon@foodbuzz.com

[JoannBurris]

I had a dream to begin my own firm, nevertheless I didn't have got enough amount of cash to do this. Thank goodness my mate told to take the loan. Hence I took the car loan and made real my dream.