Kickin’ It Old World Part Two: Why You’re Missing Out If You’re Not Drinking Greek Wines

You gotta love a culture that has its own God of Wine.

Yes, we’re talking about the Greeks, who, in ancient times, worshipped Dionysus.  Believed to be responsible for turning grapes into wine, the Greeks would hold large and raucous religious festivals every year in Dionysus’ honour, in hopes of securing a good harvest.

For their jubilant efforts, Dionysus returned his favour in spades.

According to Michael Gibson, author of The Sommelier Prep Course, current winemaking got its start 6,000 years ago as ancient Greeks developed advanced trellising systems and vineyards.  They selected and bred specific grape varietals that can still be traced to grapes growing across Europe today.  Perhaps most importantly, the Greeks came up with advanced storage techniques.  Amphorae, tall clay vessels, were used to hold wine, and to keep it from turning, olive oil was floated on top to seal it from the air.  This advanced wine from a primitive liquid made for immediate consumption, to a beverage that could be aged and stored and shipped for mass enjoyment.

You certainly don’t have to be rich to enjoy Greek wines today.  At a tasting held earlier this week in Toronto’s Metropolitan Hotel, attendees were treated to some extraordinary examples of what’s coming out of Greece today.  And the best part is, the majority is less than $20.

With that kind of value – exquisite wines at staggeringly low prices — you’d wonder why Greek wines aren’t flying off the shelves.

Well, that’s exactly what Greek winemakers are wondering.  They’ve long been fighting an uphill battle in this country, as consumers, nervous by strange names like Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro and Moschofilero prefer to stick with the comfort of the familiar Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.  And frustratingly, Greek Canadians also turned their noses to modern Greek wines. Sales agents complain Greek communities aren’t interested, preferring to make their own wine, or buy jugs of Apelia for less than $10 a litre.

While we get romantic images of white washed buildings atop rocky cliffs that fall into the deep blue sea, Greece has varying climates that provide excellent growing conditions for wines; from mountain, to coastal to volcanic climates, Greece is divided into 5 zones, and within those zones are 28 wine regions under Greece’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status; most notably Santorini, Nemea, Mantinia, Naoussa and Amynteo.

International varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay are grown all over Greece, and many are very good; but in this bog, we’ll look at the indigenous varietals as those are mostly what we will see here, anyway.  Now keep in mind with somewhere around 300 grape varieties, this minute list is barely a drop in the amphorae, but chances are when you see a Greek wine at the LCBO, it’ll be one of these grapes.

White
Assyrtiko (Ah-UHR-YEE-teh-kho): High alcohol, high acid, with fresh citrus, mineral and aromatic components.  Delicious with grilled prawns or calamari.

Moschofilero (mos-KO-feel-uhr-oh): Light and fairly neutral with lemon, rose petal/floral notes and yellow fruit.  Low alcohol and high acidity.  Many compare it to Gewurtztraminer, but of the ones we’ve tried, we think it’s closer to Pinot Grigio.  Pick one up and decide for yourself!

Roditis (RHO-DEET-uhs): We haven’t seen this all that often in the Toronto market, but it has flown across our radar a few times, so we’ve included it here. Pink in colour and fairly aromatic with fresh tropical/melon fruit and zippy minerality.

Red
Agiorgitiko (ah-YOUR-YEE-TEE-kho): Can be aged or consumed young.  Mature wines should be deep in colour with grippy tannin and red berry fruit and spicy complexity.  Young wines are easy going, soft and fresh with red berry fruit.

Mavrodaphne (mah-VRO-daf-NEE): Used frequently in fortified wines, it has low tannins and the ability to age for decades in barel.

Xinomavro (ZHEE-noh-MHAV-RHO): A Wine Sisters favourite!  Big and dense with grippy tannins, this wine is loaded with spice, red fruit, rose petal, black olive and leather/earthy notes.  Many compare it to Nebbiolo (the grape of Barolo) and we do’t think they’re wrong. It also makes spectacular dry rosés.

Our recommendations:

Kir Yianni Akakies Rosé, PDO Amyndeo 2011, $11.95
Vintages 71050 (Arriving May 26)
A spectacular blush wine made from 100% Xinomavro grapes. Almost Gamay-like on the nose with Swedish berry, strawberry jam and ripe red berries, on the palate this is crisp and clean with fresh strawberry and tart rhubarb.

Kir Yianni Ramnista, PDO Naoussa, 2008 $18.95
Vintages 178020
100% Xinomavro made from old vines. It’s aged for 16months in — 80% in oak and 20% in steel — and then bottle aged another year before being released.  What results is a powerful nose of dark fruit, earth, and a hint of dill weed, with flavours of ripe blackberry and cassis, menthol and spice.  Big and tannic, try it with roast lamb.

Cavino Nemea Grande Reserve, PDO Nemea, 2006 $14.95
Vintages 245787
100% Agiorgitiko this has a nose of sweet baking spice, ripe red berries and hints of fig/dates.  Elegant and easy drinking on the palate, with red fruit, plum, dark earth, milk chocolate and sweet spice.  Fabulous price.

Tsantali Rapsani Reserve, PDO Thessalia, 2007 $15.95
Vintages 724855
Mostly Xinomavro with a bit of indigenous Krassato & Stavroto to balance it out, this has a nose of dark fruit, dark chocolate, spicebox and dried leaves.  Big and chewy on the palate with cherry, plum and earthy notes.  Masculine but still elegant, decant for at least an hour and then enjoy alongside grilled ribeye or braised venison.