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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A Taste of the Aegean: Greek White Wines

Hello Everyone!  In a post a few days ago, we discussed some of the more common red wines and labels from Greece that you have hopefully been able to find in your local wine shop.  In addition to the red wines, we also mentioned the history and how we fell in love with Moscato di Limnos, a great dessert wine.

Muscat grapes are grown all over the world: Cyprus, Hungary, Croatia, Israel, France, Portugal, Italy, etc.  California also grows Muscat grapes, most often for white wine blends.  The Muscat grape is the basis for the sweet dessert wine Moscatel in Spain and Portugal.  Muscat Canelli is gown in Italy for use sparkling wines of Piedmont (think Moscato d’Asti), Peru’s Pisco, and many others.  It may be the oldest domesticated grape variety, and there are many theories that suggest that other vinifera grapes are descended from the Muscat varietal.  White Muscat, or Muscat Blanc, is cultivated in many regions in Greece and makes excellent dessert wines in a variety of styles: Muscat-based wines may be young or aged, and they may be used to make table wines or fortified wines in the form of Metaxa, the traditional Greek brandy.  Muscat is also used to make dry white wines.  Although our hearts are with Moscato from the island of Limnos, you are more likely to see dessert wines from the Island of Samos.  Rachel nearly got into an intense discussion with the gas station attendant when we lived in Jamaica Plain over which Greek island made the best form of Moscato.  He was from the island of Samos and insisted that Samos made the best Moscato, while Rachel favored the wines from the island of Limnos.  But in each case, the wine bears luscious flavors of apricot, fig, and honey.

In terms of dry white wine from Greece, most wines you’ll see in the U.S. are made from a grape called Assyrtiko, which is probably the second most well-known Greek white grape varietal.  Assyrtiko was first cultivated on the island of Santorini where it yields a nice dry white wine with citrus aromas mixed with crisp, earthy, mineral flavors resulting from the island’s volcanic soil. Santorini is also called Thera, and was formed as a result of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, 3600 years ago.  This volcanic eruption may have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete and some believe it destroyed legendary city of Atlantis. You’ll most likely see Sigalas, Hatzidakis, or Boutari as the main producers marketed in the U.S.  Assyrtiko can also be used together with the aromatic Aidani and Athiri grapes for the production of the unique, naturally sweet wines called Vin Santo (wine from SANTOrini), well known since Byzantine times.

Another wine to look for is the Amethystos White, which is a blend of Assyrtiko and Sauvignon Blanc, and maybe some Semillon from Macedonia.   Assyrtiko from Macedonia has a milder, fruitier flavor than the wines of Santorini.  Therefore, you’ll want to check the label to determine the origin and your preferred style. We like Assyrtiko on a hot summer day nice and chilled – it reminds us the sights, sounds, and smells of the Aegean where we spent our honeymoon.   

Moschofilero is the next most popular white grape that you may encounter.  It is produced mainly in the appellation of Mantinia in the Peloponnese region of Greece.  Wines made from this grape are more floral and aromatic than Assyrtiko, and has aromas of roses and violets with hints of spices.  It makes a great aperitif wine and we highly recommend trying it at a Mediterranean or Greek restaurant if you see it on the list.  We recently had the opportunity to visit Taverna Kyclades, a great Greek restaurant in Astoria, Queens, where we ordered a carafe of the house white wine - a Moschofilero.  It was perfect with our Greek salad, tzatziki, grilled shark, and lemon potatoes.  In the past we have purchased Cambas from Mantinia, but you may come across Boutari, Domaine Spiropoulos, Skouras, Gaia Notios, or Tselepos.

Another grape that might be more difficult to find is Lagorthi, currently undergoing a revival and planted mainly on mountain slopes in Kalavrita in the Peloponnese.  These wines have a very crisp acidity, which is the result of the higher malic acid content of the grape.  Like many of the Greek varietals, it has great aromas that combine peach, melon, and herbal flavors with citrus and mineral notes.

You might be lucky enough to come across a few other white varietals, but the five we’ve talked about are the main grapes and may also be blended with others.  Overall, the wines are generally inexpensive and are very refreshing.  Next time you have seafood or are looking to change up your routine, try one of the Greek white wines.  After all, it is the nectar of the gods.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!

Monday, July 12, 2010

A note about Greek Red Wines

Hello everyone!  No wine blog would be complete without a discussion of Greek wines, and most definitely not our wine blog! While the Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians brought beer into the world, it is the Greeks who worshipped Dionysus (known in the Roman world as Bacchus) and brought us winemaking.  Several years ago if someone was asked about Greek wine, it was Retsina that often came to mind first.  Retsina is a white or rose wine that has been infused with pine resin – and mostly tastes like pine resin.  Retsina came about due to the process of using pine resin to seal wine storage amphorae for shipment and storage.  However, Greek wines have come a long way in the last 20 years or so, and are quite special to us.

We went to Greece for our honeymoon in September 2001, and one night we asked our Athens hotel for a recommendation of a good Greek restaurant.  We were recommended to try a restaurant in the Psiri section of Athens, called Krasopoulio.  It was a warm night, so we chose seats outside.  After scanning the wine list filled with unfamiliar wines with even more unfamiliar names, we settled on a bottle of red wine from the appellation of Rapsani, in the region of Thessalia.  The Rapsani region is at the foot of Mount Olympus in northeastern Greece, and is filled with history of Greek gods and winemaking.

Due to the temperature in Athens that evening, the Rapsani was brought out to us in a chiller with ice.  Particularly when the temperatures are warm, it’s important to be sure that the red wines are served cooler, even if they have to be put on ice for a bit.  The grapes used in this wine are Xinomavro, Stavroto, Krassato, with Xinomavro being the only name that was remotely familiar.  The wine was a deep, dark wine with good tannins and a very earthy flavor. It was fantastic complement to our authentic Greek dinner. 

For dessert, we got a special treat.  A thicker, clear liquid was brought out and presented to us with a small cake.  We were a little nervous at first, thinking that it might be some form of ouzo, which we hadn’t developed a liking for.  But with one sniff we were in heaven: it was a special Muscat from the island of Limnos.  We’ll talk more about the Moscato di Limnos when we discuss Greek white wines, but it was an amazing treat.  We were so happy with our experience at Krasopoulio that we ate at the restaurant on two other occasions.  On our third visit, the owner asked us how we came to find the place, since it was really unknown to tourists.  We told him about the recommendation and he invited us back into the main part of the restaurant to enjoy more Moscato di Limnos and Greek coffee as we chatted.  Our love of Greek wines was born.

There are seven diverse winemaking regions in Greece:  Macedonia, Epirus, Thessalia, Sterea Ellada, Peleponnese, the Aegean Islands, and the Ionian Islands.  Thessalia and Macedonia are in the northeast, closer to the Balkan nations of Albania, Bulgaria, and the Balkan Republic of Macedonia.  Epirus and the Ionian Islands are in the northwest, Sterea Ellada is the central region in Greece, and the Peleponnese is in the South.  The Aegean Islands stretch south and east of the Greek peninsula and include Santorini.  These seven regions yield more than 300 indigenous grape varieties, some of which have been cultivated since ancient times.

Our bottle of Rapsani came from the winemaking region of Thessalia, where Xinomavro is the predominant grape.  Xinomavro is also used to make full-bodied reds in Macedonia, particularly in the appellation of Naoussa.  The name of the grape means sour black, and these wines can be a touch rustic with aromas of olive, cedar, spice, and mint.  The acidity and tannin levels in this wine are naturally high, so these wines have good aging potential and also do well with oak aging.

Probably the most noble and flexible of Greek red wines is Agiorgitiko (meaning St. George’s), grown mainly in the Peleponnese region of Nemea.  Agiorgitiko produces red wines of deep red color, complex aromas, and a long silky finish, which are not as tannic as wines made from Xinomavro.  It is a very flexible grape and can be used to make both roses or oak aged red wines.  It is less acidic and has very balanced tannins.  Many producers are blending this grape with Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and producing some very high quality blends.  Skouros and Boutari are the most common producers that you are likely to see as well; also look for Red Stag from Domaine Spiropoulos.

In the Aegean region, particularly Crete, Rhodes, and Santorini, Mandilaria is the primary red grape.  It is often blended with Kotsifali in Crete or Mavrotragano on the island of Santorini.  Aspa Argyros red is a great example of this wine and it is highly aromatic with aromas of leather, earth and dark fruit.

The last red grape that you are likely to come across is Mavrodaphne, which means black laurel.  Mavrodaphne is mainly found in the Peleponnesean and Ionian regions, and is often blended with the Korinthiaki grape to produce a fortified red wine also called Mavrodaphne.  This wine is very similar to a port, but is a bit fruitier.

As we mentioned earlier, there are over 300 grape varietals in Greece.  You may never see most of them, and might be able to pronounce even fewer.  Hopefully now if you see these names on the label in your local store, you’ll have a little better idea what you’re seeing.  Greek wines are continuing to improve so be sure to ask your local retailer for a great recommendation.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!