Wines from the Wine-Dark Sea - Interesting Well-crafted Greek Wines
This week's tasting highlighted some of the best everyday-priced wines we have tasted recently.
October 30, 2024
Greek wines have been considerably improving, but many people don't approach them because they are labeled in unfamiliar polysyllables, in a different alphabet to boot. This week's tasting will highlight some of the best everyday-priced wines we have tasted recently. We think you will find their vibrancy and character as exciting as we have.
We'll focus on the exciting new flavors from native Greek grape varieties rather than those that rehash the usual international types.
White
2022 Diamantakis Vidiano (Crete)
Cold Climate from a hot island
The island of Crete to the south of the Greek mainland is warm, but the vineyards are high up on the mountains, where it is cool. Their wines are in a cool climate and have lower alcohols, much like those of the highlands of Italy, Germany, or northern France. The Vidiano grape is naturally higher in acidity with a slightly exotic herbal flavor. This wine will go well with lighter fish dishes, shellfish, and white-fleshed fish.
Color: light tan gold fresh light; Aroma: fresh and bright rather full, bright with intense lemon-lime; Very Good Plus $19.99, Case $16.99
2022 Alpha Estate Malagouzia (Macedonia)
Heady, Savory, Low-toned, and Layered
The Malagousia grape produces full-bodied, aromatic wines with a low-keyed but nose-filling perfume that ranges from orange and exotic fruits to rose petals. Lower acid but zesty and intriguing; the best are zesty and with a finely grained texture. Lobster lighter meats, game fish, and pork
Aroma: crisp and flinty, rounded fruit, spicy acid nose filling; Mouth: rounded flinty, clean, ripe fruity, intense, long, layered, and intriguing, Very Good Plus $24.99, Case $20.99
2022 Santo Wines Santorini Assyrtiko
Best Value in Santorini
The volcanic island of Santorini has a double-edged wine problem. Tourists flock to visit it and have spread the fame of its wines around the globe, but tourist volume has grown so much that vineyards are being uprooted to make room for hotels, resulting in less wine and higher prices.
The wines are unique. The higher acid assyrtiko grape marries very nicely with the smoky quality that its lava-rich soils imbue. Santorini's largest co-op is committed to local wine-growing tradition, organic farming, and hand harvesting. Pairings: all fish, shellfish, especially oysters!
Fresh citrus and peach with honey undertones, vibrant acidity with a Pouilly-Fume-like flint Very Good-Excellent $33, Case $27.99
Red
2020 Glinavos Vlahiko (Epirus)
A Red with Spice and Cut
Vlahiko is a blend of two grapes native to Epirus on Greece's west coast. At first sniff, it makes a strong, zesty impression that follows through in the mouth with an elusive exotic spice. You can be creative with this. Chicken, Lightly spiced Asian foods, pizza?
Aroma: savory and clean, racy intense, lots of drive, a persimmon inflected acidity; Mouth: On the lighter side of medium-bodied, pretty and forward, fresh, intense and lively intense, pretty, lean, light savory drive and cut;$26.99, Case $22.99
2019 Kir-Yianni Naoussa Xinomavro Ramnista (Macedonia)
Breed Shows Through
An excellent high-quality winery makes the racy and elegantly structured Xinomavro grape into a Piedmont or northern Rhone style wine- lots of backbone and generous dark-hued fruit.
Medium Body, smooth tannin, dark cherry, blackberry, balsamic notes, drinks like Nebbiolo Excellent $33, Case $27.99
2021 Domaine Skouras St. George (Peloponnese)
Bridled Power
After studying and making wine in France and Italy, George Skouras returned to set up his own winery in his native Argos. He has fashioned a civilized version of the hearty, earthy Aghiorghitiko (Saint George) grape. It's full-bodied but smooth and quite friendly. Red meat, lamb
Full-bodied drinks like Right Bank Bordeaux, plum with spice, earth Very Good Plus $21.99, Case $18.99
All these are well worth trying.
If you can't come to the tasting, we strongly recommend
Greek Sampler Case $235, ($19.58)
Len Rothenberg
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