WINES OF GREECE

History of Greece

Wine was important in Greece society from the earliest times, with the first traces of its production found on the island of Crete as far back as the Minoan Period (2600-1100 BC). But by the classical period of Greece (from the 7 th century BC through Roman times) wine had already become a very important part of the culture, and was traded throughout the ancient world. As the Greek population grew, colonies were established around the Mediterranean and continued to spread into Northern Europe and the areas surrounding the Black Sea. Some of these colonized areas were ideal for the cultivation of the vine, and so the foundation was laid for modern viticulture and wine production throughout the modern world.

The glory of the wines from Greece continued through the time of the Byzantine Empire, but fell into serious decline during the Ottoman Turk occupation which lasted from the 15-19th century. During that period of occupation, winemaking was never really forbidden but it was considered a useful means of raising revenue; farmers were often taxed until they had to abandon their vineyards. Then after the Greeks declared their independence and the Turks were retreating, many farms and vineyards were physically destroyed.

Even after the modern Greek state was founded in 1913 it took a long time for the Greek wine industry to recover. After having been dominated by the Ottoman Turks for so long, Greece was left with more important priorities than modernizing its fragmented wine industry. Finally, in 1937 the Wine Institute of Athens was established to experiment with wine-making techniques and provide advice. But a volume-oriented wine industry was what developed during the 1950's. During the 1960's there was considerable investment in modern technology, and a new interest in producing export-quality wines from both foreign and indigenous varieties. It heralded a new era in which quality would become increasingly important to Greek producers.

But with Greece's entry into the European Union in 1981, changes began to accelerate. Not only did it provide the Greeks with open markets for their wine, but EU funds became available for viticultural research. At the time Europe had a sea of excess wine, so throughout Europe the emphasis was on improving quality at the expense of quantity. In addition, the Greek government helped wineries upgrade their equipment and vineyards in order to meet EU standards. Today many of Greece's top winemakers are young, ambitious and have trained in France, California, or Australia. The Greek wine industry appears to be read to follow the same progressive path that has revolutionized the quality of wine so dramatically in Italy and Spain.

Climate

There are vineyards in all parts of Greece, both on the mainland and the islands. Most of Greece is extremely mountainous with soil that is generally not very fertile. The climate is predictably MEDITERRANEAN, which gives it short winters, very hot summers and little rainfall. So vines are deliberately planted at higher altitudes and on North-facing slopes in the hotter areas, in order to slow down ripening. Most of the vineyards are close enough to the sea for sea breezes to help modify temperatures, but lack of water is still a major problem, especially in the South and on the islands.

Grapes

In addition to the two dozen traditional European varietals being grown in Greece today, there are also more than 250 indigenous wine grapes; with many of them very difficult for Americans to pronounce. When the subject of Greek wines comes up in conversation the average American wine consumer probably thinks first of Retsina (the rustic, pine-resin-flavored wine that Greece is so famous for). But here are some of the other varietals used to make Greek wines:

Whites

Assyrtiko (A seer' tee ko) is often described as Greece's best white wine grape, probably because it also has the distinction of being a southern Mediterranean white grape that ripens to high acidity. High acidity generally makes a wine with good structure and ageability. It is the grape which makes the complex dry white wine of Santorini, and is often blended with Aidani ( Ah ee tha' nee) and Athiri ( Ah thee' ree ). Aromas and flavors are floral with notes of citrus and mineral. With age, it can takes on the petrol characteristics of an older Riesling.

Moschofilero (Mos ko fee' le ro) is a pink-skinned varietal which can make both a fresh, fragrant and flavorful dry white, or a fruity dry Rosé, when the skins are left in the juice long enough to extract the pink color from the skins.

Muscat can make dry wines but it is used primarily for making sweet or semi-sweet dessert wines. Some of the dessert wines taste a lot like honey and go very well with Baklava!

Other light whites are made from Vilana or Roditis ( Ro dee' tees).

Reds

Agiorgitiko (Ah yor yee' ti ko) is one of two red cultivars (the other being Xynomavro) on which the hopes of many Greek winemakers rest. These hopes are not so ambitious or unrealistic as to expect a major international role for the grape—only some acceptance, and an appreciation for its wines and by extension, for Greek wines. Agiorgitiko compares most readily with Merlot when making decisions about how its wines would fit on Western wine menus. It's also similar in the range of styles it can express and its blending potential.

Mavrodaphne (Mav ro tha'f nee), meaning “black laurel”, is often blended with the Korinthiaki to produce a delicious fortified dessert wine known as Mavrodaphne. It also yields very good results when blended with Refosco , Agiorgitiko and Cabernet Sauvignon .

Xynomavro (ksee no' mav ro) along with Agiorgitiko is one of the two most highly regarded Greek red varietals. The wines made from Xinomavro (meaning "acid-black") are known for their superb aging potential and their rich tannic character. Their complex aromas combine red fruits and gooseberries with hints of olives, spices and dried tomatoes. Probably most comparisons to Western cultivars tend to point to Pinot Noir. But because of the natural acidity you will also find comparisons made to Bordeaux, Nebbiolo, Rioja and Sangiovese. It all comes down to the style of wine the winemaker wants to make and the process he uses to get there. Serve wines made of Xynomavro with grilled or roast meats and strong cheeses.

Other reds are made from Kotsifali , Mandilaria ( Mahn dee lar ya') and Moscomavro (Mos ko mav ro).

Wine Regions

Greece has three primary wine making regions – the Peloponese, the Islands and the northern part of the mainland. Some of the more common Appellation of Origins are:

Crete which is where the Minoan Civilization flourished some 4000 years ago. It is the largest of the Greek islands and is located in the Aegean Sea very close to the North African coast. The vineyards of Crete are planted on the northern side of the island, protected from the warm African winds by the mountains that cross the island from east to west. The most popular grapes are Vilana, Kotsifali, Mandilaria and Liatico as well as Chardonnay and Syrah.

Naoussa is in the mountainous northern part of the mainland which gives it a longer, cooler growing season. This helps to preserve acidity. The only grape permitted for the Naoussa appellation is Xynomavro .

Nemea is in the northeastern portion of the Peloponnese penninsula. Red wines are made from Agiorgitiko here and make wines that are smoother and more like a Merlot or Claret.

Mantinia is in the center of the Peloponnese penninsula and is white wine country. Mantinia wines are made of Moschofilero and offer floral aromas and flavors, and fresh acidity.

Rhodes was one of the first areas in ancient Greece known for the production of wine. It enjoys the longest periods of sunshine and the shortest periods of rainfall in all of Greece, both good for production of high quality grapes. The dominant varietals are the white Athiri , the red Mandilaria , and Muscat which makes a sweet wine.

Santorini is an island in the Aegean Sea known for its picturesque whitewashed houses perched high above its black volcanic soil beaches. The number one product of Santorini is wine, with the most famous being a dry white made from the grape Assyrtiko.

Santorini is very windy and dry. To keep the grape vines from being damaged by the wind, they are kept close to the ground and braided into the shape of a basket. There is little rain on the island so the local population has to import their drinking water, and most collect the little bit of rain they do get in cisterns underneath their homes to be used for washing purposes. But the humidity reaches almost 80% during the night, so the local farmers use that humidity to grow their crops. They put pumice stones in and around their grapevines and other crops, and the stones absorb the moisture during the night and give it off to the plants during the day!!

Samos is an island in the eastern Aegean Sea, located just off the coast of Turkey. The primary grape grown there is Muscat and, although some dry wines are made, the emphasis is on the sweet dessert wines.

WINES TASTED AUGUST 2007

Whites Reg Sale

2005 Kourtaki Vin de Crete White $10.99…$ 9.99 Island of Crete; Made of 100% Vilana, this wine is medium-bodied, crisp and has flavors of green apple with a hint of orange blossom. Serve it with light appetizers, seafood, chicken or light pastas.

2005 Cambas Chardonnay 12.99…11.99 Peloponnese; Medium-bodied and lively white with no oak. It has a sweet bouquet of honey and lemon that leads to a floral palate with hints of dried nuts.

2005 Hatziyanni Santorini 17.99…16.99 Island of Santorini; This blend of Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri is dry, light and elegant. It has a fruity nose, the flavors of citrus fruit with herbal tones and ends with a nice clean finish. This wine is another one just made for seafood.

2005 Spiropoulos Mantinia 18.99…15.99 Mantinia; Another light dry white made 100% from the pink-skinned grape, Moschofilaro. It's g reat with seafood, salads or light appetizers .

2005 Spiropoulos Meliastro Rosé 18.99…15.99 Mantinia; This Rosé is made entirely from the pink-skinned grape, Moschofilaro. It is dry with an appealing pink rose petal color, has a nose that combines the aromas of pink roses and ripe strawberries, and it has flavors of ripe red fruit.

Reds

2005 Oenoforos Mikros Vorias 15.99…13.99 Patras; This blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is not a wine meant for long aging. It's aroma is a blend of the distinctive aromas of the two varietals, along with red fruit and hints of bell pepper, honey, cocoa and coffee. It is a medium-bodied young wine that is mellow and has lots of fruit.

2004 Creta Olympias Mediterra Red 19.99...15.99 Island of Crete; This blend of Kotsifali and Mandilaria is medium-bodied. It has a bright ruby color, aromas of cherry and cassis with notes of earth, and flavors of red fruit, spice and minerals that persist through a long finish.

2004 Tsantali Moschomavro 19.99…15.99 Makedonía; Although the Tsantalis winery is one of the largest producers in Greece, they have increasingly focused their efforts on the production of quality wine by adding low production, estate-bottled style wines to their portfolio. Their Moschomavro (which means “Muscat” and “Black”) is one example of experimenting with unique wines. This wine is light-bodied, vivid crimson in color, has an impressive aroma of cherry jam and red fruits and a palate with lots of fresh fruit flavors.

2003 Tsantali Naousa Reserva 23.99…19.99 Naousa; 100% Xynomavro. This wine is a lovely burgundy color, with lots of fruit spiced with a delicious hint of black olives on the nose. In the mouth it has soft and mature fruit with well-rounded tannins and a long finish.

NV Tsantali Mavrodaphne 12.99…10.99 Patras; Made of 70% Mavrodaphne and 30% Black Corinthian, this the Greek version of a “Port”. It is a full-bodied dessert wine with a velvety sweetness, is deeply colored with just a hint of brick red and has the spicy aroma and flavor of plums, mocha, cinnamon, cloves and a subtle hint of vanilla.

LOOK FOR THESE OTHER GREEK WINES

Whites

NV Malamatina Retsina 500 ml

NV Tsantali Retsina 750 ml

2005 Tsantali Alexander the Great White

2005 Kouros Patras White

2005 Boutari Santorini

NV Kourtaki Samos Muscat

Reds

2004 Tsantali Alexander the Great Red

2002 Cambas Korinthia

2003 Kouros Nemea

2003 Tsantalis Naoussa

2005 Gaia Notios Nemea

2004 Costa Lazaridis Amethystos Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Limnio