"It’s All Greek Too Me" - Part 1: A Greek Wine Primer

I sell Greek wine. I find in my presentations that it is the least known wine region, even to many wine professionals, though Greek wine making dates back 6,500 years. Evidence supports it as being the second oldest wine producing community in the world, though in these modern times Greek wine has fallen off the radar of most consumers; thereby making my job, both, a curiosity and a process of enlightenment to most everyone I show them to.

It is long thought that Greek wine consisted of very harsh reds or pine scented whites, such as the infamous Retsina. Though this is still a factor, not just in Greece, bad wine is made everywhere! As a matter of fact, there is more junk wine produced in the world, than actual quality wine. This is the future of our society as a whole, as large producers race to meet market trends, as well as cash, the average consumer hardly knows how to pronounce, even the most common of grape varieties, and gravitate toward a priced right, high production juice, called “wine”.

In modern Greece, however, the revival has begun! A trend and effort to leave behind this reputation and produce, not just good wine, but wine that can stand toe-to-toe with some of the world’s most highly regarded producers. Modernized facilities and winemaking technology in the vineyards, as well as, integration of international varieties mark this progress. Nevertheless, it is commercial popularity that raises the public conscious.

We now wait for popular wine writers to feature these great wines in the press, urging consumers to expand their palets and their perceptions of this ancient country with its seemingly mystical grape varieties and regions that are generally capsulated into the ever so popular term: “It’s all Greek to me”.

I hope to encourage you to not wait for these popular opinions of leading marketers but to go outside of this trend and always seek to further your own wine education: seeking out the next unique grape variety or wine growing region. It is a big and, at times, mysterious world out there and I will not just wait and rise to the demands of popular opinion but bring to the market these things that should prove to be fun and new and eventually perhaps an up and coming trend. Wine geeks unite!

As I introduce people to Greek wine, I often compare the style of a varietal to one they are familiar with. For instance, if you like a light, fresh Cabernet you will enjoy Agiorghitiko. If you like a Muscat or Sauvignon Blanc, you will enjoy Moscofilero and so on: Thereby demystifying all but the pronunciation of the variety, which you can listen to on the "All About Greek Wine" website below.

Today was a fun one! I was able to encourage one particular account to feature a Greek wine flight. I love these moments! Passing on this excitement I have, and simplifying the mystery of this ancient region. The following is just the tip of the ice-berg, as there are about 330 indigenous Greek grape varieties, not to mention the introduction of aforementioned new world grape varieties to these regions. So, in that, I look forward to writing to you, once again as we taste through more selections. Enjoy!

I will mention: Greek grapes have more than one spelling for the same variety. You may notice this as you explore the links below. Don’t let it confuse you! It is what it is.

The first wine we tasted comes from the Peloponnese region, referred to by Homer as Ampeloessa, meaning "full of vines". Neither wars nor phylloxera were able to stop production. Here we embrace, Burgundy trained winemaker, George Skouras, a 15 year veteran, who has brought his Domaine to the forefront of Greek estates producing wines with native and international grapes. Skouras has built one winery near Argos, another in the rural village of Gymno, in the AOC region of Nemea and a third is under construction. I love Domaine Skouras and today I showed three selections from this winery. As it goes, Skouras winery received an amazing accolade by Wine & Spirits Magazine as “2009 Winery Of The Year”!

Domaine Skouras 2009 Moscofilero ($16.50 retail)

I found this vintage to exhibit a saline peach quality on the nose with bight lemon zest along with curry and cream elements. In the mouth it is crisp and lively with bracing acidity and a mouthwatering finish. There are many bright citrus tones and this white is clean and delicious!

This wine is 100% Moscofilero, sourced from vineyards in Mantinia. The vines are 24 years of age and are grown in sandy soil. The grapes are harvested, beginning in October. About 53% of the juice is free-run. This is done because of the grey skin color of the grape. It is fermented in 100% stainless steel.

Mercouri Estate 2009 “Foloi” White ($19 retail)

The Mercouri Estate is located in the western Peloponnese on the plateau of the Ichthis peninsula, near the village of Korakochori or "the place of the crow". It is a fifth generation, family-owned estate with a 150 year old history in the production of wines, olive oil and currants.

The dry white “Foloi” was the first white wine to be produced by Mercouri Estate. The first vintage was in 1994. Today annual production reaches 40,000 bottles. The wine is made from the more common new world grape Viognier and the indigenous Roditis grape grown in selected vineyards in the cooler altitudes of Mt. Foloi, the wines name-sake, some 450-650 metres above sea level.

On the nose, you smell the Viognier as powdered chamomile and floral dust quality interminglinge with crustacean elements over lemon citrus. In the mouth it has a medium but light viscosity offering bright yet rich citrus spice with a clean, bracing and once again, a mouthwatering finish.

I could not find exact information, but I believe the wine to be 100% stainless steel vinification with some light stirring of the lees, which is the residual fruit pulp and yeast, giving the wine richness without oak applications. This is a common practice around the world.

Domaine Skouras 2009 Red ($10 retail)

If you are a Beaujolais Nouveau fan, you will appreciate this wine. I want to mention though, this juice is only 60% carbonic, or whole cluster fermentation. The remainder sees some time in barrel and I think George spiked this vintage with a rich base because it is honestly the best I’ve had out of his past three vintages. The wine is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 5% Aghiorghitiko (note the spelling variation from that above).

The wine offers tremendous fruit on the nose, without being to washed out, like Beaujolais can be. Red raspberry definitely comes across, on the nose, with good depth, though the wine is light and fresh. Fresh raspberry jam and savory provincial spice come through on the palet with an integrated element of dried blueberries. It is a refreshing and satisfying red and would do well served at a standard 62° (Fahrenheit) or with a slight chill.

Domaine Skouras 2007 Nemea “Saint George” ($15 retail)

This red is 100% Aghiorghitiko and is sourced from the Nemea Appellation in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese. The vines are 24 years of age and planted in clay soil at 650 m altitude. The wine goes through full malolactic fermentation in barriques and is then matured in second-hand French barriques for 12 months. The wine is then matured in bottles in the winery cellar for 2 months before release.

This may be one of the most popular Greek wines I show, though I may be a bit bias. I used to carry this wine in my retail shop and would sneak it in the Cabernet section, converting the willing patron.

This vintage however crosses boundaries! In a blind tasting you might guess: Zinfandel, Malbec from South American or perhaps Cab. It is a stinky wine! But wow, does it stink in a good way!

On the nose there is fresh mushroom and honeycomb and the wine is earthy with white and black truffle. What amazing character! Rich red fruit is integrated with medium bright tannin on the palet and there are layers of flavor: Raspberry-plum pie, dried fruit. This is a fabulous wine and an fabulous vintage!

Domaine Porto Carra 2008 Limnio ($18 retail)

Now it is north to Macedonia, which represents one of the oldest and finest winemaking regions in Greece. Wars, emigration and the catastrophic phylloxera attack slowed down the development of Macedonian wine around the turn of the century, but replanting and investing heavily in modern technology has brought Macedonian wines back to the world class stature they deserve.

The vineyards of Domaine Porto Carras are located on the western coast of the Sithonia peninsula in Halkidiki, Greece. At the point where the lush slopes of Mount Meliton incline gently to meet the transparent waters of the Gulf of Torone, 475 hectares of spectacularly terraced vineyards make-up one of the largest and most picturesque vineyards in Greece and possibly in Europe.

This wine is 100% Limnio, an ancient Greek grape mentioned by Aristotle, in his writings. On the nose there is a salty red fruit character. This wine is animalistic and gamy. It offers bricky fruit tannins with dried red fruit and a tarry leather quality intermingled with paraffin wax and very rich red spiced fruit. Very delicious and quite a serious wine!

You will find I have borrowed excerpts from some of the following links. I would like to offer you these resources to learn by and hopefully get as excited as I am about Greece and its many amazing wines, producers and regions. I look forward to writing about more Greek wines as we go forward. Cheers!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_wine
http://www.allaboutgreekwine.com/index.html
http://www.greekwinemakers.com/index.html
http://www.skouras.gr/