In an earlier posting this year, I discussed the
great whites of Greece. The country has an enormous 8,500 mile coastline (including 1,400 islands),
so there’s a tendency for a myopic focus on pairing white wines with Greece’s
sea-based cuisine. Truth be known, however, culinary Greece not only
heavily leans toward lamb and pork, but the surrounding oceans have long been
over-fished making anything from the sea very expensive. There’s an entire new world of red wines
from Greece that warrants exploration. The good news is that many of the best are exported.
In addition to many indigenous red grapes,
Greece is now growing international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Syrah. The country’s winemakers are heading off to
study in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Tuscany…and returning to their homeland armed
with viticultural degrees from the best universities in Europe. Bazillons of Euro’s have been invested in
the last ten years in Greece’s wine
industry. All of this makes for an
interesting landscape for wine consumers.
Below are my top 3 picks for your next Toga
party:
·
Domaine Gerovassillou, Avaton 2008. This one, winner of a gold medal in London at
the illustrious Decanter Awards, is a luscious blend of three indigenous grapes : Limnio, Mavroudi and Mavrotragano grown in
Greece’s far north, Macedonia. Imported
into the US. $30
·
Gaia Estate Nemea 2007. From one of the top producers in Greece,
located 90 minutes south of Athens on the Peloponnese. Made
from the indigenous Agiorgitiko (St George), it’s chocked full of complexity with layers of
raspberry, truffles and floral…a long finish completes the super package. Imported
into the US. $45
·
Domaine Skouras Megas Oenos 2008. I visited this estate shortly after its jaw-dropping
winery was built on the Peloponnese Peninsula south of Athens. Megas Oenos is one of Greece’s iconic wines,
made from 80% Agiorgitiko and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Imported
into the US. $25
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