When I think of Greece I think calamari, squid, souvlaki, tsatziki. I think of the island of Santorini and the colours white and blue. I think of the greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Being a marathon runner I think of the town of Marathon where the road race gets its name. I think of ancient Greece and the legend that is now the Olympic games. I think of the god of the grape Dionysus.
And, as you know me so well, there has to be humour somewhere. I think about the movie Shirley Valentine "hello wall". I think about Tom Conti (the male lead in the movie) in the boat when he says "we make %@#*". I think about Meryl Streep in Mama Mia. I think about Yanni!!!!! Geez I'm thinkin' a lot..........More thinking....
I think about my dad before he passed away. (No worries, it's a funny memory!) I think about how I thought he would like the movie Shirley Valentine. It's about a middle aged English woman from Liverpool who is having a mid-life crisis, wondering what has happened to the relationship with her husband and how her life seems to have stagnated, when her friend wins a trip for two to Greece. It's a comedy. I had seen it many years before.
I think about how I had forgotten about the off colour language in the movie, language even as an adult I didn't utter to my parents. I think about how I squirmed and wriggled and felt the flush to my face when it all came flooding back to me when the movie started. I think about that boat scene! I think about how my dad laughed when he watched the movie. I think about how we laughed together but didn't dare give each other a sideways glance. No, no avoid eye contact at all cost right now!
Now when I think of Greece I think about the fabulous wines I tasted last month when I attended a greek wine tasting at the Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Toronto. It was put on by the Kolonaki Group. Let me tell you I was blown away. If you do nothing else this summer you must add greek wines to your repetoire.
We tasted four grapes varieties. Moschofilero and Assyrtiko for the whites and Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro for the reds.
We had four flights of five wines each. The first three wines of each flight were the greek varietals and the fourth and fifth wines were international varieties. We tasted the flights blind so although we knew the greek varietals we did not know what the international varietals were. The object was to show that greek wines have flavour and style much akin to the european wines and yet also distinct.
The whites ranged in profile from similar to riesling, gewurtztraminer, pinot grigio, gruner vetliner, chablis. They had great minerality, citrus, spice and acidity. The reds were similar to spanish Rioja, southern France, Italy, Burgundy. They were lighter in body like that of a pinot noir and equally fuller to that of an italian barolo. All were exceptional wines!
No they definitely were not bombastic blow your head off oak monsters. Yes they most assuredly have finesse, subtlety, character and nuance. They were lower in alcohol......to be read normal alcohol levels! They were old world styling. Delicious! You weren't full after one glass.
Showcasing the wines in this way with international varieties was very smart. It put the pre-conceived notions about greek wines to bed if you know what I mean.
The first major selling factor in buying a wine is whether or not you are attracted to the label. It is as basic as that. I think the fear factor with greek wine as well as german wine is the font and script styling. They are pretty intimidating for us north americans. Therefore we are less likely to try. Once you know how to pronounce what seems unpronouncable......xinomavro (zeenomavro) it's not so scary to venture into.
Kudos to the Kolonaki Group for putting this fabulous tasting on and the way it was presented. It truly was magical!
In this sommelier's opinion greek wines are the next going concern. So if you want to get ahead of the game and show your friends you know a thing or two, check out their wines that are listed with the LCBO.
Better yet contact Kolonaki Group direct at http://www.kolonakigroup.com/ to buy wines that aren't available at the LCBO. Tell them Jackie O sent you!
You won't be disappointed!!
OPA!
Listed below are the wines we tasted.
White Wine
Grape Variety - Moschofilero
Boutari 2009 - Bright and clear with a pronounced nose of lemon and mineral, riesling like. Medium bodied with light acidity. Fresh with a medium lingering finish.
Spiropoulos Mantinia 2009 - Clear with a slight oxidative quality. Light venturing to medium acid. Light body with a medium finish. Italian pinot grigio style.
Tselepos Mantinia 2009 - Clear pale lemon with clean pronounced nose. Similar in style to a gewurtzraminer with a lovely light spice quality on the nose. Light rose petal on the palate with light lingering spice finish following through. Acidity, light venturing to medium with a medium body.
Grape Variety - Assyrtiko
Ktima Argyros 2009 - Clear very pale lemon in colour. On the nose it had an oxidative salty quality, similar to a fino sherry. It also had a slight mineral essence. On the palate is a lovely light petulance initially which softened. Lime/lemon zest carried through on the palate with a long warm lingering finish.
Gaia Thalassitis 2009 - Clear pale green in colour. This too had a slightly oxidative quality. Lemon on the nose. Medium body with the lemon carrying through on the palate and medium acidity. Long warm lingering finish.
Sigalas Santorini 2009 - Clear pale lemon with green hues in colour. Clean medium nose with stone fruit and earthiness shining through. Acidity was soft yet present with a long lingering finish.
Red Wine
Grape Variety - Agiorgitiko
Papaiouannou Estate 2005 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced with black cherry, slight menthol, red licorice and soft wood nicely balanced on the nose. Medium body with low tannin and light acidity. Medium lingering finish. Old world style.
Tselepos Driopi Nemea Reserve 2006 - Clean medium ruby in colour. Clean medium/pronounced nose. This nose was plums with a lovely mint/menthol backdrop to the soft toast of oak. Medium body with light tannins. The acidity was present, medium, but gentle. Slight toast followed through on the palate with a long finish.
Parparoussi Nemea Reserve 2003 - Clear ruby in colour. Clean medium nose with a Bordeaux right bank essence. Again a soft toast oak with stewed plums and herbal quality. Medium body, soft tannins with a long finish.
Grape Variety - Xinomavro
Boutari Grande Reserve 2003 - Clean pale/medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose with soft dried cherries and a soft cheese essence. I know, seems weird but trust me it's delicious. Medium body with light tannins much like a pinot noir with a gentle leather component. Light oak presence on the medium long finish that lingers.
Kir Yianni Ramnista 2005 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose of soft fruits, candied plums, light jam, raisins. Medium body with medium acid much like a good chianti with soft tannins and light oak. Long finish.
Alpha Xinomavro Hedgehog 2007 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose of cooked cherries, strawberries with very soft oak in the background. Medium body with medium tannins that soften. Slightly watery mid palate but disappears quickly.
