Greece.
Just saying that word puts a smile on many people’s faces.
Images of warm, sandy beaches spring to mind.
Cristal clear, blue water and endless skies.
It’s the land of lovers and ancient poets and any romantic with a beating heart.
No wonder my wife and so many other people around the world adore this sun-drenched paradise made up of thousands of islands sprinkled throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas.
But there’s one thing many people outside of Greece often don’t think of when they think of this country - wine.
And not just ordinary wine.
Really great wine.
Then again, it shouldn’t come as a surprise since so many other fruits and vegetables thrive throughout Greece, whether it’s olive or fig trees and some of the freshest vegetables you’ll ever taste in your life.
So this week, I decided to focus on several Greek wines, especially since so many of them taste so great on warm, summer afternoons.
The six different Greek wines featured this week are each made with a different grape - two reds, two roses, one white and one only-in-Greece wine.
One of the great things about Greek wines is the wide array of less well-known grapes often used to make many of the wines there.
Sure, you can find Greek wines made with Chardonnay grapes and other familiar names.
But why limit yourself when you can discover what different wines taste like made with other types of grapes?
Let me add that all six of these wines were purchased at Provisions in Northampton for $82, which recently put together this sampling of six different, affordable Greek wines for customers. I hope you enjoy these delicious, affordable wines as much as I did. Yamas, which is “cheers” in Greek.
WINES RECOMMENDED THIS WEEK
Tetramythos Retsina
2019 Domaine Paterianakis Melissokipos Assyrtiko White
2019 Domaine Zafeirakis Limniona Rose
2019 Troupis Winery 3617 Moschofilero Rose
2016 Naoussa Melilzani Xinomavro Red
2018 Troupis Winery Fteri Agiorgitko Red
ABOUT GREEK WINES
As you might expect in one of the oldest inhabited places, people have been making wine in Greece for thousands of years. Specifically, Greeks have been making wine for more than 6,000 years. Many ancient Greeks even worshipped Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Wine was also sometimes used for medicinal purposes to treat different ailments.
POPULAR GREEK WINE GROWING REGIONS
You can find wines made with grapes grown throughout many parts of Greece. On the mainland, Macedonia has several popular wine growing areas, including Naoussa, where one of today’s featured red wines comes from. The island of Crete is another popular place for wine production, along with several Aegean Islands (including Santorini and Rhodes) and Ionian Islands (including Corfu and Kefalonia).
GRAPES USED TO MAKE GREEK WINES
One of the great things about Greek wines is the wide range grapes used to make their wines. Some of the more popular grapes include:
Red Wine - Agiorgitko, Limniona and Xinomavro
White Wine - Assyrtiko, Malagousia and Moschofilero
WINE TASTING NOTES
Tetramythos Retsina
Region - Mount Aroania, North Peloponnese
Grape - Roditis
Tasting Notes - Let’s start with the most well-known (and perhaps most misunderstood) Greek wine - Retsina. If you have ever heard of Retsina, you might not have a great impression of this wine which used to be made with pine resin. But this wonderful wine from the mountainous region in the northern part of the Peloponnese peninsula will make you rethink Retsina. This charming wine has a soft, subtle finish with a dash of lime and hay flavors. Everything about this wine is delicate and understated. A great start to a great Greek wine tasting.
2019 Domaine Paterianakis Melissokipos Assyrtiko White
Region - Crete
Grape - Assyrtiko
Tasting Notes - Many travelers know the island of Crete for its rocky coastline and crystal-clear blue waters. This large Greek island also makes many outstanding wines, particular white ones. This crisp, refreshing wine abounds with soft, subtle fruit flavors, ranging from lemon to a hint of lime with a dash of sea salt. You can almost even taste the foam of the ocean caressing the sand if you close your eyes and imagine this charming Greek island.
2019 Domaine Zafeirakis Limniona Rose
Region - Mount Olympus, Tyrnavos
Grape - Limniona
Tasting Notes - Made with grapes grown in the mainland of Greece, this hearty rose wine overflows with wonderful fruit flavors, ranging from peach and pear to rose petals and a dash of sea salt. Darker in color than some rose wines, I was thoroughly impressed by its refreshing, subtle flavors.
2019 Troupis Winery 3617 Moschofilero Rose
Region - Mantinea Plateau, Peloponnese
Grape - Moschofilero
Tasting Notes - The first of two wines from Troupis Winery recommended this week, this dry, refreshing rose will appeal to those who enjoy drier, more understated wines. Here, the peach, rose petal and sea salt flavors are among the driest and subtlest of all the wines recommended this week. Truly delightful wine.
2016 Naoussa Melilzani Xinomavro Red
Region - Naoussa, Macedonia
Grape - Xinomavro
Tasting Notes - Made with Xinomavro grown on the Greek mainland, this big, earthy red wine reminds me of red wines from France’s Southern Rhone region. This robust wine has a long, dry aftertaste filled with dry fruit flavors, including blackberries and plumbs. A great wine for a hearty, rustic meal.
2018 Troupis Winery Fteri Agiorgitko Red
Region - Peloponnese
Grape - Agiorgitko
Tasting Notes - The second wine from Troupis Winery on the Peloponnese peninsula, this red wine has a lighter, slighter fruitier finish compared to the other red wine recommended this week. Let me add, though, that this isn’t a sweet wine. The berry flavors (including raspberry and cherry) are simply more front and center and vibrant. A great finish to a great Greek wine tasting.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
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September 01, 2020 at 01:00AM
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