Does anybody drink Greek wine??? Hard to believe that the country of the world that practically invented wine culture and has been producing amphoras of the stuff for thousands of years is on the bottom of the list for popular wine regions. And that's a shame, because they could really use the commerce! No seriously, it's a shame because they have gorgeous wine creations that deserve to be discovered and savored.

Here is a breakdown of major Greek grapes…and their pronunciations!!!!

WHITES:

            Roditis ("rho-DYE-tuss"): a grape that can have a playful contrast between it's zippy, snappy acidity and a softer fruitier grape that it is often blended with.

            Moscophilero("mo-sko-FEE-lehr-oh"): super perfumey, and somewhat "spiced" white grape that is ofyen compared to Muscat in its exotic fragrant profile. A perfect grape to blend with more non-descript juices in making awesome wine duos.

            Assyrtiko(ah-SEAR-tih-koh"): A top quality wine grape, its massive minerality and super snappy crisp acidity makes it a great blending partner for Malagousia, Savatiano, and international varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

            Savatiano("suh-vat-tee-AH-no"): Greece’s most common white grape, and the most common ingredient in Retsina. On good sites, it produces well-balanced, full mouthfeel whites with a plush core of orchard fruits combined with the zest of Mediterranean citrus. Because it lacks a tight, perky acidity, it is often blended with Roditis, Moscophilero, or Assyrtiko!

            Muscat ("MUSS-kat"): Great concentration of "grapey" flavors hinting at orange-flowers and spice. Almost always used to make outstanding sweet (yet alcoholic) dessert wines, but drier, more food friendly versions are now made on Lemnos.
 

REDS:

          Xinomavro ("zee-no-MAH-vro"): Its name means “acid black”. The most planted red variety in Greece, it produces relatively fruity wines with a good acidic bite, hints of olive, sundried tomato, & herbs, and excellent tannic structure that ages well.

            Aghiorghitiko ("Ah-your-YITT-i-ko"): Also known as St. George, is the 2^nd most planted red variety, and produces easy, fruity, deep, aromatic wines that can sometimes reveal hints of coffee, cocoa, or molasses flavors intertwined with herbs, dark flowers, olive, & tobacco. In Metsovo, it’s blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to produce the popular table wine called Katoi

            Mavrodaphne ("MAH-vro-doff-nee"): The name means, “Black laurel”. It is an aromatic, powerful variety used to produce the port-like dessert wine Mavrodaphne of Patras.

            Mandelaria ("man-duh-LAHR-ee-ah"): Also known as Amorghiano on Rhodes, this is Greece’s 3^rd most planted red wine grape. It is a powerful specialty of various Greek islands producing deep colored tannic reds ranging from dry to sweet styles.
 

Ultimately, even if you can't remember this list, or you still have your doubts as to the approachability and drinkability of their wines, just remember that this country has the best "mixing pot" for making amazing, interesting, unique, and adventurous wines. There are over 300 ancient indigenous grape varieties. Wow! The whole country is mountainous, providing vineyard sites that are high elevation (which equals perky, vibrant acid development), and practically every vineyard is surrounded by or near water (maritime influences on softer sugar & acid development.) It's really hot, especially in the southern islands (sugar development is wicked crazy….dessert wines taste like liquid Baklava!), and often the grapes of centuries' old genetics blend especially well with newly imported and grown French grape varieties (such as Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.) Soils range from limestone, to volcanic ash, to sand, and the difficult fertility provides low yield, concentrated grapes.
 

Wines here ARE different…and that's a good thing. Some of them are produced on such a tiny level, and in such traditional manners (but thankfully with modern hygiene), that one could compare these little gems to the CUPCAKES of today's bakeries, where these individual cakes made in the most glorious flavor combinations are showing up at weddings, dinner tables, and coffee bars instead of huge 20" cakes. Greek wines are the Buttercup Bakery, Sweet Melissa, Magnolia, Crumbs, or Two Little Red Hens of the wine world! Little packages of distinct flavor!

Curious to try one now???? Well, come to Vino-Versity on Wednesday (any time from 12 noon to 8pm) for our $10 "Grape's Anatomy" tasting, where this week's theme is "Fragrant, Exotic Whites". We will be pouring, among others, a Greek blend of Roditis & Viognier. Reserve on this website ("social wine events") or just walk in and mosey on up to our tasting table. Only one more thing to say….OH-MY-GODS!