The state of Greek wine

While Greece struggles with many issues in their government and economy, one industry that continues to improve is wine. My recent trip allowed me a chance to check in on some of the latest releases, focusing on the indigenous varietals that many Greek winemakers are putting more focus on. Most of these wines are still more of the everyday drinking type, but there is certainly one winery that I think is capable of making some world-class reds.

To begin with, there was one very different wine we tried, the Domaine Tselepos Amalia Brut, a sparkling wine made from the Moschofilero grape. This wine won't make anyone forget the great Champagne houses, but it was a very enjoyable effort, and something I didn't know was being produced in Greece. Kudos to Tselepos for this work, which is impressive.

Among the entry-level red wines, I was very impressed this year with the Boutari Naoussa 2008. This has always been a standard table wine in Greece, but it is clear that Boutari has raised the quality of this Xinomavro-based wine. Available in the US in many places, it is a nice $10-$15 wine here. Boutari's 2004 Grand Reserve was also quite tasty, though not necessarily worth the extra cost.

Another winery from the north is Domaine Porto Carras. Among their highlights was the 2008 Limnio, an ancient varietal grown on the Chalkidiki peninsula. We also tried their Limnio-Cabernet blend, but I preferred the straight Limnio.

Katogi is a winery getting some good press here in the US for their Xinomavro, but in Greece we drank the 2008 Averoff, a blend of Agioritiko and Cabernet Sauvignon from northern Greece. It is another wine I've had many times over the years, but this was one of the stronger efforts I can recall.

Skouras is another winery that has made some inroads in the US market with their Agioritiko and Megas Oenos blend. We didn't try any of their higher-end cuvees this year, but the entry level Erythmos (90% Agioritiko and 10% Cab) was a solid wine for the price (6 euros at the local market).

Another of the bigger Greek wineries is Hatzimichalis, which has been known for their international varieties. This year, it appears they have a new effort with a line of wines that blend these varietals with the indigenous grapes. I actually don't have the notes on the wines we had, but they were solid efforts that I think were an improvement over the straight varietals like Cab or Merlot.

Finally, we come to my favorite winery in Greece, Papaioannou. This winery from the Peloponnese specializes in the Agioritiko grape with their red wines. This year, I was lucky enough to have their entry-level Agioritiko, the Ktima Papaioannou that is their single-vineyard selection, and finally the Old Vines Selection. We actually had a 2003 vintage of the entry-level bottling, and was still fresh and full of life. The single-vineyard wine steps up the quality to a level few other Greek wines reach, but the 2004 Old Vines selection was truly a special bottle. To me, this is the red wines all other Greek reds should be measured against. It has several qualities that reminded me of an aged Sangiovese, with notes of red cherry and almost a hint of sandalwood. I truly believe that if more Greek wines begin to reach this level, the industry will achieve a breakthrough in the international market.

Overall, while there were very few thrilling world-class wines I tasted, I came away impressed this year with the overall quality level of many of the entry-level Greek wines. These wines are quite inexpensive in Greece, and many that reach the US are still affordable as well. If Greek wines can reach the homes of consumers at this level, I think it will give them a chance to make future investments that lead to even higher quality wines that a few producers are already proving can be made.

Greek wines at Kyma

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a tasting featuring many of the best wines being made in Greece today. I was expecting a few good wines and some average drinkable ones as well, but was instead surprised by the overall high quality of what I tasted. What follows is a quick recap of a fantastic evening.

I kept brief notes, and not in order of tasting, so these will be alphabetical by winery, as they are in the guide we were given. Alpha Estate was one of the properties I was not familiar with, but I came away very impressed. I tried three different reds, the 2006 Xinomavro, the 2006 Alpha Estate, and the 2006 Axia. The Alpha Estate was a blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Xinomavro, and 20% Merlot, and was quite good. The Axia was 60% Xinomavro and 40% Merlot, good, but not quite as nice as the Estate.

From Boutari, we had the 2006 Naoussa, which is decent, but nothing special. It's a nice inexpensive quaffer. Cair is an estate from Rhodes that actually makes a red, and the 2006 Orama isn't bad. Like the Boutari, it's a nice easy drinker.

Gaia was a winery I've heard of but not tried anything. The Gaia S 2007 is a blend of 70% Agioritiko and 30% Syrah made in a lighter style. It's not bad, but the star is the 2006 Gaia Estate, a 100% Agioritiko. It was one of the stars of the night, silky smooth and full-bodied.

Domaine Gerovassiliou makes some great reds and whites. the 2008 Malagousia remains my favorite Greek white wine, very aromatic with floral notes. Their 2008 Viogner was also quite good, restrained and elegant. The lone red we had was the 2005 Avaton, a blend of three indigenous grapes - Limnio, Mavroudi, and Maavrotagano. It is very good, and a great example of what some of these unknown varietals can produce with a great winemaker.

Katogi is another winery I'm familiar with, and their 2005 Xinomavro was among the best of the night as well, full of spice. Also made of Xinomavro, but with a touch of Merlot, is the Kir-Yanni 2006 Estate. This is another very good wine from one of the better producers in Greece.

One of my favorite producers in Greece is Domaine Mercouri, and they had two good red wines on offer. The 2005 Domaine Mercouri is nice and soft, an everyday wine, while the 2004 Cava is more elegant and fuller. Both wines are mainly Refosco, with some Mavrodaphne.

Quite possibly the star of the night (and a real treat as I did not expect them to be represented) was Papaioannou. We had one of their wines on my last trip to Greece that I thought was the best Greek wine I had tasted, so I was excited to see them. The wines on offer did not disappoint - both the 2003 Old Vines Nemea and 2001 Mikroclima Nemea were excellent. Both are 100% Agioritiko, and they are truly world-class. I can't recommend this winery enough, as I think anyone who tastes these would realize Greece can produce true top-quality wines.

Ktima Pavlidis was another new estate for me, but unfortunately a bit disappointing. Their 2006 Thema White was ok, and while the 2008 Thema Rose (made from Tempranillo) was interesting it didn't wow me. The 2006 Thema Red was unfortunately what many Greek wines have been in the past - a bit thin (especially for a wine that is 60% Syrah) and lacking any real character.

Domaine Tsantali is well-known, and their 2005 Rapsani Riserva was a bit rustic and tannic, though it did open up slowly. It may turn out to be ok, but for now wasn't among the tops of the night.

Finally, I will close with Domaine Skouras, another favorite of mine. We had three different reds, beginning with the 2007 St. George (Agioritiko). This is a lighter Agioritiko, but a great food wine, and one that I have had in prior vintages. The 2006 Megas Oenos, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Agioritiko, is a big step up, but I did not find this vintage quite as compelling as prior years I've tasted. Many feel that this has been Greece's top wine recently, but this vintage did not quite measure up on this night. It was still good, but not quite to the level of some others I had. Finally, Skouras had a new wine on offer, the 2006 Synoro, which is a blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, and Agioritiko. This wine is still a little young and tannic with the Cab Franc really dominating, but I feel that it has the potential to be very, very good.

Overall, this was an amazing night. After tasting all off these wines, I really feel that Greece is moving ever closer to a real breakout with its wine industry. There is a great variety of indigenous grapes, as well as some wonderful wine being produced with international varietals. I can only hope that this trend continues and people give these wines a chance, because the improvements just in the last 5-6 years are really something. I also look forward to getting over to Greece at the end of the summer and seeing what new wines I might discover there, as there are bound to be more producers continuing to rise to the challenge. For anyone here in the US, I'd urge you to seek out some of these top wines, especially if you are visiting a Greek restaurant (such as Kyma here in Atlanta, one of the best restaurants of any kind we have in this city).

A contrasting pair from Greece

I've actually had two bottles of Greek wine recently, and they offered a great example of the variety being produced there now, and also some of the potential the country has. First up was the 2006 Skouras St. George (Agioritiko). Made from one of Greece's indigenous varietals, this is a wine I love to share with people who are unfamiliar with Greek wines. Skouras is pretty widely available, and this base cuvee of theirs is affordable but quite tasty too. I've mentioned their higher-end Megas Oenos before, and this entry-level wine is also impressive. For anyone looking to expand your horizons (or needing something when you visit a Greek restaurant) I definitely recommend this wine.

Next up was the 2000 Domaine Hadzimichali Merlot. As opposed to the traditional wine above, here I was trying an international varietal. I've actually had this wine in my cellar for a while, and was a bit worried about whether or not it would still be good, since I had no notes or recommended window for it. I was pleased that the wine was not over the hill. The fruit was a bit muted, and certainly suggested it was probably starting on the downside, but it wasn't bad. In fact, I thought that it had a nice aged character to it that was actually impressive for a country that is not known for Merlot (and doesn't really have any track record in the US for producing ageworthy wines). I've had other wines form this producer while in Greece, so I know they are doing some very good things - if you happen to find any of their wines, I'd definitely recommend them.

2000 Domaine Mercouri Red

Over the past week or two, I've begun going to my cellar for wines, figuring there are plenty of choices there that probably are peaking (and hopefully not past). One of the first I noticed was a Greek wine, the 2000 Domaine Mercouri, and truthfully I was afraid it may be over the hill. I was pleasantly surprised though to find that this wine still had plenty to offer. There was still ample fruit that made this a nice red ideal for drinking with dinner.

I first had this wine one summer in Greece, and have found it to be one of the better wines coming out of Greece. This wine is mainly Refosco, with some Mavrodaphne blended in, and offers a great look at what is possible from Greece with commitment to make top quality wines. I highly recommend this producer if you are looking to sample the wines from this region.

Weekend with Loudoun and Ashley

My friends Loudoun and Ashley came to visit Atlanta from Charlotte last weekend, offering a chance for several great wines to be drunk. Friday night we had steaks at my place, while Saturday night we ventured out to Kyma for an evening of fantastic Greek food.

I had promised that I had a great wine picked out for Friday night, and I think Loudoun was quite excited when he arrived to find the 1993 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon opened in the kitchen. 1993 was a poor vintage in the Northern Rhone, but the Pavillon still garnered a 92 point rating from Parker. Nonetheless, it never really sold well from what I can tell, and a bunch showed up last year at one of my favorite stores in Atlanta, Hinton's Wine Store. When it was then marked down even further, I decided to buy it for a price that can't be beat for a Chapoutier Ermitage, with the intention of drinking it sooner rather than later.

The wine certainly did not disappoint. While it did not reach the heights of the 1995 (the greatest wine I've ever tasted), the wine was not off in any way. It had some of the typically peppery notes I've found in wines from Hermitage, but was very elegant overall. The wine did not fade during the night either, suggesting to me it still had some life left. No doubt I will be holding my bottle of 1999 Le Pavillon for good deal longer.

For a second wine Friday night, I went for something a little less serious, the 1999 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Rosso di Montalcino. I actually didn't realize I still had a bottle of the 1999 Rosso left, and was a bit worried it may be over the hill, as most people do not recommend aging these wines for close to 10 years. This wine was still good though, showing as well as could be expected, and very similar to what I would expect an older Brunello to be.

Saturday night at Kyma, we went with two of my favorite Greek wines from the wonderful list at the restaurant (almost all Greek wines, and very reasonably priced). First, we actually went with a white, the 2006 Amethystos from Domaine Costa Lazaridi. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Assyrtiko, this wine is a great example of blending international varietals with indigenous Greek grapes to create very nice easy-drinking wine.

For a second wine, we went with one of the more serious reds produced in Greece, the 2005 Skouras Megas Oenos. The Megas Oenos is a blend of Agioritiko and Cabernet Sauvignon, once again taking an international varietal and adding it to an indigenous one. The result is a very robust, full-bodies wine, that was quite enjoyable. A wine like this shows what Greek wines are capable of, and should be tried by anyone who wants to see the potential the country has to produce top-quality.

Overall, the weekend was fabulous, as to me there is nothing better than sharing great wine with great friends. Like when I get together with my family, a weekend with Loudoun and Ashley is a great time to break out some wines I've been holding onto, and for all of us to experience some great wines from a variety of places.