Greek wine is not just for holidays....
It's been wonderful to experience such enthusiasm from the people of Highams Park for some of our wines and beers that are a little off the beaten track. Pignoletto has outsold Prosecco, Pale Ale has overtaken Pilsner and we've sold more Mercurey than Merlot. This week we have got new wines in from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy... and Turkey.
I do still get a small sense of trepidation when I gesture towards one of my favourite wine countries... Greece!
Perhaps it's memories of overly-resinous Retsina in a Greek restaurant, or a disappointing bottle brought back to the UK that never lived up to the bottle sipped from a terrace overlooking the sea in Santorini. To remedy this I've written a few notes on some of my favourites, all of which are available to buy at Vinoramica. They're wines that are now being listed in some seriously prestigious restaurants, and gaining multiple awards from the most credible of critics....
Gerovassiliou Malagousia 2016 - Epanomi - £18
This wine went down a storm at our pre-opening tasting, thanks to its rich, lemony, slightly exotic style. Vangelos Gerovassiliou started producing wines from this native grape variety in 1981, bringing it back from near extinction. This is still the benchmark for Malagousia and is brilliant on its own, or served with seafood, poultry or Mediterranean salads.
Gerovassiliou Viognier 2016 - Epanomi - £19
Our next wine from Gerovassiliou is a contender for one of the best Viogniers I have ever tasting (and I have tasted quite a few). Vangelos trained in the Northern Rhone Valley, the home of this wonderful grape variety, so it's no surprise he's produced a cracker, with more than a nod to Condrieu in style. The wine spends a short amount of time with skin contact and in French oak barrels, so has a rich creaminess and mouthfeel, balanced with apricot, peach and a touch of smoke. The perfect partner to richer seafood dishes and many aromatic Asian dishes. This vintage recently won a Decanter Platinum award, which is about as good as it gets.
Gaia Wild Ferment Assyrtiko - Santorini - £25
I have been told on numerous occasions by the winemaker these are the oldest vines in the world, with vines averaging 80 years+, with rootstock that's centuries old. To survive the harsh elements on the slopes of Santorino the vines are trained into thick basket-like coils. This is a true "terroir wine" - as the vines really do have to struggle through both the harsh elements and the sparse volcanic terrain. The result is amazing, "like Chablis on steroids", with a rich, mineral, highly complex mouthfeel. If there is ever call to decant a white wine, this is it.
Monemvasia Winery Red - Monemvasia - £18
Being from a more southern peninsula this is very elegant expression of the Agiorgitiko grape, this time blended with another indigenous grape, Mavroudi. Thanks to its medium-bodied red cherry, vanilla, and slight nuttiness that it has developed over time, it reminds me of many great Gran Reserva Riojas. This is crying out to be matched with a roast, lamb would be delicious.
Gaia Agiorgitiko - Nemea - £17
Another Agiorgitiko, this time from Nemea, where it is sometimes nicknamed "blood of Hercules" as this is supposedly what the hero drank after slaying the Neamean lion. Agiorgitiko actually translates as "St George's Grape" - so perhaps one for the English Saint? Anyway, this is a wine with lots of red fruit, good structure, yet beautifully integrated tannins. A wine to match with classic red meat dishes.
Alpha Estate Reserve Old Vine Xinomavro - Amyndeo - £22
Xinomavro (pronounced Zee-no-mav-ro) is a thick skinned, structured grape which reminds me a lot of Nebbiolo (think big Italian reds with good acidity and tannins). This is a wine from ancient vines which has two years in oak barrels, meaning an amazing concentration of smokey black fruits, strawberries, dark cherries, liquorice and some spice. Be bold and match this with chargrilled red meats, spicy sausages or hard mature cheeses.
