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Today, Greek wines are a well-kept secret among wine professionals. However, it’s about time we start spreading the word about the talented new generation of Greek wine producers. Typically, this is done through generic promotional bodies that organize tastings in key markets and arrange trips for influential individuals who can then share their findings. As the UK is a significant market for wine, our wine-trade diary is packed with tastings from September to July.
Wines of Greece, backed by the Greek government, has been hosting tastings in London and New York. However, as wine writers, we have found these tastings to be incredibly frustrating. For example, last August, a tasting was organized in London for the wines of Attica, Greece’s most important wine region. Not only was August an unusual month for a tasting due to soaring temperatures and people being on holiday, but the invitation also stated that the wine labels would be covered and the wine names not listed in the tasting booklet. This outraged wine writers, as it left us unable to recommend specific wines to our readers, making the tasting seem pointless.
The Greek authorities have a unique approach compared to others. They have decided that any funds allocated to wine promotion should strictly benefit the country or region as a whole and not promote individual brands. Therefore, they require all identifying features of the bottle to be covered during tastings and events, including labels, foils, and bottle shape. This creates a logistical nightmare for producers.
Sue Harris, a wine consultant with 30 years of experience, was involved in organizing the Attica tasting but has declined to repeat the exercise. Instead, she teamed up with Sofia Perpera of the Greek Wine Federation to organize a more effective tasting event. They approached individual producers and asked for financial contributions based on the size of their enterprise. They managed to gather 32 producers who were enthusiastic about participating, and two tastings were planned in Edinburgh and London.
On June 26, in the beautiful St John’s Church opposite Waterloo Station, the air was filled with the sounds of Greek accents and the aromas of 30 indigenous Greek grape varieties. Greece, like Portugal, is home to a thrilling range of native grapes. One standout grape is the Assyrtiko from Santorini, known for its wonderful white wines. Similar to how Touriga Nacional is celebrated in Portugal, Assyrtiko has become synonymous with Greek wines.
As I had recently written about Assyrtiko, I agreed with fellow Master of Wine Julia Harding that I would focus on tasting the red wines while she focused on the whites. Although Greece is often associated with producing hot, red wines, their first wines to make an impact abroad were actually whites from sea-cooled islands or high-altitude regions. However, Greece’s red wines have been rapidly gaining recognition. One of the most notable red grapes is Xinomavro, which thrives in northern Greece, particularly in Naoussa. Xinomavro shares similarities with the Nebbiolo grape and offers light color, acidity, tannins in its youth, and an intriguing aroma.
Another popular red grape is Agiorgitiko, widely planted in Greece. It is known for producing fuller-bodied, age-worthy wines in the Nemea appellation. These vineyards grow at altitudes higher than most red wine vines in France or Italy, and the cool mountain nights help retain the freshness and flavors of the grapes.
In modern Greek viticulture, there is a sense of enthusiasm among producers as they discover and promote lesser-known local grapes. Some of the grapes showcased at the tasting included Liatiko and Kotsifali from Crete, Mandilaria from Evia, Mouhtaro from the Muses Estate near Athens, and Mavrotragano from Santorini. These grapes, along with others, each have their distinct characteristics and contribute to the uniqueness of Greek wines.
It’s worth exploring modern Greek wines, both white and red. Here are some recommendations with the associated grapes:
1. Thymiopoulos, Atma Xinomavro 2021 13% Macedonia £9.49 Waitrose
2. Boutari 2020 Naoussa 13% (Xinomavro) £11.99 aspris.co.uk*, £14.60 Epinoia*
3. Papagiannakos, Erythros 2019 Peloponnese 12.5% (Agiorgitiko, Cabernet Sauvignon) £12.79 All About Wine, £12.95 N D John and many more
4. Oenops, Apla 2019 Greece (Xinomavro, Limniona, Mavroudi) £12.88 Lay & Wheeler
5. Thymiopoulos, Jeunes Vignes Xinomavro 2021 Macedonia £13.50 The Wine Society* and others
6. Diamantakis, Petali Liatiko 2019 Crete 13.2% £13.95 NY Wines, £14 Woodwinters and others
7. Noema, Invicta 2019 Amyndeo 12% (Xinomavro) £15.99 Averys, Laithwaites
8. Orealios Gaea, Nouvelle Epoque 2021 Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia 13% £17.50 Maltby & Greek* (can be ordered)
9. Vakakis, Tetractys 2021 Greece 13.5% (Avgoustiatis) £21 Kudos Wines* and Ripponden Wine, £23.10 Somerset Wine Co
10. Costa Lazaridi Château Julia Agiorgitiko 2020 Drama 13.5% £23.60 Private Cellar
11. Santo Mavrotragano 2020 Cyclades 13.5% £28.95 aspris.co.uk*
12. Gaia Estate 2020 Nemea (Agiorgitiko) 14.5% £32.50 Epinoia*, £32.79 All About Wine and many more
These retailers offer a selection of interesting Greek wines. For detailed tasting notes, scores, and suggested drink dates, please visit the Purple Pages of JancisRobinson.com. You can also follow @FTMag on Twitter for the latest stories.
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