Greek Wine Industry’s Reset (Part 2)
Neméa: Region #2
Paddy’s selection for our second wine region was Neméa, right in the backyard of one of Greece’s ancient Panhellenic Olympic Game sites. In addition to great athletes, this area is home to the country’s most important red wine appelation, Neméa. Its mountain vineyards—located in the northeast corner of the Peloponnese peninsula—have been producing wines since the 5th Century BC (at the same time local athletes were running around naked).
Its prominent native grape is the Agiorgitiko (pronounced a-yor-yi-ti-ko). This variety produces a wide range of styles from rich, age-worthy dry wines to lighter, sweeter versions. To make it easier for foreigners, grape is sometimes called “Saint George” referring to its namesake, a small local church in the area. One of Neméa’s prominent producers, Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, co-founder of Gaia Estate, likens the taste of Agiorgitiko to a wine where 20–30% of Merlot has been added to Sangiovese. As further explanation, he confirms that “It’s definitely not a big, blockbusting Cab.’’
Recently there’s been tremendous investment in Neméa which now has 40 wineries within its appellation boundaries. Much of this progress has been led by George Skouras who wears two hats: as President of “Winemakers of Greece” and as owner of Kitma (or Domaine) Skouras which we visited. He is equally proud of both titles. When he started his business in 1986 there were around 70 wineries in Greece. Now the country has over 1,400. Many are second generation small producers who have studied abroad and brought home innovative thinking and the latest in viticultural practices.
What our group witnessed during our wine tour was a blend of the old and the new. While the producers were happy to show off their stainless-steel tanks, sorting tables and French barriques, we also saw amphorae and egg-shaped fermenters (both ancient vessels) being used. Yes, while some Greek producers experiment with French varieties—to use on their own or to blend with other grapes—their wines are at their best in my estimation, when exclusively made of their indigenous grapes. This is what authenticity and sense of place is all about.
Visiting Ktima Skouras reminded me of wine tourism in California: a perfect fusion of terroir, heritage and modern-day commercialism made even more pleasurable by the addition of art, a beautiful setting, and delicious food. On multiple occasions at other producers, we tasted wines alongside small plates of local cheeses, dried fruit, nuts, and vegetable dips, primarily tomato. But, at Skouras—a sophisticated operation with full scale hospitality—we enjoyed both a lunch of Greek specialties and a sampling of the winery’s delicious wines.
We tasted Skouras’ benchmark wine, its Saint George, made 100% of Agiorgitiko grapes. This medium-bodied red had lovely aromas of red and black fruits, spice, and rich, elegant tannins. We were also served their Megas Oenos, a wine with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in with the Agiorgitiko grapes, then aged for 18 months in oak barrels. (Skouras was instrumental in introducing international varieties to the region.) This powerful red had the added complexity of smoke, leather and black pepper, definitely a serious wine with great aging potential.
As wine is best appreciated with food, we relished drinking Ktima Skouras’ Saint George with our medley of lunch starters: Rocket salad, graviera cheese shavings and sun-dried tomatoes; leek pie with homemade phyllo; and roasted red peppers with feta cheese. While most of us were full after our abundant first course, somehow, we found room for the entrée: a Bogana lamb (a traditional holiday dish from the Peloponnese) slowly baked in a traditional wood oven for four hours, the perfect match for the Megas Oenos. Of course, we couldn’t leave without a Greek dessert: Galaktompoureko (Yes! That’s all one word), a local custard-filled pastry bathed in scented syrup.
Santorini: Region #3
Paddy’s third and final choice of wine regions was the Aegean Island of Santorini. Most people think of it as a paradise for honeymooners. I would add to that it’s also a stunning day trip for overweight, middle-aged “sea cruisers. But who am I to judge? The fact remains that Santorini’s shimmering whitewashed buildings built on the slopes of the caldera, its iconic blue domes, and cascading bougainvillea in shades of orange and hot pink, make for a dream-like backdrop for all its visitors.
Technically Santorini is a group of islands (Thira, Thirassia, Aspronissi, Palea and Nea Kameni) in the southernmost part of the Cyclades. This is the land of Greece’s most famous white variety, Assyritiko, (pronounced ah-seer-tee-koe). While it may have taken me a week to finally master its pronunciation, it was worth the effort as it ended up as my favorite Greek varietal. Its complex citrus and mineral notes plus its bracing acidity made it a perfect match for seafood—which we enjoyed in abundance while in Santorini—as well as with many other Greek dishes.
The vineyards in Santorini have a legacy of over 3,000 years, like Neméa. However, its volcanic soil is unique. It goes way down, some three stories deep, and is studded with pumice stones. The volcanic soil with its low pH absorbs and locks in moisture during the day, giving it back to the vineyards through evaporation during the hottest hours of the day. This phenomenon helps to relieve the plants from too much stress. This is also what gives the wines their high acidic personality, pronounced mineral and salinity flavors in addition to their great ageing potential. Without a doubt, it is here in Santorini that the grape variety produces its finest expression.
To order for the grapes to resist the dry, windy and often scorching hot climatic conditions of its micro-climate, the island uses a special vine pruning method. It’s called Kouloura meaning “wreath” or “basket.” Experienced vineyard workers weave the canes of the vine into the shape of a large wreath-like basket which hugs the ground. Once fruiting begins, the grapes can grow protected within their “woven” baskets.
Sometimes referred to as Greece’s white Burgundy, Santorini’s Assyrtiko wines fetch high prices on the market. Why? Because all vineyard work must be done by hand. Formerly, the back-breaking work was done by family members. But now that the island’s youth have fled to Athens for higher paying jobs, working the vines—mostly on their knees! —is carried out by itinerant vineyard workers.
Today producers on the island face a myriad of other adverse factors: naturally small yields, a reduced workforce, fewer vineyards, and higher land prices. The real terms, the island’s ever-expanding tourism makes it more profitable to build hotels than to plant vines. Throw in global warming and you have a perfect storm resulting in reduced availability of wine as well as higher prices. Nonetheless, a fine bottle of Santorini Assyritiko is still considerably more affordable than a white Burgundy! So, don’t hesitate to stock up!
An expert’s forecast for the future of Greek wines
Let’s have a look at my favorite Master of Wine, Mary Gorman, and her predictions for Greek wines in the coming years. Mary has traveled the world studying wine trends and has these encouraging projections:
I see a very strong future for Greek wines for many reasons. Greek wine has a clear differentiable identity with a sustainable competitive advantage. For starters the wines are produced from a plethora of unique and historic indigenous varieties such as Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Agioryitiko, Malagousia and many more, rather than from a host of ‘me too’s’ offering yet another Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. Secondly, these indigenous varieties make very high-quality wines that offer a clear expression of their terroir.
There is no mistaking Assyrtiko from Santorini or Xinomavro from Naoussa to mention just two. On top of this, many of the Greek indigenous varieties makes wines capable of very long aging. It’s not sheer coincidence that Xinomavro has often been likened to the Nebbiolo of Italy.
Probably one of the most important reasons that the future looks bright is that Greek wines are delicious, appealing equally to the occasional sipper, the eager enthusiast all the way to the wine geeks and professionals.
In addition to all these ‘wine centric’ reasons is the sheer fact that Greece could rightly be considered the cradle of civilization. Greece gave us Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras (we all remember learning Pythagoras’s theorem in grade school!) and Archimedes, as well as mythical Gods and Goddesses aplenty. And of course, there is the food, well documented in this article by Marsha. And if that is not enough, let’s just remind ourselves where Greece is – a peninsula and an archipelago of 6000 islands smack bang in the Mediterranean Sea.
Finally, to round out this two-part series on Greek Wines, here is Anthony Giglio, wine expert extraordinaire, and his Greek Wine Cheat Sheet. Carry it with you for your next visit to your favorite wine shop. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask for it to be brought in for you.
Anthony Giglio’s Greek wine cheat sheet
If you like Moscato: Try Moschofilero
Moschofilero, from central Peloponnese, is a floral, aromatic, dry white that boasts a bouquet of acacia flowers and peachy fruitiness. As it ages it develops more pronounced stone-fruit flavors and distinct nuttiness.
If you like Sauvignon Blanc: Try Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko is easily one of Greece’s top wines. Though this juicy white wine hails from Santorini, it’s made just about everywhere. Lean and flinty, with citrus and passion fruit flavors, it has a bit of salinity in the finish. However, bottles bearing the word “Nykteri” are always oaked, and thus tend to be creamier and richer.
If you like Chardonnay: Try Malagousia
Malagousia was only recently rediscovered (in the 1970s) in Northern Greece and has taken the country by storm. It’s by far one of richer whites from Greece, bearing orange blossom aromas and lots of stone-fruit ripeness, with soft acidity in the finish.
If you like Merlot: Try Argiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko hails from the Peloponnese region of Nemea, where it yields fruity, generous, full-bodied wines brimming with ripe plum and sweet berries, with dusty spice and a hint of bitter herb in the finish.
If you like Nebbiolo (Barolo/Barbaresco): Try Xinomavro
Xinomavro grows in the regions of Naoussa and Amyndeo, and often draws comparisons to Northern Italy’s ‘King of Reds,” Barolo (which is made with Nebbiolo). These wines lean toward black cherry and blackberry fruit, spiciness, high tannins, and a good dose of acidity.
Our final installment on Greece will be posted early January to start off the new year. It will showcase Nikos Antonakeas, an Athens native with both a European and American perspective, who helped me better appreciate some of Greece’s ancient and modern traditions.