Konstantinos Lazarakis MW is a gifted educator and I am very grateful that he shares his knowledge through a number of guest posts on elloinos. In this installment, Konstantinos zooms into Greece and discusses the vineyards. Greece is the southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula. It is shaped by the way the spine of the [...]
Greek wine introductions are more than plain fun, they are educational. This holds true for both, the “tutor” and the attendees. I hosted two very different events that were both totally worth the effort: A couple of weeks ago I visited the well known Campus Geisenheim in Germany (Oenology). I introduced about 20 high-end Greek [...]
The stunning series of wine tasting events hosted by the WSPC continued last week. The latest event was a particular treat, as the well known Boutari Group showcased Xinomavro wines covering five decades. The wines were presented by Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, Konstantinos Boutaris (President), Yiannis Voyatzis (the chief oenologist who has been with Boutari for [...]
Today is a special day for me: Six months ago I announced here that a fine selection of Greek wines that I carry via 600bottles will soon be featured at the 3 star Michelin Restaurant Bareiss in Germany. I am very proud to announce that I have now received the order – the wines are [...]
Xinomavro can capture the dreams and hopes of people far away. Laurens Hartman and his wife Annette van Kampen left their comfortable life in Holland behind and founded the Domaine Karanika in Amyndeo. Within a few years, they have managed to produce a number of fine wines that are marked by their individual character. The [...]
Kostis Dalamaras writes a truly superb blog, albeit it is currently only published in Greek. A few days ago he alerted me to his latest post, a reprint of an article by a local newspaper in Naoussa from 1988. In it, his grandfather Kostas discusses whether vines should be watered or not. It is a [...]
Area grown: Southwest Achaia (in the northwest of the Peleponnese) History: Watch the video for nerdy fun-facts Grapes: Medium bunches with small and evenly rounded berries that turn from green to gold yellow straw colour during maturation. Harvest takes place during mid September. The grapes have good sugar content, but slightly lack acidity. Yields are [...]
Kostis Dalamara has been dubbed “the future of Naoussa”. He is one of the “young guns”, a small group of young, yet extremely talented Greek winemakers that will shape the Greek wine industry in the years to come. Kostis is very thoughtful, passionate and not afraid to offer his view on controversial issues. At a [...]
Stellios Boutaris from the Kir Yianni Estate does not really need an introduction. Kir Yianni is one of the best known Greek producers, and their wines are renowned in- and outside of Greece. Founded in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris, the estate is now run by his oldest son. In this Q&A, Stellios gives his personal [...]
For the first time, a Greek wine was featured on Gary Vaynerchuk’s Daily Grape last Thursday. The review of the Boutari Kretikos red 2008 started well, but ended with disappointment: “Tannic, disjointed, awkward, bitter, poor finish” were some of the descriptors used. You can view the episode here. Boutari is the one Greek brand that [...]
