Greek wine values at the entry level are not restricted to the whites only, although the reds will cost a little more. As with the whites, these are terrific food partners and can be paired with a large variety of dishes. I used a price ceiling of 7,50€ (shelf price in Greece, inclusive of 23% [...]
There has never been a better time to explore Greek wines, especially at the entry level. Serious headway has been made, and the quality that can now be found in the lower price segment deserves attention – if you know what to look out for. All that glitters is not gold, yet some real bargains [...]
Just about two years ago, Palate Press published an article in which I enumerated the misconceptions and chief arguments against Greek wines and proceeded to provide answers for each. I felt the time was ripe to examine if any progress has been made. My updates are included in Italic. Please note that I only copied [...]
Limnos, the 8th largest island of Greece, is located in the northern Aegean. The vast majority of its vineyards are located at low altitudes. Only one grape is allowed for the two existing appellations: Muscat of Alexandria produces the dry Limnos PDO white wines, as well as the sweet Muscat of Limnos PDO wines. It [...]
Retsina is a part of Greece’s heritage. I am using the term heritage, as it refers to “something inherited from the past”. Wine with added resin has been made in Greece for about 2500 years. That is a long time! Despite its long history, it took all but 10 years for Retsina to become a [...]
Nemea, Santorini and Naoussa are acclaimed by wine lovers. The best known Greek wine appellation however is Mavrodaphne of Patras – known to the masses for its fortified, sweet port-style red wines. It is one of the strongest wine export products of Greece. Sadly, it might also be one of the most underperforming wine appellations [...]
Indigenous grape varieties from Greece are unique and authentic. Who needs Greek wines made from international grape varieties? Why bother to highlight those Greek producers that do excel with non-Greek varieties? My recent post “The Greek Rhone Rangers” triggered an email exchange with Kim Ginsberg, a New York based Wine Consultant/Spirit advisor. With her permission, [...]
WeinWisser is an exclusive and independent wine publication that is available to its mostly Swiss and German readers by subscription only. More than 4000 wines are tasted, scored and reported on every year. It is one of the most important and most often quoted German speaking wine publications. WeinWisser has been published for 18 consecutive [...]
What term captures the essence of what Greek wines are all about? Is there a single adjective that can help to define what sets the wines from Greece apart? I think so: Greek wines are discreet wines. They offer the following characteristics: Crisp and refreshing acidity Noticeable but soft tannins Light bodied texture Relative low [...]
The wine sales of tavernas in Greece are still massively dominated by bulk wine. It is an intrinsic part of the Greek culture to consume wine with food, and people here are accustomed to “wash down” their meals with a glass of jug wine. The problem is of course that the 16 million tourists who [...]
