Greek Gewurztraminer
Greece offers a number of intriguing indigenous grape varieties, some dating back to ancient times. The truth is however that they form only part of the modern vine growing traditions in Greece. The often overlooked…
Assyrtiko Boutari Kallisti 1989
Carefully selecting a bottle of wine for a special occasion can at times be more rewarding than actually sipping it. I spent some time yesterday in my wine cellar, picking up various bottles, contemplating if…
Assyrtiko, Limniona, Xinomavro
I invited you to join me on a journey some months ago. I planned to select some Greek wines, purchase and cellar them; then report on their evolution over time. Please refer to the original…
Is less more?
Most Greek wineries bottle perhaps a surprisingly large number of different wines. Even small wineries with annual productions of up to 50000 bottles commonly include 5 to 10 offerings in their portfolio. Medium sized companies…
Classic wineries of Northern Greece
The UK wine market has been one of the toughest for Greek wineries to gain an entry into. The dominance by the supermarkets, whose focus is often on price, leaves room only for a limited…
Koulourakia and wine
Some of my favourite snacks are Koulourakia, the traditional hand-shaped Greek butter cookies. They are typically made for Easter to be enjoyed after Holy Saturday, but thankfully they can be found in bakeries all year…
Gentilini’s Mike Jones
Gentilini is likely the best known winery from the Greek island of Cephalonia. I have long been a fan of their wines, especially the white Robola and the red, dry Mavrodaphne. The winery is run…
Greek BBQ wines
The summer months are hot in Greece, over the last few days temperatures have risen to 35 to 40 ˚C, or 95 to 105 ˚F. This is the perfect time to invite friends over and…
Oenorama 2012
Oenorama is the name of the largest Greek wine fair, which takes place every couple of years. It is a miracle that the organiser, Vinetum, was able to pull the event off this year, at…
Avaton
Avaton in Greek means an inaccessible and unapproachable place, sacred and inviolable. In ancient Greek religious sites, the avaton was a place where entry to the uninitiated was forbidden. Even today, this rule is still…