Podcasts about Agiorgitiko

What are some of the significant contributions that Greece has made to the world of wine? How does the Greek volcanic island of Santorini produce wines of stunning depth and freshness at the same time? How are Greek wines shifting the perspective on what's possible for warm climate wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Master of Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, The Wines of Greece. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What are some of the significant contributions to wine made in Greece? What are some of the unique and complex terroirs found in Greece for wine production? How do Santorini's wines achieve both incredible depth and freshness? What are the hallmark characteristics of Assyrtiko grapes, and how does the wine pair with food? How does the tasting experience of Moschofilero compare with that of Assyrtiko? What should you know about Greece's flagship red grapes, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro? Which regions are a must-try in your exploration of Greek wines? How was Retsina developed, and why does Konstantinos think it's one of the greatest hopes for the Greek wine industry? How did the Greek financial crisis impact and improve the Greek wine industry? What are some of the opportunities and challenges in the future of Greek wines?   Key Takeaways As Konstantinos observes, Greece was not the first to make wine or even the first to have a God that is dedicated to wine, but we did a lot of things for the first time: the first appellations or regions, sommeliers, wine writers and tastings. For the Greek symposia, the whole format of consuming wine was essential in making sure that symposia were an amazing celebration of the human intellect, and the bringing together of ideas. Konstantinos explains that because Santorini is a volcanic island it has a young soil that's coarse. The vines grow on their own roots, but above ground, it's very windy, extremely hot, so the vines have to kept low on ground to capture a little humidity and be protected from the wind. They trained these vines as baskets by weaving the vine canes over years. Everything that is on the periphery is torn apart by the wind, but then you have only the middle that survives. Every about 30-40 years, the basket gets too bulky, so it's chopped apart and a new cane from the old root system starts a new basket. The root system is four hundred years old. For context, he adds, four centuries ago, Bordeaux was a swamp. Konstantinos says that many people believe that a cool climate wine is superior to a warm climate one. But warm climates can produce amazing wines. Greece has a lot of places that are cold, even more so than the Loire Valley in France. Over the years, the Greeks selected grapes with full flavors at lower levels of alcohol.   About Konstantinos Lazarakis MW Konstantinos Lazarakis MW is the first person in Greece to have passed the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams. He is the author of Wines of Greece, published by Academie du Vin. As well, he serves as the President of Wines & Spirits Professional Center, General Manager of Aiolos Wines and CEO of Wine Wonders.   Bonus Interview Highlights – Matt Cauz How do I distinguish between sexist, sexy, and sexual writing? What are some strategies you can try to avoid using wine as a coping mechanism? What trends are emerging around generational differences in wine consumption? Why is it important for us to vote with our dollars when it comes to producers accused of misconduct? What are the best wine pairings for different types of chocolate and holiday dinners and celebrations         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/323.

Don't sleep on Agiorgitiko! You may not be familiar with Greek wines - or know how to pronounce them (we didn't!) - but this is a wine that deserves to be on your must-learn list! Agiorgitiko is a hidden gem in the wine world - a versatile red that comes in different styles, goes well with tons of foods, and can be found at very reasonable prices. It is a perfect complement with Greek food, obviously, but this is a great wine for everything from a cookout to a romantic, fancy dinner. The two wines we tasted and reviewed in this episode are very different in style, which is part of the wonder of this fantastic wine. There are red wines that the Gamay or Beaujolais lover will like, and wines that the Bordeaux or Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon lover in your life will be super happy with. Listen in to find out more about how to select the different styles of this wine, and learn about what makes this wine so special. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Gaia Monograph Agiorgitiko, 2021 Skouras Saint George Agiorgitiko.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we'd love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us: https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

This show is an update to our previous shows on Greece. We hope to get you (re)started on your exploration of this ancient winemaking nation that has been reborn in recent years. Greek wines are unique, terroir-driven, and they harken back to the nation's ancient past and the very foundations of wine as a major part of the history in western civilization.   With recent investments and modernization, the wines are better than ever and are worth exploring. Map from the Wines of Greece Although the places and grapes can be hard to pronounce (we did our best

I avsnittet tar sig Erik och Fredrik till Grekland där de orienterar sig fram bland Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Agiorgitiko och Retsina.Även om Grekland är ett populärt turistmål för svenskar är vinerna fortfarande doldisar. Det är snårigt att ge sig ut i den grekiska vinvärlden och en del skulle påstå att det är rena grekiskan. Vill du veta mer lyssnar du på avsnittet. Yamas!Vinerna som provas i avsnittet:Art nr 94341 Estate Argyros Santorini AssyrtikoArt nr 2070 Kir Yianni Ramnista Xinomavro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I was driving in the car with Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, co Owner of Gaia Winery in Nemea, in the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. Later, we walked through the Agiorgitiko and Verzami vineyards, chatting about this beautiful region and its wines.

TEXTO PLAYER Moschofilero, Assyrtiko, Agiorgitiko: já ouviu falar nessas uvas? Neste episódio, as apresentadoras do Que Vinho Foi Esse?, Isabelle Moreira Lima e Patrícia Brentzel, falam sobre o vinho grego e a sua História desde a Antiguidade. Elas falam sobre as diferentes regiões produtoras do país e as uvas nativas do país. Fazerm uma harmonização com moussaka e explicam o que é o termo variedade autóctone. FALE CONOSCO E-mail: quevinhofoiesse@cbn.com.br _____________ VINHOS E VINÍCOLAS DO EPISÓDIO: Gaia Thalassitis Gaia Monograph Moschofilero Zacharias Moschofilero Zacharias Rosé Zacharias Agiorgitiko Christofole Moscato de Alexandria Arte da Vinha Pét-Nat Malvasia Facchin Pét-Nat Malvasia

Episode #114 continues our mini series on Greece with a focus on The Peloponnese and the red grape Agiorgitiko. Sarah interviews winemaker Dimitris Skouras of the famed Domaine Skouras, and the two discuss the unique terroir of the Peloponnese as well as the amazing wines coming from this region. Agiorgitiko is one of the top 2 red wines from Greece you want to be familiar with, so this is definitely an epiosde you can't miss. Be sure to subscribe to the show to catch the full mini series as Sarah interviews winemakers and industry professionals across this unique wine region! ------- Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing >> thewineceo.com Email: Sarah@thewineceo.com  Instagram: @thewineceo Facebook: @sarahthewineceo ------- Today's Guest: Dimitris Skouras, Winemaker Domaine Skouras Website Instagram: @domaineskouras -------- Konstantinos Lazarakis' Book: The Wines of Greece

This Valentine's Day, treat that special someone to something different! Yes, rosé wine is the perfect choice for a romantic evening, but maybe it's time to spice it up a bit, and try serving some rosés that make your partner think you want to keep the relationship exciting! We have found three amazing, wonderful, and unique rosé wines for you to choose from, each of which is made from a different grape and from a different part of the world. We'll tell you why we think rosé is a great choice for Valentine's Day, and what criteria we used to choose the special rosés we found for this episode. If you think you know rosé, or you think you don't like rosé, we are here to change your mind. Each of these is versatile, tasty, and impressive and at least one of them could please any palate - we promise we won't steer you wrong. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2021 Gaia 14-18h Agiorgitiko Rosé, 2021 Pedroncelli Rosé, and 2021 Tormaresca Calafuria Rosé.Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we'd love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us: www.thewinepairpodcast.comFollow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

I open, taste, review and attempt to pronounce a Kotrotsos Agiorgitiko 2019 red wine from Greece. We also toast national days and tell dad jokes.

Love Greek food? Ever tried Greek wine? You should! Drinking wine associated with a specific cuisine is a great way to really understand how food and wine are meant to work together. In this episode, The Wine Pair serve up three Greek wines - Assyrtiko, Moschofilero, and Agiorgitiko - and taste and review them so that you can make informed choices the next time you are at a Greek restaurant. We also taste food from some local Greek restaurants, talk about the kinds of Greek cuisine we find in our hometown of Seattle, and explore the interesting intersection of Greek Italian themed restaurants in the Seattle area. We also discuss Greek pizza and what wine goes well with it, and we talk about the different kinds of pizza we have tried - New York style, Chicago style, Detroit style, Neapolitan, Old Forge, and Greek. What's your favorite? Wines reviewed in this episode: 2020 Greek Wine Cellars Assyrtiko, 2020 Hermes Moschofilero, and 2018 Kotrotsos Agiorgitiko.

In the heart of Peloponnese, Greece rests Nemea PDO. It is an ancient land steeped in mythology and rewarding red wine. Take 10-minutes to find out why you should be buying and selling Nemea wines. Experience this region through our partner winery:Gai'a WinesTerms that you are going to hear that you might want to research:Peloponnese Peninsula, Mount Kyllini, Corinth Canal, Aegean Sea, Gulf of Corinth, Agiorgitiko, argilo-calcaireAwesome reference The Wines of Greece by Konstantinos Lazarakis MW

Gaia Wines always means top notch and unforgettable Assyrtiko from the volcanic Greek island of Santorini. These are Greek wines that sit at the top table of quality wines.  Of course, there's a lot more to Gaia Wines! In this podcast, owner and founding partner, Leon Karatsalos guides us through the wines that he produces at Santorini and also at Nemea. Santorini for Gaia is exclusively the white Assyrtiko grape. These are ungrafted vines grown on young volcanic soils. Quite how these vines achieve full ripeness under magnificent Greek sunshine and yet retain such sparkling acidity is a constant mystery to me! But they do, and in turn, bring us some of the most interesting white wines on the market today.     Nemea for Gaia is all about the red Agiorgitiko grape. We need to see more of these red wines on our shelves. They make such a unique and satisfying style of wine with soft delicious fruits to the fore. (Wikipedia tells us that, 'In Nemea, the Agiorgitiko wine of the region is nicknamed the "Blood of Hercules" based on the legend of the Greek hero slaying the Nemean lion'. Now, we're talking!!) The wines of Gaia are imported to Ireland by O'Briens Wines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

This episode is a mini introduction into Greek wine. We look at the main grape varieties of Greece: Agiorgitiko from Nemea, Xinomavro from Naousa and Assyrtiko from Santorini. We talk about the terroir, the islands and touch on the history and the problems that Greece has had: The Ottoman rule, Phylloxera, choice of planting international varieties over indigenous. We discuss Retsina – that’s wine with pine resin in it! And Janina champions Terry Kandylis from 67 Pall Mall who is her go to Sommelier for anything Greek wine related. Wine news on this episode is all about Theo Campbell and how a champagne cork has made him blind in one eye – do you know how to open up a bottle of Champagne correctly? Have you tasted any of the indigenous grapes varieties of Greece? Which ones were they? This filler episode we are drinking Agiorgitiko 2016 by Gaia, Nemea. Enjoy!     Are sponsor Sommelier Socks Links Below to treat your self or a friend  https://jonathankleeman.com/shop/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/sp?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B07QVMWYRX&isAmazonFulfilled=0&isCBA=&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&orderID=&seller=A3J7DVZ0CQ6A3K&tab=&vasStoreID= https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SommelierSocks?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=704203561&ga_search_query=sommelier%20socks

Greece is among both the oldest and among the newest wine nations in the world. Although it got cooking with winemaking more than 6000 years ago, a huge break in the action took it out of the winemaking game from about the mid 1400s until the 1990s. It's back these days, and as it has always been grapes are grown everywhere in this small but diverse country.  With the best wines made from indigenous grapes and select regions, you'll want to listen to this show to know what to seek out. And don't forget to look at a map while or after listening!  Here's a rundown of the topics we covered:  Geography: We go over where the heck Greece is and what’s here that’s good for grapes! Greece is in the southern end of Balkan Peninsula between Italy and Turkey Climate: Mesoclimates matter to quality wine! Mountainous & semi-mountainous vineyards: altitude moderates climate, cools down the temps Islands and the coast: Maritime climate/Mediterranean climate but very hot. Growers need cool sites for grapes to thrive Volcanic Vineyards:Santorini especially - volcanic soils layers of which are 30 to 50 meters thick, VERY DRY -- high acidity of the grape of Santorini History We discuss the entire deal – from evidence of wine in Greek peninsula since the 4000 B.C. to Ottoman Rule which destroyed much of Greek viticulture until the early 1800s to the rebirth of viticulture of the last few decades.   Classification:Before we launch into the regions and wines, we tell you about the classification For PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)wines – higher quality): Onomasia Proelefseos Anoteras Piotitos (OPAP) Dry wines Onomasia Proelefseos Eleghomeni (OPE) --sweet wines For PGI level (Protected Geographical Indication): cover larger areas, more styles and grapes Topikos Oinos (local/country wine) Epitrapezios Oinos (table wine)      The Regions and Grapes Northern Greece: Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace Thrace –isbordered by Turkey and Bulgaria in the North, Aegean in the south, makes mostly international wine varieties Greek Macedonia– borders the Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria in the north and the Aegean sea in the south. It’s semi-mountainous, and the rocky soils make it great red wine country Xinomavro (Kseen-oh-MAHV-roh):RED GRAPE. Best when from Naousa in Macedonia Firm tannins, bright acidity with flavors like red fruit and flowers, tomatoes, olives, dried prunes, nuts (compared to Nebbiolo) Other growing areas: Northern and central Greece, Rapsani in Thessaly Malagousia (mala-GOO-zee-ah):WHITE GRAPE.From Macedonia, near Thessaly Full bodied wines with strong acidity, peach, lime, lemon, and soft textures. There are sweet or dry versions Thought to be extinct -- professors and top growers, brought it back –resurrected by a winery Ktima Gerovassiliou (ktima = “estate”)   Epirus: NW Grecian mainland, mountains are essential to high quality. Wines have great acidity – the PDO of Zitsa is making excellent sparkling wines and floral dry whites from Debina (WHITE GRAPE)     Central Greece: Central Greece, Thessalia Central Greece (this is where Athens is): Hot and dry, more white than red Saviatiano (sa-VAH-tee-AH-no) WHITE GRAPE is the most widely planted grape in Greece. It makes dry wines but is known for Retsina, which tastes like the pine resin that’s added to the must before fermentation.   Thessalia (Thessaly): Borders Greek Macedonia, Central Greece, the Aegean Sea  – Mediterranean climate with continental influences. Best areas are in the mountains that surround the region Rapsani is on south facing slopes on Mt Olympus at altitude and makes Xinomavro and red blends      Southwestern Greece: Ionian Islands, Peloponnese Peloponnese: Where Sparta and Olympia were this is a peninsula on the southern edge of mainland Greece. Best areas are on the eastern side of the Peloponnese, at altitude Roditis (Ro-deet-is) WHITE GRAPE: dry, food-friendly, high-acid with lime, melon, saline, bitter citrus. Grown all over. Agiorgitiko (ah-YOUR-yee-TEE-ko) RED GRAPE: Full-bodied with sweet raspberry, black currant, and plum, nutmeg and Italian herbs, smooth tannins. Wines from mountains are best especially Nemea Moschofilero (MOSH-ko-fah-LAIR-oh)WHITE GRAPE:Lychee, rose, lemon flavored with good acidity and medium body. Grown in Mantinia: One of the coolest growing regions of Greece, specializes in the grape Mavrodaphne (MAHV-roh-DAF-nee) RED GRAPE:Sweet, late harvest, red wine that usually tastes of raisins and chocolate with high tannins. Better when blended. Grown in Patras   Ionian Islands: Ruled by Venetians in Middle Ages – today tourism = shrinking vineyards Robola, WHITE GRAPE:is Probably Ribolla Gialla from northeastern Italy. Lemon with pineapple, beeswax, quince, tart apple, can be rich and terroir-driven. Grown in Cephalonia     CRETE Crete: Largest Island (150 miles long), on the southern edge of Aegean. Hottest vineyards in Greece. Mandilaria, RED GRAPE: found throughout Greece and Crete in particular. It is too powerful to be made alone. Flavors are like stewed fruit, leather, with VERY powerful tannin     Aegean Islands Santorini: Volcanic island, most famous WHITE GRAPE is Assyrtiko (ah-SEER-teek-oh)grown in basket-like vines (see below) Dry Assyrtiko: lean, mineral, concentrated whites Nykteri (“nith-terry”): oaked with creme brûlée, pineapple, fennel, sugar cookie notes Vinsanto: Made with Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri with cherry and raspberry notes. Tannic, high acidity, and can have high VA (‘nail polish’ smell)    Samos: Muscat of Samos, WHITE GRAPE, possibly homeland of Muscat Blanc Límnos: Limnio, RED GRAPE with raspberry fruit and herb notes. Paros: Monemvassia, WHITE GRAPE. From Peloponnese but cultivated only on Has mineral, citrus, nectarine flavors with a medium body, refreshing acidity.     To sum up: Best whites:Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Moschofilero, Debina, Robola, Muscat of Samos Best reds:Xinomavro, blends with Agiorgitiko, sometimes Mandalaria or Limnio Best regions:Naousa (Xinomavro), Nemea (Agiorgitiko blends), Mantinia (Moschofilero), Santorini (Assyrtiko), Samos (Muscat)   ______________________________________________  Thanks to our sponsor this week: Halpern Financial Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals. Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!     Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople  And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!      Most of the info for this show came from the Official Wines of Greece Web site: https://winesofgreece.org/

This week we are talking about Northern Greece. This is week two of our Greek wine series. Part one was a general overview of Greek wine history and information so be sure to listen to that episode if you haven’t already.   Check out Wine Folly's article for a great map of the Greek wine regions   Wine Recommendations Alpha Estate Malagouzia Turtles Vineyard 2017 - priced around $19. Very aromatic wine with aromas of peach, honeydew, papaya, orange blossom and beeswax It’s dry with a light body, medium plus acidity and flavors similar to aromas - tropical fruits, floral and that beeswax again Love this wine especially not that we are finally getting some warm weather after a long winter. This definitely reminds me of summer - It’s light, fruity, crisp Reminds me of a warmer climate Riesling with those beautiful intense fruity aromas Food Pairing: Excellently married with green salads, baked vegetables, pasta, low fat fishes and a wide variety of Greek seafood   Domaine Costa Lazaridi Amethystos Rouge 2015 - priced around $20. This wine is a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 20%, Agiorgitiko 10% It has aromas of red cherries, raspberries and a strawberry licorice smell as well as a little smoked meat and dusty aromas It’s dry with medium plus acidity, medium tannins, full body and flavors similar to aromas - red fruits, earth and meat. the nose on this wine is super fruity and candy like which is really fun This wine is approachable and we believe who appeal to a lot of folks the Merlot really helps to soften the tight structure Cabernet Sauvignon tends to have as well as add more fruit flavors and aromas According to the producer, In the right conditions it can age past 2025 Food Pairings: red meats like lamb but also red sauce beef casserole or soft mature cheeses like brie or Camembert.   Sources Wine Folly  Wine-Searcher  Greece Is  New Wines of Greece  Greek Wine Federation  Wine Sofa 

Griekse wijn is een van de vreemdste fenomenen onder wijnliefhebbers. Als er al over gesproken wordt, is dat meestal vrij laatdunkend. Zo van: "Je hébt er wel goede wijn, maar…." Zelf had ik - tot voor dit gesprek - ook niet één fles Griekse wijn in huis. Meer nog: de wijnhandels waar ik geregeld kom, en die hebben doorgaans een heel uitgebreid en gevarieerd gamma, schuiven me nooit een glas Griekse wijn onder de neus. Wat eigenlijk ongelooflijk vreemd is als je weet dat zowat alle wijn die in West-Europa wordt geteeld op een of andere manier schatplichtig is aan de Grieken. Aangezien ik deze vakantie een weekje in Kreta heb doorgebracht, besloot ik een aflevering van de podcast aan Griekse wijn te wijden. Via wijnhandel Cannette in Brussel, naar verluidt een topadresje voor wie op zoek is naar goede Griekse wijn, ben ik bij Mark Vekemans terechtgekomen, die bijzonder goed thuis is in deze materie. Op een rustig terrasje, beschut tegen de verschroeiende juli-zon en met een fris glaasje Griekse rosé in de hand, vertelde Mark op een sappige manier welke Griekse wijnen zoal bestaan, over het verleden, maar ook over de toekomst van de Griekse wijnbouw, waarom Griekse wijnmakers minder te vrezen hebben van de opwarming van de aarde dan hun collega's uit Frankrijk, Italië of Spanje, bijvoorbeeld, en over de Griekse drama's die ontstonden toen de zonen van traditionele wijnmakers de domeinen van hun ouders begonnen over te nemen. Veel luisterplezier!   PS: Zoals beloofd zet ik hieronder eens al de druivensoorten op een rijtje die Mark vernoemde:   agiorgitiko moschofilero xynómavro kotsifali assyrtiko mavrodaphne   Een andere interessante druif waar Mark het helaas niet over had, maar waarmee ik in Kreta kennis mee maakte, is de vidiano (in ons geval was dat een fles Vorinos van het wijnhuis Silva uit de buurt van Heraklion), naar mijn gevoel een beetje te vergelijken met een grüner veltliner. Maar zoals Mark al vertelde, zijn er circa 300 autochtone druivenrassen, die haast allemaal even moeilijk uit te spreken zijn. Of wat dacht je van de chidiriotiko, liatiko, savatiano, thrapsathiri, enzovoort?     Hier vind je links naar de wijnhuizen die in de podcast ter sprake kwamen:   Skouras: http://www.skouras.gr/ Boutari - http://www.boutari.gr/ Tsantali - https://www.tsantali.com/ Tselepos - http://www.tselepos.gr/ Gaja - http://www.gaiawines.gr/ Alpha Estate - http://alpha-estate.com/ De zussen Parparoussis - http://www.parparoussis.com/en/ Tetramythos - https://www.tetramythoswines.com/en/   (Ongesponsorde tip: de meeste van deze domeinen vind je in het gamma van Canette…)  

It's got a long, storied history, but Greek wines still deserve more attention from today's curious drinker. Explore islands, indigenous grapes, and must-try reds. Wines discussed: @3:27 Gaia Wines 2017 Wild Ferment Assyrtiko (Santorini) @11:40 Nasiakos 2016 Mantinia Moschofilero (Mantinia) @16:16 Alpha Estate 2015 Hedgehog Vineyard Xinomavro (Amyndeon) Transcript: Welcome to Wine Enthusiast's What We're Tasting Podcast. I'm your host, Jameson Fink. Join me as we discuss three fantastic wines and why each one belongs in your glass. This episode, we're looking at wines from Greece with Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, who covers and reviews wine from the region. What We're Tasting is sponsored by Vivino. With the largest online inventory, Vivino finds the right wine every time, including wines from Greece. Download Vivino to discover and buy your favorites, and stock up at Vivino.com/wineenthusiast. Greek wines aren't getting enough due, and I think as modern wine drinkers we should be connected to a country that has such an amazing past, so Sue, thank you for being on the show. Susan Kostrzewa: Thanks for having me. Jameson Fink: Are Greek wines just not getting enough due? Why aren't they more well known, or are they better known than I think they are? Susan Kostrzewa: I don't think they're well known enough. I love Greek wines, and they've been making wine for 4,000 years. So you'd think with all that time we would have found out about them by now. But I think part of the issue is a pretty simple one. It's kind of surprising, I guess, in a way that this could hold something back, but the names. The names of the grapes, the names of the producers, they're in Greek. Jameson Fink: Yeah, right. Susan Kostrzewa: You know, it's all Greek to you and me. But it honestly, I think, for so many years the producers of Greek wines were labeling all of the wines in Greek. So only really Greeks in the US, so Greek restaurants, Greek people, Greek immigrants were drinking that wine. They were the ones who could read the labels. It scared everybody off, so that was one very simple thing. I think that kind of deterred regular wine drinkers from getting into it. Then you also have the whole retsina thing, which for many years in the US, retsina, a not very well-made retsina was what was being exported into the country. So a lot of people have literal and figurative hangovers from the retsina days. There's great retsina being made now, and I'd love to talk to you about that, but I think there's still, I run into a lot of people who when I say I'm rating and reviewing Greek wine, I love the Greek wines, and were like, "Oh, I hate retsina." It's the first thing they go to, so I think there have been some starts and stops along the way that have deterred people who should know about it from knowing about it. And thank God, like the psalms are the ones who started the trend in the US again. They were the ones tasting it. They were like, "This is amazing. You should know about it," and sort of gained momentum from there. Jameson Fink: Yeah. I mean, I'll be guilty as charged. I mean, I remember when I was a buyer at a grocery store, we had like one Greek wine. It was a retsina, and of course I became more knowledgeable after that. I remember actually when I was still working in there, some new wines were coming into the marketplace, and they were exciting and interesting indigenous grapes, but it's sort of like, I don't know if it's maybe like Chianti with the fiasco, the straw kind of bottle that people still associate like a whole region or a country painted with that kind of broad stroke. But I don't know, nowadays, and I think you mentioned what? Sommeliers, and of course wine buyers all over are doing with Greek wines as sort of championing them and getting them in front of people, which I think is the biggest reason. So the first wine I want to talk about is one this definitely been a darling of the sommelier scene, and maybe not to its detriment, but maybe we're not seeing enough of other wines, but it's Assyrtiko, which comes from the island of Santorini. So the first wine I want to talk about is the Gaia wine's 2017 Wild Ferment Assyrtiko from Santorini which is 92 points. First of all, can you just tell me what is Assyrtiko and what makes it special on Santorini and in the world? Susan Kostrzewa: Assyrtiko is a white wine variety, it's indigenous to Santorini, which Santorini is basically a huge block of volcanic rock. And this is the variety that loves that volcanic rock. And even though it is being grown in other areas of Greece, I think its original and best home is Santorini. So Assyrtiko is a fresh, very linear, kind of sea salty, delicious white wine. Crisp, like I said, great with food. I think it's very unique, it's got a touch of smoke, and sea salt, and all the things you would associate with volcanic soil. And the other thing that's interesting about it, is they've never had phylloxera on the island, so there's some very old vines on that island. They're bush vines, they're low to the ground. If you've ever been to Santorini- Jameson Fink: Of course I've been to Santorini. Susan Kostrzewa: Yes, of course you have. Which, by the way is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Jameson Fink:  It is, yes. Susan Kostrzewa: Whether you love wine or not. Jameson Fink: The bluest of blues there. Susan Kostrzewa: It's amazing. And one of the things that's so cool about it is the first time I went I remember being with a big group of wine journalists who were all very knowledgeable and we were rolling by this sort of field. And it's super dry, and it's not a hospitable island as far as greenery goes. It's very hot and dry. And we were driving by this vineyard, and we're kinda looking at it, and we stop and we're all like, "What is this? This looks like a brush windswept field." And they're like, "This is the vineyard." And it's all these bush vines that grow their trained basically to protect the grapes from the super windy situation on the island. And it looks kinda crazy, and thread bare, and scrappy. But in the midst of this amazing vineyard are these great wines that are being made. So it's very unique. Jameson Fink: Yeah. That was exactly my experience. Like we're gonna go look at a vineyard, and you still have in your head oh, it's gonna be manicured rows with posts and what not. But yeah, the vines are woven into like a basket. Susan Kostrzewa: Yes. Jameson Fink: It's like nothing I'd ever seen. I have a million pictures of wine makers picking it up and lifting it up kinda like a man hole cover almost. It's really remarkable. And yeah, it sort of recalibrates your expectation. The climate there doesn't permit having training vines like that, they just wouldn't survive the wind and the heat. Susan Kostrzewa: Definitely, yeah. So I think it's one of the most unique places in the world as far as wine vineyards and unique wines go. So I'm a big fan. And I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly, I believe it's Gaia. Jameson Fink: Oh yeah, I pronounced it wrong. Susan Kostrzewa: Again, this is my beat and I still have a hard time pronouncing some of these. Jameson Fink: I gotta stop pronouncing these wines, I gotta make everyone do it unless it's something very simple. Susan Kostrzewa: But Gaia, the wine that you were mentioning, Wild Ferment Assyrtiko, Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, who is the wine maker there has really, he's really championed doing these sort of unique and experimental approaches to Assyrtiko. But he's also an awesome spokesperson for Greek wine. So you asked earlier about why we don't know about Greek wine, I think the producers themselves are on the road now. And they're doing an amazing job, they're the best people to champion what is happening in their country. And he, the wine maker here and the owner, is fabulous at doing that. So all of his wines are great. Jameson Fink: Yeah, I've also had ... Interesting things about Assyrtiko, I've had some older bottles, like it can age really well, which I thought was surprising. Susan Kostrzewa: Definitely. Jameson Fink: And it's not necessarily a heavy wine, but it's got some substance to it, it's not a super light, I don't know like Pinot Grigio. It's got somebody to it and a little bit of richness, but still super refreshing. Susan Kostrzewa: Yeah, I mean they're making sparkling Assyrtiko, their Assyrtiko blends with like Sauvignon Blanc that are really good. And then Retsina, their Retsina's now being make by which are made out of Assyrtiko. It's a very versatile grape. And like you say, it does have weight and complexity. It's pretty ... To me, it's again, one of the more unique wines that's being made in Greece. Jameson Fink: And another, let's keep going about island wines, one of the things that I think I clumsily said when we started is that you see a lot of Assyrtiko on wine lists, which is great. But also it's sort of like when's the next hurdle when we're gonna see more Greek wines from other islands and the mainland too? But I wanted to talk about Crete for a little bit, what are the wines like there as far as indigenous grapes? Are they doing reds, whites, both? Susan Kostrzewa: Crete may be the oldest wine making area in Greece. Again, I think when we talk about 4,000 years we talk about minoans , we talk about this incredible history of wine making on Crete. I was just there recently and spent a lot of time there. And everything is incredible, everything is old. Every olive tree is thousands of years old. They have an amazing history of wine making in general. But yeah, they make whites, they make reds, Vidiano and Thrapsathiri are two of the whites they make that I love that are just delicious, and refreshing, and again very unique to the island. Kotsifali's one of the reds. How do they differ? I mean every region of Greece is quite different. There are a lot of micro-climates. Crete is hot, and the wines are a little bigger, and a little more robust than say when you get up into the north where you're talking about very high altitude, pretty high acid wines. So a little fuller bodied, still great acidity, but a little bit more of a reflection of their location. And I actually did a piece recently on Crete for the magazine, and talked a lot about this new generation of younger wine makers, who are coming up in Crete and really pushing a lot of innovation. Because these are very old varieties, some of them were almost extinct, a couple of the producers I talk about rescued nearly extinct ancient grapes from extinction and brought them back, and are now doing all this cool stuff. So to me that's an area that's really exciting, and we haven't really seen as many of those wines in the US yet. But I think that's going to change. Jameson Fink: Yeah, and what I think is exciting too is when you have these ancient vines, or varieties and you see kind of younger people sort of rehabilitating their reputation, or literally rehabilitating them from the brink of extinction. You see it all over the world, and it's really exciting. Especially in a place with a history like Greece where you see old world wine history, and then you see people with new ideas and new energy kind of bringing them back to life instead of chasing a more faddish grape. Susan Kostrzewa: Well I think what's really exciting about what's happening in Greece now, and I've been covering the beat, I think it's probably been about eight years. When I first started wine makers were just starting to get back into really believing in their own grapes. They were planting a lot of, they had been planting a lot of international varieties, which by the way do really well in northern Greece, a producer we'll talk about, they do a beautiful job with Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs, and Chardonnays. But what was really exciting was to see the younger wine makers, and some of the older ones getting excited again about indigenous grapes. And that to me was the beginning of the real quality story with Greek wine, is these are the varieties that are in their sort of blood. And they really know, it's the perfect place for these to be grown, and they really believe in them. And I think the quality is in those bottlings now. Jameson Fink: Hey, we'll be back to the show very shortly. But since you're here, I know you're already a fan of wine podcasts, why don't you check out our other show called The Wine Enthusiast Podcast, download it wherever you get podcasts. Let's talk about another white wine, we'll move on from Assyrtiko, it's Moschofilero? Susan Kostrzewa: Yes. Jameson Fink: Okay, so the second bottle I wanna talk about is the Nasiakos 2016 Mantinia Moschofilero, probably butchered that again. Susan Kostrzewa: No, you got it. Jameson Fink: Okay. That's 92 points. So tell me about this white wine grape, because it seems like if you're gonna start somewhere in Greece, this might be the white wine to start with. Susan Kostrzewa: Yeah, that's a very good point. I think Assyrtiko, it's interesting because it might be the first point of contact that most people have with Greek wines, but it's actually, to me it's a little geekier. Whereas Moschofilero also delicious, but a little bit more versatile as far as style, and just a little easier to enjoy just patio wine. Again, it depends on where it comes from, it's Mantinia, which is in the Peloponnese, it's mainland Greece is where it's traditionally from. And you know, it's very floral, it's got again, it's crisp, it's really balanced. But it's got orange blossom, and grapefruit, and sort of floral aromas. Almost could be like a Riesling, or an Albarino style wine. And to me, those are some of the best wines that again, are made in Greece are the Moschofileros, they do them in sparkling, still, all sorts of different dessert wines. It's really delicious. And this particular one is fabulous. This producer makes incredible Moschofilero. Jameson Fink: And I always think about that, I remember going to a wine dinner for a Greek winery a few years ago. And they were just showcasing Syrah, and Cabernet. And it was kind of weird in a way because I feel like this is probably for, I always have this tension in well, we kinda wanna give people grapes they're familiar with if you want them to enter a world of Greek wine or whatever it may be, or wines from Sicily or something like that. But then there's such this heritage of indigenous grapes, like here's a Syrah, here's a Cabernet. It's like you have this treasure trove of indigenous grapes. So is there kind of that tension there to pursue indigenous grapes? And it's not like they're bad wines, but Syrah or Cabernet, you know? Susan Kostrzewa: Well like I said, I think there was a pressure years ago to plant international varieties, again Chardonnay, Syrah Chardonnay, et cetera. Because people felt well no one knows these wines, so let's push the international stuff. Then I think what the benefit became is they were making a very good quality of international grapes and they started blending them. And that's a great entree. I mean it is scary, especially if you're just a beginning exploratory wine drinker, you're not gonna go maybe first for something that is called Thrapsathiri. Jameson Fink: Right. Susan Kostrzewa: But you might go for a Sauvignon Blanc Thrapsathiri blend. Jameson Fink: Right. Susan Kostrzewa: So I think that actually ended up being a good thing. And there are some really great blends, really delicious blends. And it helps people along. And then they might say, "You know what? Next time I'll just try the Thrapsathiri, I liked this wine, I'm not afraid of this anymore, I'm gonna try the single variety. So I do think there was a pressure. I think now it's sort of subsiding in that I think more people are just doubling down on the native varieties. But it's good that they have some of these other blending options. I think it makes for some really nice wines in some cases. Jameson Fink: And do you think, now we're at the second wine is from the mainland, I was also thinking when I think of Greek wine it's Crete or Santorini, is the mainland sort of still under appreciated even though it's huge and there's so much wine being made there. But kinda are we just in love with the island wines, and the mainland's like, "Hey, we got a lot going on here too." Susan Kostrzewa: Yeah, I mean it's easy to connect with the idea, the visual of Greece is always the islands, and the beautiful ocean. But most of Greece is mountainous. It's one of the highest altitude, highest elevation countries in Europe. And people don't always realize that most of the grapes in Greece are grown in these high altitude, maybe 1,100 feet vineyards on the mainland. So yeah, I think there is some ... Jameson Fink: I know, this is a real podcast. There's thunder, there's lightning. Susan Kostrzewa: There's this dramatic. Jameson Fink: The gods, the Greek gods. Susan Kostrzewa: The gods are here with us as I talk. I better get this right. Jameson Fink: Yeah, we'll get this right. Susan Kostrzewa: This could be the last you ever hear of me. But anyway, I think they're underappreciated and I think again, you've got mainland Moschofilero, you also have some red wines, which we can talk about as well. Those are made in northern Greece in the mountainous areas of northern Greece. And you know, we need to talk about them more, there's great stuff going on. Jameson Fink: Let us talk about one right now. Susan Kostrzewa: Excellent. Jameson Fink: The Alpha Estate 2015 Hedgehog Vineyard Xinomavro, 90 points. So kind of along the lines of Moschofilero is this kind of the red wine grape to start exploring if you're getting into Greek wines? Susan Kostrzewa:             That's a good question, because Xinomavro is kind of akin, people compare to Barolo, to Nebbiolo. So I think if you're a wine lover and you're a food lover, you're going to be really excited about these wines. Do I think it's a quaffer? Not so much. And I hate to call any wine that, but I think as far as approachability, Xinomavro might be your 2.0. Jameson Fink: Right. Susan Kostrzewa: And I think Agiorgitiko, which is another red, and I hardly get that right. But anyway, that might be a little more approachable. So Xinomavro, I love these wines, I think they're so elegant. They're incredibly age able. So this is the kind of wine that you can store for 10 years plus and it has all that great acidity, it's gonna age really well. But yeah, I think it's sort of maybe for somebody who's got a little more of an advanced taste in reds. Jameson Fink: So one thing we haven't talked about, which I think when talking about one of the great pleasures of wine is pairing it with food. Let's just back up and talk about Assyrtiko again. One of the things I remember being on Santorini is having the best tomatoes in the world and seafood. What are some of your favorite Assyrtiko pairings? Susan Kostrzewa: Well Assyrtiko again, when I think of a great pairing I think of food as you said on the island, which is like the tomatoes, I think about seafood, grilled seafood like sardines, any of that salty seafood goes perfectly with this. Capers, caper salad, all that. All that style of food. A point that I wanna make just 'cause you're making me think about this, that I talk a lot with Greek wine makers about this, and this often happens, Greek wines often are associated with Greek food and that's a great thing. But they also do very well with other types of cuisine. And I think one of the foods that I think is delicious with Greek white wines would be sushi. So sort of more delicate seafood dishes. Indian food, there are a lot of flavors that do very well with these wines. And I think it's kind of fun to explore that as well. And I think that's something that as Greek wine has become more popular in the US you can find the wines in restaurants that aren't just Greek restaurants. Jameson Fink: Yeah, that's a good point. It doesn't have to be I'm in a Greek restaurant, I'll drink Greek wine, and then if I go somewhere else that has any other kind of cuisine I'm like nah. Because I mean we drink champagne at pizza places, we do lots of interesting experimentation too. So I think that's a really good point. And that's something that will help Greek wine grow too, just not ... Of course if you're there in Greece, or if you're at a Greek restaurant I mean, yeah, it's only natural. Don't drink Barolo in southern Greece or northern Greece. But I really think that's a great way to get people excited and interested about pairing. I'd love Assyrtiko right now, it's super hot and humid out. Even just a summer salad with fresh produce would be great with probably almost any Greek white wine that was of a lighter style, or a medium bodied. Susan Kostrzewa: Yeah, definitely. And actually one of the things I've found is these wines, Moschofilero, you can pair them with obviously poultry and pork, and all that stuff. But they can handle some of the red meat like lamb, I mean you'd be surprised. Again, lamb is pretty traditional to Greece. But I've had Assyrtiko with lamb, and the high acid cuts the fat, it's really delicious. To me it's just fun. And again, they're great wines, they're very versatile, but they're really food-driven. So that would be my recommendation to everyone. If you've never had a Greek wine, I would recommend that you probably have it with food. Because they can be a little high in acid for people just to sit and drink if they've never had. But they do very well with that. Jameson Fink: And I guess I have a little sidebar about food and wine pairing, I love white wine with meat, whether it's lamb, even steak. I had recently steak with a different wine, different country, but a rich, dry, Austrian Riesling. And it has that sort of big rich steak dish, and big rich red wine. But when you have something that's a little livelier like a white wine, especially in the summer. Especially with like a steak salad, it's super refreshing to drink a white wine, or a slightly chilled red rather than ... That doesn't mean oh I'm having a pork, or a steak, or a lamb then I have to have a red wine. Susan Kostrzewa: Right, yeah. I mean that's the exciting thing about all these combinations. I think there's a lot more freedom than there used to be. There was always freedom, but we will tell you also, as I've bene lucky enough to taste and pair a lot of wines and foods in my career, I realize now it's really important to just try new combinations and not necessarily worry too much about what you've read, or think is the right combo. And that's, like I say, the Greek wines I've had a blast just tasting lots of different foods with them. And it's been a really fun way of learning more about the flavors, and seeing how they change, and just having a good time with it. Jameson Fink: Yeah, I don't think you need to bring your little chart to the restaurant and sort of look at it underneath the table, like oh I'm getting a steak, what am I allowed to have? Susan Kostrzewa: Right. Jameson Fink: I think that's a good thing where we sort of ... There are matches that are classic for a reason, but I think it's great that we've kind of moved beyond these rigid rules. Because a lot of it depends on how it's cooked, what it's served with, where you are. Are you in a nice air conditioned cave, or are you outside on a 90 degree humid day? It's like, "Oh I'm outside, I'm eating a steak, I have to have Cabernet." But you can definitely just chuck those rules. Susan Kostrzewa: Actually you just made me think of something when you were talking about drinking wine and the context of it, and the atmosphere in which you're drinking it. And I was thinking when I was recently in Greece I was on Mount Olympus, which is in northern Greece outside of Thessaloniki. And it was a hot, hot day. My instinct would've been to go for again, refreshing white wine, something sort of nervy and easy to drink. And we ended up drinking some incredible Xinomavro on the mountain with lamb. And it seemed like ugh, it's heavy, and it's gonna be too hot for this. And I have to tell you, it was so awesome and delicious. And I think in the case of again, going back to Xinomavro it has a freshness to it, it's got this kind of really nice backbone and freshness to it. And I actually, it made me reset my brain about red wine in the summer. Red wine and hot climates. It can be really awesome, and really delicious. And it also doesn't hurt to be on Mount Olympus. Jameson Fink: No, it definitely does not. So even if you can't get to Mount Olympus for some Greek wine, I will encourage all of you to explore the country, it has an amazing history, centuries old, more than centuries old. Susan Kostrzewa: Millennia. Jameson Fink: Millennia old. And these are just three wines that are great to start, but explore the whole country, try the indigenous grapes, and maybe get a little crazy and try some of the blends that have some of the grapes you might be familiar with too. But get out there and explore Greek wine. So Susan, thank you for being on the show. Susan Kostrzewa: Thanks for having me. Jameson Fink: And thank you for listening to the What We're Tasting Podcast, sponsored by Vivino, wine made easy. Susan Kostrzewa: The three wines we discussed today were the Gaia Wines 2017 Wild Ferment Assyrtiko , the Nasiakos 2016 Mantinia Moschofilero, and the Alpha Estate 2015 Hedgehog Vineyard Xinomavro. Jameson Fink: Find What We're Tasting on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you find podcasts. And if you liked today's episode, please give us a five star rating on iTunes, leave a comment, and tell you friends. What We're Tasting is a Wine Enthusiast podcast. Check out Wine Enthusiast online at winemag.com.

Podcast aus dem Kreta-Urlaub. Und dabei darf der einheimische Wein natürlich nicht fehlen! Griechenland als Weinland ist wieder stark im Kommen und platziert sich in gutem Licht - abseits des für den klebrigen Retsina bekannten alten Bildes von griechischem Wein. Xinomavro, Agiorgitiko und Assyrtiko, um die drei wichtigsten (und auch hier verkosteten) Weine zu nennen, werden in dieser Folge besprochen, getrunken und gefeiert!

Yiannis Paraskevopoulos is a cofounder and owner of Gaia Wines in Greece, producing wines in Nemea and on Santorini.  He is also a professor of enology at the University of Athens. Also in this episode, Erin Scala uncovers the layers of Santorini.