#22 • Summer 2021 • Free Press • A Magazine About Wine

Wine Stories
CONTENTS 6 TABOO 36 GRAPE STORY

Κοnstantinos Lazarakis, MW, asks An introduction to Greece’s main

and answers some interesting wine producers and Greek varieties.
questions: “Can Greek wine ever
be fine wine? Are we sure that 42 INTERVIEW
Greek wine isn't already fine wine?
What is fine wine, anyway? And is Robert McCabe, the noted American
it something that we should care photographer who, traveling
about, or even like?” through Greece in the '50s, captured
landscapes and people, talks about a
8 CRETE way of life that is slowly vanishing.

Traveling across the Crete on a 46 SANTORINI

winery-hopping trip can be quite an
experience. This large island holds Yiannis Kaimenakis, wine
many surprises for anyone who sets sommelier, writes about Santorini’s
out to discover its wines. extraordinary terroir.

20 INTERVIEW 48 INTERVIEW

“I love white dry wines that are not Matthew Argyros, one of Santorini’s
fruity, My favorite Greek dish would most ambitious winemakers, reveals
be spanakorizo” reveals Victoria the secrets behind his award-
Hislop in an interview under an winning wines and talks about the
olive tree overlooking the vines at future of winemaking on the famous
Fantaxometocho Estate. island.

A FREE PRESS MAGAZINE

24 KEFALONIA 54 NEMEA
PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTION,
PKATSATOU & Co Grand Cru Giannis Pappas and his friends set Gregory Kontos, DipWSET, takes
6 Vas. Georgiou II Street
15452 Psychiko out on a road trip across Kefalonia, us through Nemea, one of Greece’s
T: (+30) 215 555 4430 discovering its lovely wines and its most famous wine-producing areas.
E: [email protected] wonderful people.
PUBLISHER 56 ACHAIA AND ILIA
Penelope Katsatou 28 NAOUSSA
An introduction to a region where
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Thalia Kartali Wandering through vineyards in good wine has a millennia-long
the land of Xinomavro with Grigoris history.
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Michailos Dip WSET.
WSPC
60 INTERVIEW
COMMUNICATIONS 32 PRODUCER’S VIEW
Regina Maselou Austrian winemakers Barbara
Aris Gertsos
Stellios Boutaris, one of the most Gruber and Jörg Salchenegger,
COVER DESIGN well known wine producers of owners of Lacules Estate, came to
Yiannis Kouroudis northern Greece, shares his views Greece on vacation and ended up
(k2design)
on the future of Greek wine making. with an estate in Messinia in the
GRAPHIC DESIGN Peloponnese.
Yiannis Kondilis 34 WINE TRAVELER
(k2design)
62 INTERVIEW
PHOTOGRAPHER George Velissarios, co-owner of
Yiorgos Kaplanidis Grape Escape.gr, talks about what he Chef Lefteris Lazarou of Michelin-
(This is Not Another Agency)
knows best, Greek wine tourism and starred Varoulko shares with us his
ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER its future. love for his work and for Piraeus.
Katerina Goritsa

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Konstantinos Lazarakis, MW
Grigoris Kontos, Dip WSET
Grigoris Michailos, Dip WSET
Yiannis Kaimenakis, Sommelier
Yiannis Pappas, General Manager Mr Vertigo
George Velissario, Co-owner grapeescape.gr

TRANSLATIONS
Danae Athanasopoulou
Phaedra Gavouneli

COPY EDITOR
Don Domonkos

PRINTING AND BINDING

Niki Ekdotiki S.A.

Grape wine stories

grape_wine_stories

© All rights reserved

grapemag.gr
As we boarded the plane (fully vaccinated), it was as if the gloom of So do other distinguished contributors. “There is no product that
this past year had disappeared all of a sudden and, in its place, a encompasses the Greek way of life better than Greek wine does!
huge smile in anticipation of what was to come formed on our faces. Greek wine is the one and only product that transcends time, link-
Endless zoom hours, phone calls, and masks during the few ing the Greece of antiquity to that of today, somehow represent-
meetings with our co-workers are finally becoming a thing of the ing everything that modern Greek society is, as well as what it once
past, and it's time to meet people face to face again, shake their was”, says Stellios Boutaris, one of the best known wine producers
hands, sit with them around a table and share their stories. of the country. George Velissarios, co-owner of Grape Escape.gr,
As soon as we set foot on Crete, we took back that part of our talks about what he knows best, Greek wine tourism and its future,
lives that had been violently stolen from us by the isolation of re- and Nick Loukakis Senior Lecturer WSPC unlocks the secrets of the
cent months. But, above all, we took back that part of our work that ideal combinations between Greek sweet wines and desserts.
we love most: our contact with the protagonists of the stories that Gregory Kontos Dip WSET, decodes the most important
we write about in Grape. Greek varieties, which he describes in detail, making it easier to
Choosing Crete as the starting point of our trip around understand and appreciate them, while all the wine-producing
Greece was not accidental, and our choice compensated us in the areas and main wineries of Greece can be found on the brilliant
best way. It was wild, beautiful, proud, and with amazing varie- map that our illustrator Filipos Avramidis designed for this issue.
ty, but above all it was hospitable. The issue you're holding in your All you have to do – in case you don't have room for the whole
hands is a roadmap of the important wine-producing regions of magazine in your bag, what with all your summer essentials – is
our country. We have tried to pick out the best Greek wines, to en- to cut and keep the middle pages, for your vacation reading in the
lighten those who will visit Greece this summer and to remind us country that is famous for having the most beautiful summer in the
locals of the treasures that we hide. world.
Crete, Santorini, Nemea, Achaia, Ilia, Kefalonia and Naous-
sa are all here, as seen through the eyes of the contributors of the Stin Igia mas! Cheers!
magazine. In the following pages, we introduce to you different
wine production zones, climate, varieties, people and, above all,
their stories.
Victoria Hislop, the famous British writer who has fallen in
love with Greece and spends much of her time in this country, writes
about her day in Fantaxometocho Estate, while sharing with us her
experiences of living in Greece and the reasons why she's been in-
spired to write so many books about this country. A few years be-
fore Victoria Hislop first visited Greece, American photographer
Robert McCabe was setting foot in Athens back in the '50s for the
first time, beginning what was to become a lifetime love affair with
the landscapes of the Aegean islands and mainland Greece. Both
have become honorary citizens of this country, in recognition of
their contribution in promoting Greek culture, and both adore en-
joying a glass of Assyrtiko.
Konstantinos Lazarakis, MW, in his popular column Taboo,
answers the questions: “Can Greek wine ever be fine wine? Are we
sure that Greek wine isn't already fine wine? What is fine wine, an-
yway? And is it something that we should care about, or even like?”
An award-winning and experienced Greek wine producer,
Matthew Argyros, and a Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou
share with us their love for their work and for Greece.

4 ISSUE #22
CAN GREEK WINE EVER BE
FINE WINE? TEXT Konstantinos Lazarakis MW

Are we sure that Greek wine

isn't already fine wine? What
is fine wine, anyway? And is it
something that we should care
about, or even like?

The very concept of "fine wine" might be an oxymoron in the minds Over the last two decades, the concept of fine wine has become em-
of many. Wine is, after all, an agricultural product and a staple of bellished with other, more nuanced notions. The aromas, the com-
nutrition in quite a few countries. So, a natural assumption might plexity, the balance and the persistence remain in the picture, but
be to think of wine as just a commodity. However, wine hits world there is so much more in a wine. Things like character, individu-
markets in a vast number of guises, with wildly different qualities ality or suitability to match with food are increasingly viewed as
and at widely varying prices. Although there are other products equally significant. Other qualities are lessening in importance,
“born of the land” that can command crazy prices, such as truffles, like ageing ability – after all, who has the cellar space, the money
speciality coffees, rare teas or, indeed, beef, fine wine has a gravi- and the patience to enjoy a 30-year-old wine, and why should we
tas and an abundance of cultural implications that make it unique. even bother?
Any attempt to define fineness in wine will, sooner or later, Additional aspects, totally unrelated to taste, are slowly be-
stumble onto the thorny question of “How much?” Areni, one of the coming parts of the fine wine canvas, too. Sustainability, environ-
most important think tanks in the world of wine, defines fine wine mentally responsible methods of vine growing or winemaking, the
initially by price. In a recent study, they used a three-tier system. importance of wine production in the local community, and many
The first tier of fine wines is for wines that retail between rough- other factors and ethical considerations are taking center stage. If
ly €55 and €330; the second tier goes from €330 to €1000; and the wine is a vital part of the social fabric, then any endeavour to un-
final segment is for wines that retail above €1000. If this is all that's derstand or define its quality must be holistic, going far beyond
needed to spot a fine wine, then Greek wine is largely out of conten- what is in the glass.
tion: less than fifty labels from our country belong to the first tier This is the splendour of Greek wine. Greece produces wines
and possibly none to the tiers above. But the idea that the selling that, by any measure, have the taste, the balance, the purity, the per-
price alone is enough to make a wine fine is a dangerous concept, sonality and the sophistication to excite anyone, from the occasion-
one that pushes winemakers to price their products higher just to al wine drinker to the wine connoisseur. For millennia, these wines
jump on the “fine wine” bandwagon. have been created to complement food, no matter what is on your
There is a serious distinction here that we must address – plate. The many different, usually rare, indigenous grape varieties
"fineness' and "pricy-ness" are two dissimilar, only slightly overlap- have been sculpted by our climates, our people, our traditions, our
ping, concepts. High quality, because this is the real issue here, is philosophies and our lifestyles, and these varieties are turned into
all you need in my book to call a wine “fine.” High price, on the other wines that are truly unique. There are very few things, if any, with
hand, is the result of a very complex equation with a myriad of var- the same power as Greek wine to reach you wherever you are and
iables, from history to rarity and from market trends to produc- deliver such a detailed portrayal of what Greece is all about.
ers’ illusions of grandeur. I'm not going to say that “Cheap wine can And, yes, you can have it all in your glass. Greek history, ge-
taste as good as that €100 bottle,” or “Expensive wine exists only ography, culture, anthropology and more, just a sip away.
because insecurity does as well.” There are usually many reasons I think I'm thirsty…
behind the success of a wine, and high quality must play a role. But,
flip that around and you'll see that a lot of fine wines haven’t, in fact,
cashed in on their superior quality.

6 ISSUE #22
 TRAVEL TEXT Thalia Kartali and Penelope Katsatou
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

Traveling across the island of Crete on a winery-hopping trip

can be quite an experience. This large island, better known for its
beautiful beaches rather than its wine, holds a lot of surprises for
anyone who sets out to discover its wines. Cretan viniculture, with
its long history, has undergone tremendous improvement in quality
over the last years, and now offers some of the most amazing
styles of wine one can find, made from indigenous varieties only
found on this island. Our trip started in Hania and ended in Irakleio,
with a stop in southern Rethymno where we visited some of the
oldest vineyards on the island and found out just how challenging
viticulture can be on the steep slopes of the Cretan mountains.

Eastern Crete including the Second World Minoan and Roman artifacts cheese pies) • Loukoumades
IRAKLEIO War. The collections include excavated from around the (fried donuts topped with
two paintings by Doménikos city of Hania. Its exhibit items honey, cinnamon and dry nuts)
The City Theotokópoulos (El Greco), born include model ships, nautical
in Crete. instruments, paintings, ACTIVITIES
Irakleio, Crete's biggest city, historical photographs and war
boasts a multicultural past The Palace of Knossos relics, as well as other objects Swimming
as Byzantine churches stand covering the period from the
next to Venetian mansions and The largest Bronze Age Bronze Age to the present. Enjoy world-class beaches:
Turkish fountains; it also has archaeological site on Crete, Falassarna Beach, Balos Beach
a thriving present, with many Knossos is considered Europe's WINE & FOOD and Lagoon, Elafonissi Beach,
restaurants, coffee shops and oldest city. The Minoan palace Seitan Limania Beach and Agii
bars. is the main site of interest. Best local food / Ingredients Apostoli Beach.

Archaeological Museum The Natural History Olive oil • Tomatoes • Artichokes Samaria Gorge National Park
Museum of Crete • Wild onion bulbs • Herbs
It’s one of the greatest museums (wild sage, oregano, thyme, A World Biosphere Reserve,
in Greece and the best in the This great museum highlights parsley, marjoram and more) • this gorge in southwest Crete
world for Minoan art, home to the diverse flora and fauna of Snails • Wild hare • Goat meat is 16 km long and is a major
the most notable and complete the Eastern Mediterranean. • Pork meat • Local cheeses: tourist attraction of the island.
collection of artifacts of the graviera, anthotiros (mild and
Minoan civilization of Crete. Western Crete soft), kefalotiri, mizithra (fresh
INFO: Grigoris Kontos

HANIA cheese made from sheep's milk)

Historical Museum of Crete • Dolmas: stuffed vine leaves
Archaeological Museum with rice • Dakos: rusks topped
This museum covers the art with grated tomato, olive oil,
and history of Crete from The museum contains a cheese and oregano • Candied
the 4th century AD up to and substantial collection of fruit • Kaltsounia (local sweet

SUMMER 2021 9
CRETE PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

Beneath a bright sky, the grapes

were swelling. Huge bunches
of fruit peeked out from behind
dense foliage, the leaves shining,
unblemished, profuse. It was
mid-June, the sun was warm,
the slopes fell gently away and
graceful rows of well-tended
vines stretched into the distance.

It was an image of the earth at its most fecund. Along with the el-
egant, modernist building where the production process and tast-
ings take place, the aesthetics of the Fantaxometocho Estate in
Crete were exceptionally beautiful. I stayed the night in a luxuri-
ous suite converted from an old building which used to house the
grape-pickers. It is situated in the middle of the vineyard, far from
the noise of cars and planes, and I woke up to the music of birdsong.
After such a peaceful night’s sleep, I was full of energy and ready
for the tour that the owner, Marina Boutari, was going to give me. Victoria Hislop at the
Her enthusiasm and knowledge of every aspect of her family’s wine impressive Boutari
Winery at Scalani.
business was thrilling in itself. There is nothing more exhilarat-
ing than to be with someone who pours so much of themselves into
what they do, and, as I was to discover, this dedication is manifest-
ed in the end result. I admitted to being an enthusiastic consumer,
but also to the fact that this was my very first visit to a winery. Of course, there was a tasting. We tried three different whites, three
The vineyard itself is managed by Nikos Kostantakis, who different reds and a dessert wine. Why do some have tastes that lin-
seemed to know every plant and every leaf in his care. Each deci- ger more than others? Why are some wines lighter in alcohol than
sion, even whether to pluck a leaf now or later, plays a role in either others? Why do their hues vary? Why do some age better than oth-
protecting the grapes or exposing them to the sun. He even showed ers? Even the source of the barrels and the type of oak with which
me the bunches that would be discarded to allow others to thrive. they are constructed can make a subtle difference to the end re-
Nikos, who took over from his father in 2019, seemed to have an in- sult. It was fascinating! I fearlessly asked questions, but regretfully
stinct for this work running through his veins. I pictured him as a spat out each mouthful (it seemed so rude! Such a waste!). That day,
child, following his father up and down the rows of plants, watch- I saw how the creation of good wine is so much more than a careful-
ing and learning. Later this year, when he sees that the moment is ly planned chemical process. Of course, there are specific stages to
right, every bunch will be hand-picked under his care. follow and steps to be taken, but the main ingredient in this Bout-
I have always enjoyed the taste of a good wine, but knew ari winery was a human one.
nothing of how the vines are tended, how grape varieties differ, From now on, when I open a bottle for friends, I will do it with
which grows best and where, how they are blended, or how the fer- reverence, I will pour it with more care, I will inhale its fragrance,
mentation process is controlled and managed. As every reader of and let it linger on my tongue. Most importantly, I will appreciate
“Grape” probably already knows, it is not just a science, it's an art not just the science but also the magical ingredient – the love that
too, with each stage as finely tuned as a concert piano. comes from the people who have made it.

MY DAY AT
FANTAXOMETOCHO ESTATE
BY VICTORIA HISLOP
10 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Manousakis Winery Archive

Enjoying local delicacies

at the Manoussakis
winery.

This beautiful estate, situated in As a young immigrant, he built a new life but never forgot his home-
land, the desire to come back always burning in his heart. A suc-
Vatolakos, about 15km from the cessful businessman and a well traveled individual, Manousakis
set out to produce great wines from his home soil. He began by buy-
city of Hania, owes its existence ing a few plots of land and, with the help of experts, decided to plant
four Rhone Valley varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Rous-
to the vision of one man. Born sane. Soon the vineyard was expanded to include Greek varieties;

in 1943 in a house that still Vidiano, Assyrtiko, Romeiko are now all vinified under the guid-
ance of the estate’s chief oenologist, Kostas Galanis. Meanwhile, the
exists on the estate, Theodoros management of the winery passed into the hands of Manousakis’
daughter Alexandra and her husband Afsin Molavi, a sommelier
Manousakis emigrated to the who also owns Salis, an award-winning restaurant in Hania with
an impressive wine list.
United States at the age of 11 The winery itself boasts modern production facilities sur-

to escape the dire economic rounded by beautiful gardens, and orange and lemon groves. It
is open to visitors who can also enjoy selected Cretan specialties,
situation at home. chosen to pair perfectly with the wines offered at the wine tasting.
The total production is about 120,000 bottles, a large percentage of
which is exported mainly to the United States. The most recent ad-
dition to the estate’s labels is “Hartman Molavi,” a sparkling wine
from Xinomavro and Romeiko made using traditional methods. It's
the result of cooperation between Afsin Molavi and Laurens Hart-
man, a ground-breaking producer from the north of Greece.

MANOUSAKIS
The estate’s other labels include five white varietals, Nostos
Roussane, Nostos Vidiano, Nostos Muscat of Spina, Nostos Assyr-
tiko and Nostos Romeiko. The reds include two varietals, Nostos

WINERY
Syrah and Nostos Mourvedre, and two blends, Nostos Alexandra’s
and Nostos Blend.
We had the pleasure of trying all of them, while enjoying a
lovely lunch which included some wonderful local specialties.

12 ISSUE #22
CRETE

DOURAKIS KARAVITAKIS
WINERY WINERY
Our next stop was Dourakis Driving across the region of
Winery, in Alikampos. Antonis Hania, on the other side of
Dourakis welcomed us with a the city of Hania we reached
broad smile on his face, happy Karavitakis Winery.
to see visitors from Athens after
a long period of solitude due to
the lockdown.

Settling in around the long wooden table in the winery’s well-tend- We were welcomed by Nikos Karavitakis, a fourth -generation
ed garden, we couldn’t help noticing a few tourists who'd already winemaker and an energetic young man who skillfully managed
arrived, eager to try the estate’s wines. The estate was one of the to be engaged in different tasks while still talking to us and
first ones in the region of Hania to open its doors to visitors and tending to the needs of the winery’s visitors; on that particular
offer wine-tasting sessions and, as Dourakis explained, the plan is day, they seemed to be flooding in. Karavitakis’s great-grandfather
to open a kitchen that will prepare traditional Cretan dishes to ac- was the family’s first winemaker, although the estate was
company the wine tastings. established by his father who, upon returning from his studies in
The estate was established in 1988 by Dourakis' father, who Italy, became manager of the local cooperative while also caring
had studied oenology in Stuttgart. The first label produced was for the family’s vineyards. Most of the vineyards in the area had
“Logari,” which slowly came to be known at local restaurants and been destroyed by phylloxera and the local people had turned to
hotels during a period when the dominant trend was to serve wine the cultivation of olive groves. Influenced by his studies in Italy,
in bulk, i.e., by the carafe. The elder Dourakis made the decision the elder Karavitakis started planting international varieties like
to invest in the winery, buying equipment and building an elegant Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, but quickly turned his attention
building based on traditional architecture. “If it doesn’t work out, to the indigenous varieties, which today make up 85% of the
we can always turn it into a nightclub,” he used to joke. Things did cultivation.
work out, however, and the estate now produces 17 different labels, “The estate’s philosophy, especially in the past 11 years since
most of them from local varieties. “Within our five-year plan, we I started working here, is to showcase the potential of our indige-
intend to grow our vineyard by adding nine new fields,” says An- nous varieties, using them in blends with international varieties but
tonis Dourakis. The varieties being grown at the estate are a mix also making good quality varietal wines”, explains Karavitakis, who
of local and international varieties, with an emphasis on the local believes in a more modern approach to winemaking with less bar-
ones: Vidiano, Malvasia, Kotsifali, Mandilari, and Romeiko, an in- rel, more expression of the fruit and lower alcohol levels. According
digenous variety from the region of Hania which many winemak- to him, the two indigenous varieties that can stand alone and make
ers find attractive. it to the international markets are Vidiano for whites and Liatiko
The estate produces about 250,000 bottles a year in total vol- for reds. “Vidiano is a strong variety that can have many different
ume, 10% of which are being exported, while the rest are released expressions; it can make everything from fresh everyday wines to
to the local market. As is the case for most winemakers in Greece dynamic aged ones. Contrary to what many believe, it is not an ar-
and worldwide, the pandemic has had a big impact on sales, but omatic variety,” he says. “As far as Liatiko is concerned, we choose
Dourakis remains optimistic: “Luckily now that things are opening to approach it more as a Pinot Noir, producing a fresher, more New
up again, people have no qualms when visiting our winery to spend World, fruitier style with minimal barrel in comparison to the tra-
a bit more on a bottle of wine; in a way, they are making up for lost ditional long barrel-aged style of other producers." Despite the em-
time by choosing slightly more pricey but higher quality wines." phasis on Greek varieties, the estate’s most premium label is “Elia
Blend,” which has only been released to the market six times since
Wine Tasting Lychnos Vidiano 2018 2003 when it first came out. With Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, it
Lychnos Vidiano 2016 is a Southern Rhone blend. The estate produces annually approxi-
Kudos Malvasia 2019 mately 200,000 bottles, of which 45-55% are exported.
Apus Blanc de Noir, from the Romeiko variety
Kudos Syrah 2018 Wine Tasting Klima Vidiano 2020
Euphoria, a sweet dessert wine from sun-dried Klima Vidiano, Barrel-aged
Romeiko grapes Kompsos Liatiko red
Elia Blend 2016

14 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL

ANOSKELI ENDOCHORA
WINERY WINERY
After a drive through the more Back in Hania, we found
mountainous area of Kolimbari, ourselves face to face with a
we found ourselves wondering model expression of garage
whether we had, in fact, winemaking.
reached the right place.

We were standing in front of what looked – and smelled – like an Housed on the ground floor of a two-story building in the center of
olive oil press. Greeted by Gerasimos Voultoudakis, we soon found town, Endochora can hardly be called a winery , but the product that
out that, in Anoskeli, the owners have successfully combined the comes out from this 60m2 space is really noteworthy. Three or four
production of olive oil, the area’s main agricultural product, with small stainless steel tanks, a few barrels and a grape selection ma-
winemaking that emphasizes the Greek varieties for the whites chine is all Michalis Tsafarakis needs to produce his four labels. “
and international varieties for the reds. The first bottle of wine was I don’t come from a family of winemakers or farmers; I grew up in
produced in 2005 but, as Voultoudakis, the company’s chief engi- the city and studied mathematics,” he says. “But I became hooked
neer who took an interest in winemaking, explained, the oenolog- on the process of winemaking, the vineyards, all of it and my hobby
ical part of the business really started taking shape in 2011. The became my profession.” With the help of oenologist Costas Galanis,
overall production is limited to 35,000- 40,000 bottles, but Voul- he produces about 7,000-8,000 bottles a year, mainly from Vidiano,
toudakis is a person who loves to experiment, and he cares less Kotsifali and Syrah, which he has planted on the 15 acres of vine-
about the quantities than he does about trying different winemak- yards he owns, scattered in different locations around Hania.
ing techniques. In the cellar, we found ourselves in front of a bar-
rel where a Romeiko, produced using the solera system (which is Wine Tasting Endochora Vidiano 2020
used to produce sherry), was being aged. Ιn another barrel across Endochora Rosé 2020
the room, an Assyrtiko resting on the lees had been ageing for Endochora Kotsifali 2019
three years, waiting its turn to be bottled and released to the mar- Krostandt Syrah 2017
ket. Anoskeli produces mainly two labels: Ano Plagia, in white, rosé
and red (all of them blends of both local and international varie-
ties); and Anoferia, varietal wines of both white and red, with the
greatest emphasis being given on the indigenous white varieties of
Vilana, Assyrtiko and Vidiano. “I think it’s pointless to assume we
can make a red wine from local varieties that can become top shelf
and be priced accordingly. Our energies need to be focused on our
white and rosé varieties,” says Voultoudakis.
Our wine tasting was preceded by an olive oil tasting, giv-
ing us the opportunity to find out that the two procedures are real-
ly quite similar. The winery is open to visitors and is happy to offer
them the experience of both tastings.

Wine Tasting Anoferia Vilana 2020

Ano Plagia, 2020 Vidiano, Vilana, Asyrtiko
Ano Plagia rosé 2020
Anoferia Syrah 2018
Anoskeli Stone Romeiko

Michalis Tsafarakis
in his Winery.

SUMMER 2021 15
TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

If you had to personify Crete, it would be in the form of Iliana

Malichin. Strong, beautiful, proud and hospitable, she has, despite
her youth, already built up strong roots, and dreams of ways to help
her homeland. The vineyards of Melambes are some of the most
impressive ones we’ve ever seen.

ILIANA MALICHIN
“I came to this place with no vineyards of my own. So, I started by
buying grapes from the local producers. I now have my own team
of 30 producers who do nothing without first consulting me or un-
less I tell them to do it. The responsibility is all mine, and I am con-
stantly in the vineyards guiding them. We hold frequent seminars
with guest agriculturalists. I buy my grapes at exclusive and pre-ar-
ranged prices, which are among the most expensive in Crete: €1.60
for grapes from the older vines, and €1.30 for those from new vines,
when the average is between €0.30 and €0.50. I do this because,
when I first arrived on the island, the producers were disappointed
with the old vines. They kept hearing that they’d see higher yields
with grafted vines. And while they worked really hard and toiled
to care for five acres of vines, they only saw a return worth a sin-
gle acre. They wanted to get rid of the old vines, so the only guaran-
tee I could give them was a fixed, high price. My aim for Melambes,
as well as for here in Fourfouras, was to save the old vines, because
they are our heritage. The changes that we’ve made in their cultiva-
tion, and in the care we show them, have made the old vines increase
their yield by 60%. We've also planted 60 new acres, with local help.
Iliana Malichin
surrounded by the 150 My first year here, everyone was a bit wary of me. But when they saw
year old vines. that I was on their side and that I keep my word, things changed.
Well, they also saw a bit of my crazy side, but they saw my hones-
ty. They're truly happy that today their village is well known else-
We're at a vineyard, at an elevation of 900m. The sea is peeking where, even as far away as Australia, where many have family.”
through the mountain ridges, and the views are breathtaking. This 27-year-old Iliana is undeniably impressive. The winery –
We've piled into the back of a pick-up truck that Iliana has bor- gorgeous, by the way – is housed in an old storage space belonging to
rowed specially for our visit, and we're admiring the pre-phylloxe- the Melambes cooperation. Additionally, the Malichin-Chrysos win-
ra vineyards all around us, some as old as 140 years. ery, with the help of subsidies, managed to purchase tanks and ma-
Vineyards this old retain all the old varieties, too. Though chinery. They produce three labels at about 7,000 bottled annually.
Vidiano prevails, there are also Plyto, Melissaki, Thrapsathiri, The "Rizes 2" is a blend of Vidiano from Fourfoura in Rethymno and
Rokeiko and Liatiko. “I believe that these old vines have found their Assyrtiko from the Loyron vines in Santorini. The "Vidiano Young
own way to keep balance in growing and nurturing their grapes, Wines" is from 10-15 year-old vineyards, and the exquisite "Vidiano
and that’s why I don’t intervene in their growth,” Iliana tells us, Old Wines" comes from vineyards that are more than a century old.
confirming what we see all around us. “The vines huddle close to From Iliana’s tanks, we tasted an 8-month-old Vidiano that is
one another and they seem to like that proximity. It’s good for them waiting to be blended with Assyrtiko, as well as a 6-month-old Vidi-
to be in contact, they seem to make a better time of it, and it’s pref- ano just before it was to be bottled. During vinification, very few sul-
erable to me coming and hacking away at them.” furs are used, the yeasts are only the ones that exist in the must,
Raised in Athens, Iliana was looking for a way to relocate to and the stabilization process is also done in a natural way, without
Crete from an early age. She spent winters watching home videos human intervention. Whole bunches are used, and wines stay on the
recorded over the summers spent in her ancestral Cretan village, lees for a while at the beginning of the process. The wine’s acidity
helping out her grandfather in his olive groves and in his small is excellent, as is its minerality and, as Malichin tells us, some may
vineyard. He believed them to be, she says, akin to Burgundy vines. even be able to detect a slight saltiness from the island’s sea spray.
The plan went as follows: university studies in Agriculture, Accompanied by Cretan melodies that Iliana finds suit her
then an MA in Oenology, and then a PhD in Vidiano. Her thesis con- wines the best, she confides in us, “I believe in the biodynamic pro-
cerned the isolation and identification of yeasts native to the Vidi- cesses, and the way the taste of my wines changes with the waxing
ano variety, and it caused quite a stir, but the funding to implement and waning of the Moon. I also notice that, on certain days, their
its findings is still not at hand. mood changes, affected by my own. There was a very hard day for
After working for the Alexakis and Douloufakis Estates on me, a day when I was stressed and emotionally drained, that I went
Crete, Iliana’s next stop was Santorini, where she met her current to the winery and opened a tank, and the smell was so good and so
associate Spyros Chrysos. She proposed a business partnership. different, that it really comforted me. I’ll never forget that smell – it
Having joined forces, they set out to search for a Cretan vineyard, left such an impression on me. I doubt that it has ever smelled that
and to ultimately become pioneers in the field. good to me before, or since.”

16 ISSUE #22
CRETE PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

IRAKLEIO WINERIES
Going down a steep dirt road in the back of a pickup truck can be
quite an experience, but it’s also the best way to take in all the wild
beauty of the Cretan land.

BOUTARI WINERY tan heritage, he insists that one of the greatest advantages of Greek
wine is its long history. “Crete is a very strong brand of its own, and
Built on the Fantaxometocho Estate – which in Greek means lately Cretan wines have been doing really well in markets abroad.
the haunted estate – the Boutari Winery is close to the archaeolog- We export to France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Unit-
ical site of Knossos. The estate owes its name to a previous owner ed States and Canada.”
who, in order to keep thieves away, promulgated a story about the
estate being haunted. Surrounded by its vineyards, the winery of- LYRARAKIS WINERY
fers spectacular views of the nearby hills and is open to visitors
who wish to tour the cellars, take cooking lessons offered on the If you’re in the area of Irakleio, this is one winery that you
premises, or stay in one of the three suites at the estate’s old guest shouldn’t really miss. Contrary to the local tradition of having
house. The Boutaris family bought the estate in the ’90s and, in small parcels of land, this winery is surrounded by 14.5 hectares
2014, begun to replant the whole vineyard, focusing on the indige- of vineyards which Sotiris Lyrarakis obtained in the ‘60s. The win-
nous varieties of Crete. Lately it has been rebranding some of its la- emaking experience of Lyrarakis was finally “bottled” for the first
bels even while new products are also hitting the market. Enjoying time in 1996. This is truly a family business; brothers, cousins and
a lovely lunch, we had the pleasure of tasting the brand new Scalar- nephews are all involved, as the older generation is now giving way
ea Vidiano-Athiri , a crisp white wine, and the red Scalarea, made to the younger one. “Back in the ‘90s, the trend was to plant interna-
from Syrah and Kotsifali. tional varieties, mainly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. We de-
cided to replant a big part of our vineyards, giving more empha-
DOULOUFAKIS WINERY sis to two local unique varieties: Plyto, a white, and Dafni, a red,”
explains George Lyrarakis. “From a commercial point of view, this
Going down a steep dirt road in the back of a pickup truck was suicide. But we were committed to saving these varieties from
can be quite an experience, but it’s also the best way to take in all extinction. The truth is that most people prefer something more
the wild beauty of the Cretan land. Vineyards and olive groves are common like a Chardonnay, but we also get a lot of tourists who
all you’ll see going down the hill from the village where Nikos Dou- are looking to try something different.” Lyrarakis is also the first
loufakis has his winery. “These are all very small parcels of land, winery which worked on blending the indigenous red variety Kot-
since, according to Cretan tradition, each piece of land had to be sifali with Syrah, with great success. Since 2005, they have been
divided equally among the family’s children,” he explains. “So you experimenting with a Mandilari, another indigenous red variety,
get a small vineyard here, an olive grove there, and then another which was traditionally used in a blend with Kotsifali. According to
vineyard. Unfortunately, this dispersal doesn’t help with costs, but George, Crete’s climate is ideal for producing great wines. In 2007,
it does give our wines complexity,” he tells us as we walk under the the winery opened its doors to the public; since then, it has been
burning Cretan sun. All the vineyards are located on slopes. “All receiving thousands of visitors every year, mostly tourists. Their
the work is done in the vineyard,” he says. Truly proud of his Cre- wines have won prizes in international contests, and are being ex-

18 ISSUE #22
ported to other European countries as well as to the United States, was born on a full moon; this must have had something to do with
Canada, Australia and China. it.” She follows a special calendar based on the moon phases, ac-
cording to which she plans all the work that has to be done in the
PATERIANAKIS WINERY vineyard. “These are practices known to us from our grandmoth-
ers,” she says, “and we see the result in the quality of our wines. I be-
Walking ito the Paterianakis Winery in Arhanes we found lieve there’s something magical behind all this, and it is priceless.”
ourselves in front of a table covered with Cretan delicacies, cheese, Her daughter Haroula is responsible for bottling and marketing.
olives, homemade bread there was, of course wine as well, all in a “You can’t be a real winemaker if you’re not willing to put
room with enormous windows offering a breathtaking view of the your hands in the dirt,” Irini says. “You’ve to be very careful during
vineyards. The winery, established by George Paterianakis’ father, all the stages of winemaking, because what good is it having a good
is now being run by his two daughters, Emmanuela and Niki. The grape and then messing up with the winemaking?” Her hard work
estate produces organic wines, following the practices of biody- has been recognized; the estate’s wines have won numerous prizes,
namic viticulture, which forms part of the tradition of winemak- which has helped them to go on despite the problems caused by the
ing in Crete. The wines are divided into three groups, according economic crisis. The estate’s emphasis is on indigenous varieties, al-
to varieties and vineyards. The Local Treasures are made strictly though their best wine is considered to be a blend of Kotsifali and
from local varieties, the Premium Wines are a blend of a local and Syrah. They also produce a series of sweet wines from local varieties.
an international variety, and the Vintage Spirits are wines made
from indigenous varieties that come from the older vineyards. In DIAMANTAKIS WINERY
the vineyard, the family follows all the traditional practices of their
grandfather, harvesting by hand and taking good care of the grape One of many young aspiring wine producers in Crete, Zach-
at all stages. One of their goals is to spread the philosophy of biody- arias Diamantakis welcomed us to his winery on the steep slopes
namic cultivation, the tradition of the older generations on Crete. of the eastern foothills of Crete’s highest mountain, Psiloritis. The
The estate produces 120,000 bottles, many of which end up in Swit- vineyards here are at an elevation of 400m with a southeastern as-
zerland, Cyprus and the United States. pect. They have been planted on terraces because of the steepness
of the slope, making manual harvesting quite a challenge. The vari-
SILVA DASKALAKI WINERY eties planted there are the indigenous Mandilari and Malvasia, as
well as Chardonnay. A little higher up, at 600m, is a vineyard plant-
A few kilometers away, we came across the Silva Daskala- ed with Assyrtiko. “Crete can produce an excellent Assyrtiko,” says
ki Winery. Its owner, Irini Daskalaki full of relentless energy She Zacharias. He believes that one of the biggest challenges for Cretan
wakes up every morning at five o’clock to tend to the vines and goes wines in the near future will be an increase in exports, a goal, he
to bed only after having inspected all the work in the winery. A says, that has been set collectively, through Wines Of Crete, a net-
strong believer in biodynamic viticulture, she smiles and says: “I work created by the producers for the promotion of their wines.

SUMMER 2021 19
INTERVIEW TEXT Thalia Kartali
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

When I first decided to send an email to Victoria Hislop, author of

the best-selling book “The Island,” asking for an interview, I had
no idea we were going to end up chatting under an olive tree
overlooking the vines at Fantaxometocho Estate.

VICTORIA HISLOP
Her enthusiastic response was followed by the revelation that she Can you recall what made you fall in love with the country?
had never visited a winery before so, after making the proper ar-
rangements, we met on a warm sunny day and together enjoyed the It was the light. I have been to all the other southern Europe-
brilliant hospitality of Marina Boutari, who was kind enough to ar- an countries and the light isn’t the same. I don’t know what it is but
range a tour of the vineyards, followed by a wine tasting and lunch. the translucence of the light in Greece is definitely not the same as
Victoria’s tight schedule had taken her to Knossos, where she was in Spain or in Italy. I don’t know how you compare the two scientifi-
filming a documentary for fund-raising purposes, a small break cally but you know, for me, the light is definitely brighter. It was also
from the shooting of “Cartes Postales from Greece,” the new Greek the sea. Until then I had only ever swam in the English Channel…
television series based on her novel, expected to air this fall. Her So it was partly the contrast and also something I cannot
deep love for her adopted country – Victoria Hislop became an hon- really define. I remember thinking: This is utterly beautiful, and I
orary Greek citizen last year – was manifest throughout our talk, want to come here from now on," and I did. It was never a person,
but what really struck me was her accurate perception of modern nothing like that; I somehow never had that experience, it was the
Greece and her relentless thirst to learn more. place, the sky and the sea, and the blue – definitely the blue.

What is it about Greece that has inspired you to write Have things changed since you first came to Greece?
so many books about this country?
Oh yes, things that I'm not sure have been communicated
Well, most of my books cover periods of really difficult his- clearly to other British people. Wine is one example; I really get
tory. Greece’s 20th century was really a very difficult time, and I very irritated when I go to supermarkets back in the UK and I can't
grew up in a country where we hadn’t been invaded since 1066. find Greek wines. Food and wine have come on massively; there are
Generally, life has been pretty straightforward in Britain, whereas some amazing restaurants in Agios Nikolaos in Crete, for example,
in Greece there was never a dull moment in history. When I first restaurants that were not there 10 or 15 years ago. I think food in
started writing about Greece, I didn’t really know anything, I didn’t Greece in general has risen to new levels. And all the restaurants
know any of it and I think that most British people who come as have very good wine lists.
tourists haven’t got a clue about what is going on. They come and
they see beautiful landscapes and lovely food and then they go What would you say to someone who is setting out to
home again. I am just interested in learning about these things; I discover Greece?
try to learn so that I am less ignorant. Then they become fiction,
because I want to imagine what it was like to live through those Gastronomy and the wine would be their biggest surprise.
things, and then come the characters. Most summers, I organize a writer’s retreat. One year I had invited
Boris Johnson’s sister, a journalist and friend of mine, and took her
When was the first time you came to Greece? to Chrisofili, one of our favorite places in Agios Nikolaos. She was re-
ally impressed. Although she comes to Greece often, she had no idea
My love of Greece began when I was a teenager. Back then – I how good the food could be. Most of the people who participate in my
was born in the late 1950s – there was no such thing as commercial writers' retreat, especially those who have not visited Greece before,
travel; people weren’t flying anywhere on holiday. Our first holiday are surprised by the quality and variety of the Greek cuisine. I think
was actually to Malta. My mother had started working when I was that wine tourism can be a really big attraction as well. Something
about 15, and her priority was to travel; until then, she'd never been that frustrates me is trying to persuade people to come after the
anywhere. So we got on a plane. And then, the second time we went three months of the summer; I keep telling them there's much more
somewhere, it was to Athens. It was transformative! It was an im- to see; walking in Greece in the autumn, for example, or visiting the
mediate love affair and it never stopped. I was 17 years old… wineries, not necessarily during the summer season.

SUMMER 2021 21
VICTORIA HISLOP

I love white dry wines that are not fruity. My favorite Greek dish
would be spanakorizo; my neighbor goes to the market and gets
very fresh horta, or she picks it herself, and she makes a huge tub of
it for me and I can’t stop eating it.

What is your favorite Greek wine and what's your favorite Did you in fact have any problems because of this?
Greek dish?
No, fortunately I think Greek readers are not yet so brain-
It is Assyrtiko. I love white dry wines that are not fruity. My washed as some of these American critics.
favorite Greek dish would be spanakorizo; my neighbor goes to the
market and gets very fresh horta [wild greens], or she picks it her- You did touch on a lot of sensitive chapters of Greece’s
self, and she makes a huge tub of it for me and I can’t stop eating it. recent history. Do you think Greeks have left all this be-
Food has always played a role in my upbringing. My mother lived hind them, or can you still detect some scars on the Greek
with a French chef for 25 years, and he was a big influence in my life. psyche?

Your most recent book about Greece was “Those Who Are There are scars. Where I get a sense of that is when I do my
Loved,” a novel that explores some very traumatic mo- book tours. I go to all these amazing towns, such as Kastoria and
ments in recent Greek history. Alexandroupoli, and people in Greece aren't at all like the British,
where, during book presentations, everyone sits very politely. they
I was very afraid about having this book published. During are very lively, very bold. They are lovely, generally, fantastic, polite,
the period of my writing it, there was this massive controversy in warm and kind, but there are always a couple of people who be-
the United States about a book called “American Dirt," because the come antagonistic… Generally, the ones who want to stand up and
writer – an American – was writing from the point of view of a Mex- say something are the older people. And I'm always kind of waiting
ican woman trying to escape from Mexico to the US. The American for that to happen… I accept that in the civil war there were atroc-
‘very politically correct’ lobby said that she couldn’t write this be- ities on both sides. Themis, the main character in “Those Who Are
cause she wasn't Mexican. But isn’t this what fiction allows you to Loved," is very much somebody who regrets the things she has done.
do? Anyway, all this was happening around the time I was writing
my book , where I take the view of an elderly Greek woman. I re- Odysseus Elytis, the renowned Greek poet and Nobel
member thinking: "Am I allowed to do this or not?" Laureate once wrote, “If you deconstruct Greece, what
will remain is an olive tree, a vine and a boat." What does
Greece mean to you?

That's very poetic, very minimalist, but it seems to me that

it misses out the people. I never think of deconstructing Greece.
When people ask me: "What does Greece mean to you?", I really
don’t know where to begin. I feel a bit guilty sometimes; I appear
not to notice the bad things, or I brush them off because I’ve seen so
many Greeks that only see the bad things. They have forgotten the
vine, the olive tree, and the boat. They have a difficult experience of
their own country, so I like Elytis’ image, but I am aware there's still
a darker side, too. But I think the more you focus on the positive, the
more space it has to become the greater part.

Victoria Hislop at the

Boutari Winery.

22 ISSUE #22
Evriviadis Sklavos
TRAVEL TEXT Yiannis Pappas, General Manager Mr Vertigo
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

A few years ago, four friends and I decided to go on a road trip

to a part of Greece that might also prove interesting from a wine
perspective. To cut a long story short, the destination we finally
agreed upon was the island of Kefalonia. I hadn’t been there since
a five-day school trip in senior year in high school, at a time when
I still couldn’t tell the difference between beer and wine. Ever since
then, I've remained emotionally attached to the island, despite the
long distance between us.

There are two main reasons why I love Kefalonia. The first one is ers filled with love and passion for wine and for their island. Our
its people. They have a reputation for being oddballs, nutcases and first stop was the winery of Evriviades Sklavos in Lixouri. Vladis
shouters. I can assure you, after having spent considerable time (as he's known to his friends) is considered the father of biodynam-
hanging out with the locals, that this assessment is 100% true. ic cultivation in Greece, but if you ask him, he'll look away modestly
Their extroversion and their way of life make you feel so at home, and say that he doesn’t know how to make wine. According to many,
it’s like visiting your hometown or, more accurately, like visiting the he makes the best dry version of Mavrodaphne, a wine named Or-
quirky hometown of Asterix. The second reason that I love Kefalo- gion (which definitely does NOT mean what you might think). One
nia is that, in many ways, the island reminds me of Crete, my birth- of the most beautiful Greek white wines is Metagitnion; the vari-
place. Mount Aenos has rough, rocky landscapes and steep slopes ety is fermented and matured in a large wooden tank for about a
where mountain goats jump around. As you drive along, mesmer- year to become a wine that clearly reflects the magnificence of Ke-
ised by the scenery, you suddenly have to hit the brakes to avoid falonia’s terroir. The famous Vino di Sasso (Robola) shocks me to
crashing into a flock of sheep and their shepherd! That's right when the core with its minerality and saltiness every time I try it, while
you realize who’s responsible for the bullet holes in the road sign Zakynthino excites my imagination with the range of gastronomic
you just drove past. options with which it can be paired.
The National Park, with its dense fir forest is a must-visit all Our next stop is Ktima Charitatou. The three Charitatou sib-
year round. In a matter of less than an hour, you can go from wear- lings are so hospitable that you're sure to feel at home. As Ioanna
ing a jacket at the summit of Mount Aenos to drinking a chilled impresses you with her French finesse, Charitos starts cracking
glass of wine in a swimsuit at a beach bar, or diving into the beau- jokes, poking fun at everything, and Konstantinos plies you with
tiful clear blue water of the Ionian Sea. The local cuisine is simple tsipouro and sings "Do You Like Mademoiselle The Greece?" They
but delicious, and if you happen to have a friend who’s into spear- gave us a very nice tour of the estate, where they only cultivate the
gun fishing, then you've just found paradise. Kefalonia is definite- three local varieties Mavrodaphne, Moschato, and Vostilidi, and af-
ly included in the top five of Greece’s wine-producing zones. How- terwards we tasted their wines. The evening became even more in-
ever, this doesn’t automatically place it on the list of the top wine teresting when Evriviades and his partner Spyros Zisimatos joined
tourism destinations. Making your way through the island’s win- us, and we all talked about wine. In Kefalonia, winemakers face the
eries, you certainly won't find the same organizational skills as at same problem with grapes as their colleagues do in Santorini, al-
Nemea’s wineries, which offer regular tours to visitors, or the archi- though perhaps not to the same extent. Even so, here, too, wine-
tecturally impressive facilities of northern Greece. But, as you walk makers tear their hair out over every year with worry over whether
through their door, you will meet warm-hearted people, winemak- they’ll be able to buy good-quality grapes.

SUMMER 2021 25
KEFALONIA

The PDO varieties Robola, Just opposite, in Minies in Argostoli, stands Gentilini Winery. Here,
you'll find a more "Australian" approach to the whole issue, as both
Mavrodafni and Moschato are the winery, which offers tours, and its wines are reminiscent of
Barossa Valley. Petros Markantonatos attaches great importance
known worldwide, have a long to raw material, and this is why he cultivates his vineyards organ-

tradition and play an important ically. At the same time, like a maestro at the podium, he harmoni-
ously conducts the orchestra of the winery’s tanks and barrels, with
role in the culture of the island. only one thing in his mind: that the wine be enjoyable. Interventions
are not altogether prohibited, and the vinification techniques are
very advanced. Every time we meet, he shows me how he can moni-
tor tank temperatures on his mobile phone and talks about all of his
"crazy" new projects. The wines he produces are excellent; my per-
sonal favorite is his Robola, which, as it evolves in the bottle, dis-
plays more mineral and petrol aromas. It can be paired fantastical-
ly with the delicious ceviche that he makes himself.
Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit the Petrakopou-
los winery (formerly Melissinos). Nikos Petrakopoulos and Kiki Si-
ameli are doing an incredible job there; they produce perhaps the
best Robola of Kefalonia, while constantly experimenting with dif-
ferent winemaking practices (including single-vineyard vinifica-
tion and orange wines). We did talk, however, and they said they
were looking forward to seeing us on our next island visit, and we
promised we would stop by. To me, Kefalonia is the next big thing in
Greek winemaking, thanks to its terroir and grape varieties. It pos-
sesses two out of the three most misunderstood varieties in Greece,
but it also has a winemakers' association that doesn't give up. They
try, as a team, to give a fresher, more modern and more gastronom-
ic character to the wines of their birthplace. Kefalonia is an island
which, no matter how many times you visit it, will always give you a
reason to come back.
Ioanna, Haritos (left)
and Costas(right)
Haritatos, with their SOK
four-footed friends.
There is strength in unity, thought a group of wine producers
on Kefalonia and Ithaca, and they decided to join forces to promote
their fine wines, wines that are increasingly gaining ground in the
market. They formed SOK, the Association of Winemakers of Kefa-
lonia, and on our trip we noticed the work they were doing on Kefa-
lonia, efforts focused on transforming the island into one of the top
global destinations for wine tourism.

Seven wineries have joined together to promote

the wines of Kefalonia and Ithaca:

Foivos (Wines of Greece)

Gentilini Winery & Vineyards
Haritatos Estate – Haritatos Vineyard
Oralios Gi
Petrakopoulos Wines
Sarris Winery
Sclavos Wines

The PDO varieties Robola, Mavrodafni and Moschato are

known worldwide, have a long tradition and play an important
role in the culture of the island. SOK's mission is to plan promo-
tional and marketing activities throughout the year with the aim
of strengthening the brand name of Kefalonian and Ithaca wine.
Wine tourism is a priority of the group as well, and SOK aims to
put Kefalonia on the map of world destinations for wine tourism.
The cultural and gastronomic traditions are integral parts of the
wine world here as well, a fact that will also be highlighted by the
association. In short, they will be showcasing the viticultural land-
scape and the wine products of the islands alongside the culinary
and cultural riches of the islands.
More about SOK, the Association of Winemakers of Kefalo-
nia - Kefalonia Wines, can be found on facebook and instagram @
kefaloniawines.

26 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL TEXT Grigoris Michailos, Dip WSET
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

I was about to take yet another trip. For the following five and a
half hours, give or take, I'd be able to enjoy just being a passenger,
relaxing in the comfortable back seat of a Golf TSI on the way
to Naoussa. For the first time in a long time, I was visiting a wine
destination with friends, more to have a good time than as part
of my job. Nothing against wine experts, or going on extreme wine
missions – which certainly helps you get the full picture of a vintage
or a region – but when it comes to Naoussa, it’s best to simply sit
back and enjoy it.

I should make it clear that I love Naoussa’s wines very much, but talked about what we'd seen as we entered Barolo, in Italy's Pied-
certainly not in the same way that I love, say, Nemea’s. I think that mont; there were grapevines everywhere, no matter which direc-
I feel towards Naoussa somewhat like a mother who has a bit more tion we looked at. Here, niente… Nothing…
love for (if I can say that), or at least is more likely to spoil, the sen- And yet, Naoussa has its secrets; all you need to do is be in the
sitive and weakest among her children. And this is something I’ve right mood and have enough time to unlock them, and a wonderful
felt since the first time I ever set foot in the region, several years world will be revealed to you. It will be unconventional and idio-
ago. It was that first trip that shattered the image I'd built up in my syncratic but, at the same time it will also be harmonious. What has
head about this great wine zone. always fascinated me the most about the region are its contrasts:
You read and hear so many descriptions of Naoussa, you taste both the different ways in which winemakers approach their fa-
its powerful Xinomavro wines, and you imagine a completely dif- vorite grape variety, Xinomavro, and how they deal with concepts
ferent reality. Everything is magnified in your mind. But the truth such as hospitality and wine tourism.
is quite different. You can drive for nearly half an hour in what is Arriving at Markovitis Winery in Polla Nera, we saw the 25-
called the “viticultural zone” of the area, and not see the slightest acre single vineyard stretching out right in front of our eyes; in
hint that this is one of the most important wine regions in Greece. the case of Thymiopoulos Vineyards, however, you'll need a 4x4 to
Instead of the famous Xinomavro vineyards, the only thing reach some of the at least thirty vineyards "hidden" between Fytia
that you see for miles, on both sides of the road that runs through and Trilofos. These wineries are representative of the two sub-re-
the wine zone, are peach trees, cherry trees, plum trees, apple gions of Naoussa where, in a matter of a fifteen-minute drive, the
trees and, if it’s the right time of the year, the lean silhouettes of climate and the soil both change considerably, and which, of course,
the workers who irrigate their crops incessantly. Unfortunate- produce wines of very different styles. Markovitis consistently pro-
ly, Naoussa’s vineyards have shrunk to a great extent. And the sad duces, as a matter of principle, only one wine from his amazing,
truth is that Amynteo, on the other side of Mount Vermio, is already meticulously attended vineyard; on the other hand, Thymiopou-
producing more Xinomavro grapes. From the back seat of the Golf, los constantly makes plans to create different single-vineyard vin-
I could clearly discern the initial surprise, even disappointment, ifications from his individual vine plots. Two different approaches,
on the face of both of my companions, who were visiting the area with the common denominator being, of course, the winemakers’
for the first time: “Is this Naoussa? Where are its vineyards?” We love for Xinomavro.

SUMMER 2021 29
NAOUSSA ROAD TRIP #1:
In search of Xinomavro’s hidden charms

At the Boutari winery, you'll get goose bumps at the mere opening
of a 1974 Naoussa Boutari. This isn't only because you're about to
taste the unabridged history of Greek wine; it's also because you
know that, in a minute, you'll be lucky enough to have in your glass
a blatantly beautiful wine, full of generosity. It's a Xinomavro truth,
that, if it weren’t for the Boutari family, the variety could have been
lost forever. That same evening, sitting around a table at the Dia-
mantakos winery, you might taste the latest and most modern ver-
sion of what Naoussa has to present, straight from the barrel, to the
rest of the world. Diamantakos’ Naoussa has such fruit and finesse,
that it justifies those who praise the variety’s "Pinot Noir dimen-
sion." These two different moments, ones that bridge yesterday and
tomorrow in such an exquisite way, are so perfect it's hard to decide
in which direction you want to travel.
The following day, you find yourself at the hospitable Dala-
mara Winery with Kostis and Maria. There, you're served a platter
of local cold cuts – which Kostis slices on the spot with a knife – in a
warm family environment, as you drink wines with clean lines and
a clear philosophy, accompanied by a lot of conversation. You feel
Grape selection during nothing short of being in the company of friends, as if you were at
harvest in Naoussa. home. You taste their breathtaking Paliokalia and, before you leave
their company, you make a stop at their own-rooted pre-phylloxe-
ra vineyard, where, gazing at the ancient stumps, you discover the
true history of Naoussa. A few hours later, you'll enjoy to the full-
est the uplifting view and the tranquility that Ktima Kyr-Yianni in
Giannakochori has to offer. While there, you might decide to take
a sneak peek at the impressive, brand new underground cellar,
which houses the winery's barrels and wine collection, as you lis-
ten to Stellios Boutaris' brilliant plans for wine tourism in the area.
A glass of the now impossible-to-find 2013 Ramnista will make you
feel lucky you've have the opportunity to enjoy it. That's Naoussa in
a nutshell – in one day, you can find two completely different takes
on wine tourism that both highlight the innate passion of Greek
winemakers for hospitality.
Under no circumstances would I want Naoussa to be, even in
the slightest, different from what it really is. In Naoussa, tradition-
al meets modern, small producers coexist with the big ones, and in-
tense ambition is found side by side with a more relaxed attitude to-
wards life. What I always make sure to do is not give myself enough
time to visit everyone. I leave at least one visit for next time, be it
either my beloved Argatia, or perhaps Foundis, which I have yet to
visit, or Kokkinos, or Chrysochoou, or one of the other twenty or so
winemakers in the area. I always need to have an excuse to come
back, again and again.
My dear friends, it takes time for Naoussa to enchant you... To
be precise, it takes 5 hours and 17 minutes, a 330-mile drive from
Athens, and the best possible company you can find. As for those
who aren't from Athens, you do your own calculations. One thing’s
for certain; no matter how long the trip is, it’s definitely worth it.

Under no circumstances would I want Naoussa to be, even in the

slightest, different from what it really is. In Naoussa, traditional
meets modern, small producers coexist with the big ones, and
intense ambition is found side by side with a more relaxed attitude
towards life. What I always make sure to do is not give myself
enough time to visit everyone.

30 ISSUE #22
PRODUCER'S VIEW TEXT Stellios Boutaris, Kyr-Yianni
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

There is no product that encompasses the Greek way of life better

than Greek wine does! Greek wine is the one and only product that
transcends time, linking the Greece of antiquity to that of today,
somehow representing everything that modern Greek society is,
as well as what it once was. What's more, Greek wine is the best
Ambassador of Greece in the world!

THE WINES
Wine is an agricultural product, yet it has the ability to land on
every table with a story to tell. Agriculture is still one of the main
pillars of the Greek economy. Whether it is fresh produce, such as

OF GREECE:
tomatoes or kiwi, or artisanal items, Greek products are probably
some of the best in the world. Although this has been the case for
many years, it has only been recently that farmers and producers

A way of life
have truly understood the value of their goods. Over the last few
years, with the help of the Greek government and EU funds, there
has been a proliferation of high-quality branded foods that have
given Greece a new image in the world.
Wine has been in the forefront of this “revolution,” and many
other sectors are following the path that Greek wine has blazed.
There are more than 200,000 farmers cultivating grapes and
working closely with wineries that are always aiming to increase
the quality of the products offered. This has been a major change
in the rural economy; young people are staying close to their roots
and cultivating the land where they were born, instead of emigrat-
Stellios Boutaris, ing to Athens and other cities to make a living. The social impact of
winemaker. this development is significant and, once fully realized, will change
Greek society. A Greek farmer who used to sell grapes at cost, to the
local cooperative is now producing a branded product, capturing
added value that was once lost and adding to the chain of the local
economy. This success also builds self-confidence among our peo-
ple, an attribute so much needed for any society to thrive.
The uniqueness of Greek wine, however, based on local va-
rieties and on places, plays an important role in more than just the
structure of the society. Greek wine is the only product that mirrors
the Greek way of life. We Greeks don’t drink wine as an alternative to
beer or spirits. Greek wine is consumed with friends, around a table
and always with food. Greek wine has always a name on the label
that tells a story of the place it was born, the style in which it was
made and the people who crafted it. Greek wine is the one and only
product that is present in all aspects of the easy, friendly, relaxed
and simple way of life we Greeks like to enjoy, and that so many peo-
ple from around the world experience once they visit Greece.
In recent years, Greek wine has traveled around the world,
“preaching” the Greek way of life. The establishment of modern
Greek restaurants everywhere and the proliferation of wine people
looking for Greek wines have allowed Greek wine to find a place in
both cozy and serious restaurants, and in wine shops all over the
world. The positioning of Greek wine as a specialty, hard-to-find,
almost exotic, sommelier-sweetheart item has further augmented
the reputation of Greek wine. As a result, the image of Greek wine-
making, and of Greece as a country in general, has been improved.
Today, Greece and Greek products are going through a modern re-
naissance; the quality and the image of both have improved dra-
matically in the last few years. Greek wine is at the forefront of this
development, serving as Greece’s best ambassador abroad!
Next time you go out for a meal, ask for a Greek wine from
the islands or from the mainland, and you, too, will be part of this
great experience!

32 ISSUE #22
WHY GREECE COULD
BE A WINE TOURISM
PARADISE TEXT Giorgos Velissarios, Co-owner grapeescape.gr

Those who deal with wine, either

as professionals or just as wine
lovers, recognize that wine
tourism in Greece is at a very
early stage and certainly still has
a long way to go to establish
itself as an interesting and
lucrative segment of the very
prosperous tourism industry in
our country.

Many wineries in several parts of Greece are open to visits and And, of course, let's not overlook the natural charms of the loca-
do offer organized guided tours and wine tastings, but at present tions. Santorini, for example, has dozens of wineries to visit, some
there's inadequate promotion of their activities, and so attendance of which are located in places of unique beauty. Crete does, too, as
remains very limited. do Tinos, Paros and other places as well. Even on the mainland,
Nevertheless, many of us who love wine, who like to walk in some wineries are located in places that would be envied by the
the vineyards, to sample wines selected by those who make them best hotels.
and to talk to them about the world of wine, think that Greece could, As for the purely wine part, there are thousands of local vari-
in fact, become a paradise of wine tourism. eties in Greece and almost 4,000 years of experience in winemak-
To help substantiate that claim, let's close our eyes and im- ing. In recent years, Greek wine has undoubtedly gone through a
agine we're wandering through some of the most important viticul- period of significant prosperity, and several Greek labels have been
tural zones of our country, starting from Macedonia and Central recent winners at international competitions and hold places of
Greece, going on to Evia and the Peloponnese, then stopping at sever- honor on international wine lists. Indigenous varieties such as As-
al Aegean and Ionian islands before finishing up, of course, in Crete. syrtiko, Xinomavro, Robola, and even Agiorgitiko are internation-
Wine tourism could, for instance, be combined with themat- ally recognized.
ic tourism; the wineries could be matched with those unique an- There are fine efforts being made in organized wine tour-
cient monuments that are generously scattered in every corner of ism, too, such as the work of Grape Escape (www.grapeescape.gr).
our country, from Knossos in Crete to Vergina in Macedonia, and On their wine tours, experienced sommeliers accompany partici-
from the sites of Cycladic culture on our islands to the Parthenon in pants to the most interesting wineries of each region and point out
Athens or the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio in Attica. the true gems of each winery. At the same time, attendees learn all
Wine tourism could also be combined with an exploration about the wines and the vineyards of Greece, as well as the local
of rich local and regional gastronomy. Greece is famous for the gastronomy.
uniqueness of the cuisine of its geographical areas. The combina- Taking all of this into account, and for a number of other
tion of indigenous grape varieties and local specialties would satis- reasons that every wine-loving traveler will discover on their own,
fy even the most demanding connoisseurs. Greece might just be the next paradise for wine tourists.

34 ISSUE #22
GRAPE STORY TEXT Gregory Kontos, Dip WSET
ILLUSTRATION Philippos Avramidis

DRAMA ATTIKI NEMEA KEFALONIA

Domaine Costa Lazaridi Aoton Winery Aivalis Winery Gentilini Winery & Vineyards
Nico Lazaridi Kokotos Estate Barafakas Winery Haritatos Vineyard
Oenops Wines Roxani Matsa Estate Ktima Driopi Orealios Gaea
Oenogenesis Mylonas Winery Gaia Wines Sclavos Wines
Ktima Pavlidis Oenotria Land Estate Constantin Gofas

SANTORINI
Wine Art Estate Papagiannakos Winery Harlaftis Wines
Strofilia Wines Ieropoulos Winery

NAOUSSA
Domaine Vassiliou Lafazanis Winery
Lafkioti Winery Anhydrous Winery
Estate Argyros
EVIA
Lantides Wines
Argatia Winery Mitravelas Estate Boutari Santorini
Boutari Naoussa Nemeion Estate Canava Chrissou & Tselepos
Dalamara Winery Avantis Estate Palivou Estate Gaia Wines
Diamantakos Vriniotis Winery Papaioannou Wines Gavalas Winery
Founti Estate Lykos Wines Estate Raptis Hatzidakis Winery
Domaine Karydas Semeli Estate Mikra Thira

OTHERS
Ktima Kyr-Yianni Domaine Skouras Domaine Sigalas
Markovitis Winery Vassaltis Vineyards
Thymiopoulos Vineyards
La Tour Melas MANTINIA
Domaine Hatzimichalis CRETE
AMYNTEO Muses Estate Bosinakis Winery
Domaine Spiropoulos Boutari Skalani

THESSALY
Alpha Estate Troupis Winery Douloufakis Winery
Domaine Karanika Ktima Tselepos Idaia Winery
Karavitakis Winery
Dougos Winery
GOUMENISSA
Lyrarakis Wines
Karipidis Estate OTHERS Manousakis Winery

Thessaloniki
Ktima Katsarou Minos Miliarakis Winery
Winery Monsieur Nicolas Papargyriou Winery Silva Daskalaki Winery
Domaine Zafeirakis Antonopoulos K. Vineyards Strataridakis Bros Winery
Aidarini Winery
Parparoussis Winery
Arvanitidis Estate
OTHERS
Rouvalis Winery
Aslanis Family Winery
Tetramythos Winery
Boutari Goumenissa
Cavino
Chatzivariti Winery Methymnaeos Organic Wines
Domain Mega Spileo
Ktima Gerovassiliou Moraitis Winery
Mercouri Estate
Kechris Winery T-OINOS
Ktima Brintziki
Tatsis Winery Vakakis Domaine
Nestor Wines
Monemvasia Winery – Tsimbidi
OTHERS
Domaine Glinavos
Katogi Averoff
Ktima Pieria Eratini
Domaine Porto Carras
Theopetra Estate
Tsantali
Ktima Biblia Chora
Ktima Voyatzi

SUMMER 2021 37
DECODING THE LEADING INDIGENOUS GREEK GRAPE VARIETIES

WHITE WINE
Grape Variety > ASSYRTIKO MOSCHOFILERO MUSCAT BLANC
(à Petits Grains)

Pronounced > A-seer'-tee-ko Mos-ko-fee'-le-ro Moo-ska-Blawn

Originating From > Santorini Mantinia, Central Peloponnese Greece (most probably)

Mostly Cultivated > Throughout Greece Central Peloponnese Samos, Patras, Northern
Peloponnese, Kefalonia,
Rhodes

Wine Style > DRY WINES: austere, mineral Floral and elegant dry white Dry and dessert white wines
SWEET WINES: sun-dried, wines with a strong aromatic profile
luscious

Main Features > High acidity, citrus fruit, High acidity, light body, low Medium acidity, citrus fruits,
minerals, saltiness, structure, alcohol content, aromatic, peach, honey, rosé, luscious
high alcohol content, full body rose petals, lemon flowers

Ageing Potential > 2-10 years 1-3 years DRY WINES: 1-2 years
SWEET WINES: 2-15+ years

Ideally Paired With > DRY WINES: Shellfish, sea Green salads, cold appetizers, DRY WINES: aromatic dishes,
urchin, clams, sushi, truffle aperitifs, spicy cuisine fruits, salads
risotto, schnitzel, white meat SWEET WINES: desserts
SWEET WINES: crème brûlée, (depending on the ageing)
lemon pie, walnut pie,
chocolate fudge with nuts

Suggested Producers > Domaine Sigalas, Hatzidakis Semeli Wines, Bosinakis UWC Samos, Parparoussis
Winery, Estate Argyros, Gaia Winery, Domaine Tselepos, Wines, Sklavos Wines, Avantis
Wines, Boutari Santorini, Domaine Skouras, Troupis Estate
Vassaltis Vineyards Winery

Details > Assyrtiko is a rare world-class Although Moschofilero grapes Muscat blanc is the most
white variety from Santorini. have a reddish or greyish widely cultivated Greek grape
It mainly gives dry white skin, the variety is almost variety on a global scale.
wines, some of which mature exclusively used to make dry Muscat blanc à Petits Grains
in barrels, as well as sweet white wines. Moschofilero (small-berried) is the finest
sun-dried wines. It is a variety generously provides fine and most complex of all
focusing more on structure and exotic aromas with Muscat varieties and thrives
and full flavor and less on notes of lychee, rose petals on Samos and other islands
aromatic character. Assyrtiko and lemon blossom. It has of the Aegean, as well as the
is the dominant variety in a light body, low to medium Greek mainland. Dry wines are
the PDO Santorini wines, alcohol, pleasant acidity fragrant and feminine, ideal
producing highly condensed and a spicy finish. What is for summer sipping with fruits
subtle dry wines with a more, in the case of rosé and light appetizers. Sweet
mineral character. Sweet wines, Moschofilero does not wines on the other hand, can
Assyrtiko wines (the famous lose these features during range from light and floral to
Vinsanto wines) are rich, maceration not even when honeyed and concentrated.
complex and intense dessert oak-aged. Barrel-ageing and sun-drying
wines. Assyrtiko has proven can add additional layers of
its immense potential, as – complexity and expression to
apart from Santorini – it is the final result.
grown throughout continental
Greece, with impressive
results.

38 ISSUE #22
 TEXT Gregory Kontos, Dip WSET

VARIETIES
VIDIANO SAVATIANO ROBOLA RODITIS

Vee-dia-no Sa-va-tee-ah-no Row-bo-lah Row-dee-tees

Western Crete (Rethymno) Attiki (Metropolitan Athens Kefalonia Peloponnese

area)

Crete Central Greece and Evia Kefalonia Throughout Greece

Dry white wines of medium to Dry white wines of medium Dry white wines of medium to Dry white wines of light weight
heavy weight weight light weight

Medium acidity, full body, Medium acidity, medium body Citrus fruit, mineral aromas, Citrus fruit, lemony, with
oiliness, peach, apricot, and sweet aromas of banana, elegance and structure underlying acidity and light
mineral character peach and herbs body

2-4 years 1-6 years 2-4 years 2-6 years

Creamy escalopes, stuffed Green salads, Greek pies, Oven-baked or grilled fish and Crispy fried calamari, grilled
with blue cheese, portobello stuffed vegetables, whitebait, seafood, cheese pies, cold cheese, red mullet, green
mushrooms, poultry green pesto appetizers, cheese plates salads, avocado dips

Douloufakis Winery, Domaine Papagiannakos Winery, Gentilini Wines, Sclavos Wines, Rouvalis Winery, Tetramythos
Lyrarakis, Silva Daskalaki Mylonas Winery, Domaine Orealios Gaea, Haritatos Winery, Kechri Winery, Sant'Or
Wines, Diamantakis Winery Vassiliou, Aoton Winery, Vineyard Winery
Fragou Wines

Vidiano is a white grape The most widely cultivated A very straightforward A clean and crisp white wine
variety from Crete. It yields grape variety of Greece, white wine with lemony that follows the lemony and
yellow-green wines with Savatiano gained a bad character, ideal with seafood. mineral direction of Assyrtiko
complex aromas of ripe name as it was used to make Its mineral character and and Robola, but with a lighter
peach, apricot, and aromatic cheap retsina. Over the years, refreshing acidity is obtained volume, body and alcohol.
herbs, and has a mineral technology and modern by cultivation in the high- The best examples come from
character. On the palate, they winemaking techniques elevation slopes of Mt Ainos the northern Peloponnese,
are full-bodied and have a allowed producers to bring at Kefalonia Island. It has a from high-elevation vineyards
high alcohol content, which is out the best of the grape. In a similar taste mission with in the Achaia region. Many
balanced by their moderately nutshell, it gives wines without Assyrtiko, but lighter in both winemakers all over Greece
high acidity. Some producers edges; medium acidity, alcohol and body. Different use it in their blends to add
make an oak-fermented medium body and moderate winemaking techniques (wild acidity and nerve to their
version of Vidiano that is alcohol. It produces a very yeast, oak-fermentation) can wines. A flexible, drinkable
usually rich, creamy and flexible wine that pairs easily give a wider variety of styles variety that also has the
powerful, with full body. with many different dishes to match different dishes and ability to age.
and circumstances. Old vines cuisines.
in Attiki are responsible for
wines with concentrated fruit
and a phenomenal ability to
age up to at least 5 years.

SUMMER 2021 39
DECODING THE LEADING INDIGENOUS GREEK GRAPE VARIETIES

Grape Variety > XINOMAVRO AGIORGITIKO MAVRODAPHNE

Pronounced > Ksee-no'-mav-ro Ah-your-yee-ti-ko Mav-row-daff-nee

Originating From > Naoussa Nemea Patras, Peloponnese

Mostly Cultivated > Naoussa, Amynteo and most Nemea, rest of the Western Greece, mainly
of northern Greece Peloponnese, parts of Achaia and Kefalonia
northern Greece

Wine Style > NAOUSSA: dry red wines with Versatile - from elegant young Full-bodied dry reds and
an ethereal aromatic profile. red wines and youthful rosé also fortified, oxidative-style
AMYNTEO: dry red wines wines to robust long-ageing dessert wines
(lighter due to cooler climate) wines
and traditional method white
and rosé sparkling wines

Main Features > High acidity, dry tannins, Medium to high acidity, Near-black color, dense
medium body, red currant, mild tannins, sour-cherry, aromas of dried prunes
tomato sauce, smoke cinnamon, clove and currants, high alcohol,
medium acidity

Ageing Potential > 3-20 years 2-8 years DRY WINES: 5-15 years
SWEET WINES: 15+ years

Ideally Paired With > Grilled lamb, grilled steak, Beef, burgers, spaghetti DRY WINES: mushroom dishes,
mushroom risotto Bolognese, cannelloni, goat veal, lamb in a red wine sauce
dishes SWEET WINES: chocolate
soufflé, bitter chocolate, fudgy
stout brownies

Suggested Producers > Thymiopoulos Vineyards, Aivalis Vineyards, Domaine Gentilini Wines, Domaine
Dalamaras Winery, Alpha Skouras, Domaine Tselepos, Mega Spileo, Achaia Clauss,
Estate, Diamantakos Winery, Gaia Wines, Mitravelas Estate Parparousis Wines
Ktima Kyr-Yianni, Boutari
Naoussa, Domaine Karanika

Details > Xinomavro is a truly European, Agiorgitiko is a captivating In recent years, more and
"Old-World" variety for variety characterized by more dry wines are being
experienced wine drinkers freshness, intense red fruit and made from Mavrodaphne, a
and connoisseurs. Tasty sweet spicy aromas, both on variety largely known for its
and demanding, Xinomavro the nose and the palate. It is legendary fortified dessert
requires an appropriate terroir, a complex variety which can wines. It gives aromas of
extra care, low yields and produce a wide range of wine dried prunes, currants, and
suitable weather conditions so styles, from refreshing rosé laurel (the Greek word for
as to fully unfold its potential. to reserve reds and luscious laurel is "daphne"). It has a
Xinomavro's color is ruby to sweet wines. However, the great texture, due to its high
garnet, and its aroma profile most widely known wine styles alcohol and moderate acidity.
reminds one of violets, tap- from Agiorgitiko are either Mavrodaphne has already
enade, tomato paste, smoke young, un-oaked dry red earned renown for both its
and forest fruits. Moderate wines and red wines aged in "Port" style dessert wines and
alcohol, high acidity and high barrels for at least 6 months, its dry version, which has also
tannins complete the picture on rich wines with top- proven its ability to age and
and explain why some refer quality, silky tannins. Young develop further.
to it as the "Greek Nebbiolo." wines from Agiorgitiko have a
Lower yields and extra ageing moderately deep red colour,
can tame its character and intense aromas of fresh red
provide roundness, structure fruit, moderate acidity and
and concentration. soft tannins.

40 ISSUE #22
 TEXT Gregory Kontos, Dip WSET

MAVROTRAGANO LIMNIONA

Mav-row-tra-gha-no Leem-neeoh-nah

Santorini Karditsa, Central Greece

Santorini and northern Greece Mainly Central Greece

Full-bodied red wines, suitable Ethereal, floral and earthy red

for ageing wines with the ability to speak
of their terroir

Enhanced acidity, tannins and High acidity, medium body,

alcohol, full body, black fruit, subtle tannins, with aromas of
eucalyptus, smoke, coffee, violets and earth
leather, violets, green pepper,
vanilla and nuts

5-15 years

Veal escalopes in a wine Tuna or salmon, roasted

and mushroom sauce; lamb chicken, duck and other game
with spicy red sauce; stuffed birds, casserole dishes
mushrooms; osso bucco

Domaine Sigalas, Estate Zafirakis Estate, Monsieur

Argyros, Domaine Nicolas Winery, Oenops Wines,
Gerovassileiou, T-OINOS Theopetra Estate

Mavrotragano is a very rare Limniona seems to be the

red variety from Santorini next big thing in Greece. it's
and, until recently, it was at most often found in Central
risk of extinction. The variety Greece, near high mountains.
combines dense red fruit with Its character brings some
roasted coffee and smoke, of the most intriguing Pinot
robust tannins, and a rich and Noir wines to mind. Young
mineral mouth. It is a discreet and aged aromas co-exist,
variety that is able to age for making Limniona a complex
many years, especially the wine. Its cool character,
most concentrated, low-yield restrained alcohol and
examples. balance offer drinkability and
pure pleasure.

SUMMER 2021 41
INTERVIEW TEXT Thalia Kartali
PHOTOGRAPHY Robert McCabe Archive

Robert McCabe first started taking photographs in 1939 when

his father, the publisher of a New York newspaper, gave him his
first camera, a Kodak Brownie. His deep love for photography
took him to different parts of the world, among them Greece, a
country he fell in love with, capturing in his pictures its landscapes,
its archaeological sites, and a simple lifestyle that has almost
vanished. Last year, he was made an honorary Greek citizen in
recognition of his efforts to promote Greek culture.

ROBERT McCABE
In the summer of 1954, his brother Charles, who'd had been invit- lish at that point, absolutely no one. In the US, we lived in a sub-
ed to Greece by a Greek college friend, asked Robert to join them. urb 25 miles from New York City called Rye, a town on Long Island
This unexpected offer led to a surprisingly long stay in a country Sound, and I guess after seeing the Aegean, you don’t want to go
McCabe had neither seen before nor planned to visit in the near fu- back and spend the summer on Long Island Sound, with the muddy,
ture. The journey was long; it took them fourteen days in a crowd- dirty polluted waters. Really, the murkiness, compared to the Aege-
ed cabin four flights below deck to cross the Atlantic. “On the sec- an, and the flat terrain... The Aegean is a different world…."
ond or third morning, I was on the upper deck and I climbed down Changing his original plans, Robert McCabe ended up
and there was water up to my ankles and I thought: 'Oh my God, spending most of that summer in Greece, traveling around the Ae-
this ship is sinking!' There was no one else around, everyone else gean, from Rhodes to Kos to a minute island close to Kos called
had already left, and so I grabbed whatever I had with me, which Yiali, and then to Santorini and Ios. Having fallen in love with the
was very little, and I headed upstairs and then, on the way out, I saw country and its people, he was to return many times, recording in
that it was the toilet overflowing!” Eventually, that part of the voy- his photographs a way of life that has disappeared from the islands.
age ended in France and, after spending a week in Paris, the broth-
ers took the train to Venice, where they boarded a brand new ves- Do you feel that a part of the Greek soul has been pre-
sel, the “Achilleas,” which took them to the port of Piraeus. served, or has it all vanished, along with that way of life
you saw through your camera lens?
What was it like for a young American to land in Athens in
the 1950s and then travel to the islands? "Well, I think that the answer to that might have been told
to me by a lady in Santorini. We were having an exhibition there
“Athens to me was a very exotic place after Paris and Venice. maybe 12-15 years ago, and there was this lady standing in front of
There were no traffic lights in any of the downtown areas, and it re- one of the photographs. She had tears in her eyes, and she was say-
quired a kind of a power play by pedestrians trying to cross streets ing – and my wife had a long talk with her – that people in Santorini
– except on those very rare corners where there was a policeman. used to say 'kalimera,' or 'good morning,' to one another, and offer
But I immediately felt at home. Certainly a part of it was thanks to glasses of water to any visitor. Now it’s all about money, and people
our friend Peter’s hospitality. Out in the street, no one spoke Eng- don’t even have time to say 'kalimera' to you.

SUMMER 2021 43
ROBERT McCABE

"One of my favorite things about all the islands are the old paths
where you can walk in peace and quiet through the countryside. I
first saw that in Tinos, just amazing pathways down which I walked
in the 1950s."

"Travelers in the islands, any island, were a real rarity in the 1950s. Do you have any Greek favorite wines?
When we first went to Santorini, we were absolutely the only visi-
tors there. There were just a couple of motor vehicles. My brother "My Greek favorite wine would be Assyrtiko. I also like some
and I were always on the search, even 10-15 years later, for islands of the Nemea wines."
where there were no tourists at all. In 1963, I remember I was trav-
eling with my brother, my French friend and his girlfriend, and What would be your advice to a young traveler who is
our family doctor from New York. The mayor of Ios gave his bed- setting out to discover Greece?
room and his bed to the doctor and slept on the floor in his own liv-
ing room! "Well, I guess I'd say to see as much as you can, as quick-
"People wanted to know, obviously, where you were from, and ly as you can, because it is going to change. If you look at the end-
they all wanted to invite you into their homes and give you a sweet less thirst of the northern Europeans for the Greek climate, and as
and a glass of water. All of that has largely vanished, of course, al- wealth accumulates and prosperity increases, it's clear why Greece
though I'm sure there are still villages in remote places where they now has a policy of trying to attract retirees from all over the world.
don’t get many visitors and where that kind of hospitality prevails. It's a policy which, I think, is going to lead to a further erosion of
But today, with the country overrun with tourists, it is, of course, traditional ways of life.
very different. Back in 1954, it was very easy to be the only visitor "One of my favorite things about all the islands are the old
on an island. In 1963, [when] my brother insisted we go to Ios from paths where you can walk in peace and quiet through the country-
Santorini, we took the steamer there and, when we arrived, my side. I first saw that in Tinos, just amazing pathways down which I
brother learned there were five French tourists on the island. He walked in the 1950s. I wish I had taken more photographs of them.
wanted to leave! He said: 'This place has already been discovered!' In Patmos, there is a beautiful path, which I am doing a book about,
"During one of our stays in Santorini, we had all our meals actually. It is a path from Vagia to Livadi through the hills with in-
at Loukas’s taverna, and every time we went to pay, he said: “Later, credible vistas of the island’s cliffs and the beautiful Twin Bays.
later.” Then, on the last day as we were leaving for the boat that was Over the last 20-25 years, it has been chopped away. It started with
going to take us to Ios, we asked for the bill, and he said “Souvenir”! someone who came in with a bulldozer and, as far as I know, no per-
We were five people, and we'd been having two or three meals a day mit at all, and just bulldozed it into a road. The hiking business is
for a week; it was an incredible gesture. We left some money under certainly something that can extend the season for the islands, and
a plate; I don’t know whether it was enough or not, but can you im- there are some islands beautifully organized for this, including An-
agine that happening today?" dros and Tinos, among others."

In your book on Santorini, you talk about a marine chart Having spent so much time in Greece over the years,
of the island, on which you and your brother drew in what would you advise the Greek people to do in order to
imaginary houses, hotels, an airport, and even a cable preserve what they have?
car before giving it to your friend Peter in thanks for his
hospitality. Could you have imagined back then that "Since I became a citizen, I don’t think I can give advice to the
Santorini would develop into what it has become today? Greeks anymore…(laughs). Well, they should maintain the beauty of
the countryside."
"Well, we knew it was a unique place, and that there was
great potential there, but what we did was a joke, and what’s hap-
pened of course is a multiple of what we had sketched. I keep ex-
horting Peter to dig it out, because he's a person who never throws
anything away, so I have a feeling it exists somewhere. I know he
kept it for a while at least, because he kidded me for a long time that
I'd put the airport in the wrong place!"

During your travels in Greece, you must have come

across people working in the vineyards. Did you get a
sense of the relationship the Greeks have with the vine
and wine, especially on Santorini?

"Well, on more than one occasion on Santorini, we went dur-

ing harvest season to stomp grapes at the 'patitiri,' or 'stomping
place.' We ended up with a little farm house on Patmos with a pa-
titiri of its own. The area on the island where we have this little plot
of land that we farm had been a grape-growing area, and we were
told that they used to ship the must to Egypt. We thought about re-
planting a vineyard there, but there is a huge water problem; we
have to figure out some solution to that before we can really consid-
er a vineyard."

44 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL TEXT Yiannis Kaimenakis, Wine Sommelier
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

In the twenty years that I’ve been making a living out of selling wine,
I have found myself on the island of Santorini six times, all strictly for
business purposes, as we say. I can still recall distinctive moments
and details from each trip, although I admit that each time I faced
the same difficulties, if not a downright inability to remain focused
on my goal.

I suppose that even the most ardent travelers of the 16th century in the southernmost part of France; or the Jerez triangle in Anda-
would have a hard time turning their backs on such a majestic and lusia. These vineyards, despite being just as beautiful as their more
enchanting landscape to concentrate on wine-tasting and on ob- typical counterparts in the first category, are also the site of the
serving the local soil. I know that my own rather compulsive person- battle of the grapevine and the winemaker against extreme climate
ality has always meant I took home useful information and vivid im- and soil conditions. Indisputably, Santorini belongs to the second
agery about winemaking on the island, which time and again I at- category, as it, too, is considered a rugged frontier outpost of the
tempt to distill in an effort to explain just what makes Santorini’s wine world.
wines so special and unique. Since the very first moment of the very The Therian soil (“Thera” being another name for Santorini)
first trip, one thing has remained clear to me, something that, over specializes in the production of white – mainly dry – wines, based
time, hasn’t changed at all: Santorini is the ultimate terroir. on Assyrtiko, the most important Greek white grape variety, and, to
To put it bluntly, Santorini basically holds the fort, as far as a lesser extent, the varieties Aidani and Athiri. But there are other
Greek winemaking is concerned. From a practical point of view, types of wine to be found on the island as well, such as the sweet
the place with the name "Santorini" possesses all of the qualities sun-dried Vinsanto wines and the dry red ones based on Mavrotra-
that result in memorable and exquisite wines. That is to say, it has gano and Mandilari, albeit in much smaller percentages. The white
a historical archive that stretches way back in time, its vineyards wines, which are the spearhead of local wineries, are characterised
and wines have occupied and continue to occupy a dominant posi- by intense ("dental") acidity, rich body and ageing potential. Today,
tion in both the agricultural and social life of the island, and its soil there are about 20 modern wineries in an area of approximately
and climatic characteristics are so intense, even extreme in some 2,700 acres of own-rooted vineyards. The plants are cultivated ac-
cases, that they inevitably lead to a wine with an intense personal- cording to the traditional method of ambeliá, meaning that they
ity, fully reflecting its birthplace. are formed in the shape of a basket, so as to protect the grapes from
There are times when, messing around a bit with what the the seasonal meltémi winds and the sand. In fact, it seems to me
experts call “terroir,” I arbitrarily divide all the vineyards I’ve been that ambeliá are one of the few remaining bridges connecting the
blessed enough to visit into two categories. The first category con- wine producers to their past. The truth is that, nowadays, the vin-
sists of the so-called conventional vineyards, where visitors gaze tages aren't as festive as they used to be. Traditional cánaves (stor-
upon wonderful rural landscapes of neatly aligned grapevines. In age rooms where wooden barrels were once kept) aren't part of
places such as Tuscany, for instance, the landscape is such a feast modern wineries and their stainless steel tanks. It can even be said
for the eyes and at the same time so cinematic that it looks as if that the wines’ basic characteristics are somehow different from
the vineyards, the cypresses, and the olive trees have undergone a that of last century’s wines.
manicure-pedicure treatment. The wines produced there are usu- The bottom line is that the wines of Santorini have experi-
ally representative of their respective viticultural zone, although enced both prosperity and decline throughout the years but, hav-
sometimes their recognizability is enhanced by additional factors ing survived difficult historical times, today they're largely well-
that are less wine-oriented. known, contemporary in nature, and popular. Perhaps this vindi-
The second category consists of the Vinis Extremis, as I like cates the abbot of the Lazarist Monastery of Thera, Abbé Pèques
to call them, situated in regions that, while being well known, are (1824-1837), who once wrote: "These wines will not be appreciated,
largely difficult to access, such as Valtellina in northern Italy; the and they will not be sold at their true value, until the people of San-
volcanic vineyards of Etna in Sicily; Basilicata, deeply hidden be- torini learn how to render them fashionable in foreign markets.
tween the regions of Campania and Apulia; Valle d’Aosta in the Ital- Because they possess all of the characteristics that can make them
ian-French borders; Liguria with its steep slopes; Banyuls-sur-Mer welcome everywhere."

SUMMER 2021 47
SANTORINI

With regard to the region’s climatic peculiarities, principally the There is, of course, also the dynamo of the island, the "Coopera-
lack of water, it’s worth mentioning that the morning dew that cov- tive" or "Santo Wines," as we call it. In operation since 1947, it cur-
ers the island during the summer months offers the grapevines rently has 1,200 members and is considered the custodian of San-
much-needed moisture. At the same time, the áspa – as the locals torini’s historical wine heritage. Ktima Tselepos, Ktima Gerovassil-
call the volcanic soil of Santorini – provides the wines with their iou and Avantis Estate – despite being old acquaintances from
famous minerality. other wine-producing zones – all constitute relatively recent arriv-
Reminiscing about the past is invariably charming and als on the island; yet, very much like Vassaltis Vineyards, they had
evokes rather noble, warm and nostalgic feelings in us all. Simi- no problem finding their footing and gaining the trust of consum-
larly, the vineyards of Santorini have countless true stories to nar- ers. To sum up, I’d like to point out that, contrary to the lust for com-
rate, thanks to the accounts of Mediterranean travelers and to the mercial titles found in the rest of the country, Santorini has gained
efforts of the Fani Boutari Foundation and of Stavroula Kourak- its recognition and its current prosperity by building upon its to-
ou-Dragonas to preserve the island’s wine history. This doesn’t ponymic identity, and on the homogeneity of its wines. Inevitably,
mean, however, that we should remain dogmatically attached to any personal preferences I may have come second to appreciating
the habits and traditions of a bygone era. What is certain, in my this united front.
view, is that the place named Santorini is on the right track. The
island's winemakers have managed to produce competitive wines
with a distinct identity and a unique role in foreign markets.
Their personalities form a diverse mosaic, where each and
every one of them is essential: traditional, modern, innovative,
classic, natural, conventional, indigenous or not, they all make
their way under the toponymic umbrella of the island, which, truth
be told, doesn’t leave much room for experimentation or oenologi-
cal anarchy. To satisfy everyone’s thirst for name-dropping, I could
refer to a few of them more directly. At the Boutari Santorini win-
ery, there's the Boutari family, who settled on the island in the 80s
and played the role of the Noble Family that all place names need in
order to establish themselves in the minds of consumers. The win-
ery of Paris Sigalas (located in Baxedes, Oia), which will soon com-
plete 30 vintages on the island, carries out perhaps the most reli-
able and consistent work among the vineyards of Santorini, with
something to satisfy every taste.
Much further south, in the purely viticultural part of the is-
land, stands Estate Argyros, with its accumulated know-how that Wine tasting at Santo
Wines includes enjoying
takes us all the way back to 1903. Their wine style is a straightfor- spectacular views of the
ward one; their Vinsanto, on the other hand, is so hedonistic that Caldera.
many wine journalists have a hard time accurately describing it.
To the east, between Kamari and Monolithos, we find Gaia Estate,
where Yannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos have made
their mark and added a more innovative approach to the most crys-
tal clear wine profile on the island.
Up north, in Pyrgos, we come across the winery of Haridi-
mos Hatzidakis, who had one of the most effective and, at the same
time, idiosyncratic approaches to wine in the whole of Greece. The
late founder of this winery left as his legacy a unique, rich and high-
ly expressive wine style, alongside truly beautiful wine memories.
Gavalas and Canava Roussos are both family businesses with deep
historical roots and a clearly traditional orientation, something
that doesn’t keep them from attracting enthusiastic supporters/
consumers. The winery of Artemis Karamolegos was established in
2004; it, too has family roots in local viticulture and produces very
honest, very consistent wines.

Contrary to the lust for

commercial titles found in the
rest of the country, Santorini has
gained its recognition and its
current prosperity by building
upon its toponymic identity,
and on the homogeneity of its
wines.

48 ISSUE #22
INTERVIEW TEXT Thalia Kartali
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

One might easily think that the most impressive feature of Estate
Argyros is its winery. Despite today's visit being my second trip
to Episkopi – I was here in 2016, when the winery had just been
completed – seeing those characteristic archways set against the
surrounding landscape, even for a second time, is still stirring. This
time, however, it's not just the architectural features that are making
an impact; I soon find myself in the presence of the winemaker
himself, a man whose seriousness, confidence and discerning
attitude make a lasting impression on everyone he meets.

MATTHEW ARGYROS
A lot has happened in the four years that have elapsed since my mon, and Nychteri, the last of which hasn’t been released to the
first visit. The two top-selling labels of Estate Argyros, Cuvée Mon- market yet). “The Cuvée are clean-cut wines that express me," Ar-
signori and Cuvée Evdemon, have swept the boards, winning Greek gyros says. "The Atlantis are more marketable. We create wine that
and international awards. When I ask whether he’d anticipated the consumer will enjoy, an easy wine, matching the taste of the
such distinctions, Matthew Argyros, with disarming honesty and majority of consumers. Estate Argyros is a wine that also expresses
without beating around the bush, replies that he’d been expecting me but, once again, its main focus is the consumer. Of course, what
them. “And you haven’t seen anything yet,” he says. “I’m one of those I wanted was a wine that best describes the vineyard. That’s why
people who's always looking for something better, no matter how I decided to release Cuvée Monsignori, which comes from the is-
good our wines are. That’s my goal.” land’s oldest vineyards. They belong to the Catholic Church, hence
A fourth-generation winemaker-viticulturist on the island the label’s name.
of Santorini, Argyros says that his heart and soul are in the vine- I chose to vinify in stainless steel tanks, because it gave clear
yard. “My time is spent a lot more pleasantly and creatively in the and definitive characteristics of each variety, and that was what I
vineyard; it calms me. Of course, when you’re in my position, you was aiming for. Cuvée Evdemon is my favorite; I believe it is San-
need to be everywhere. We’ve managed to assemble excellent teams; torini’s edgiest wine. There are two vineyards where I cultivate bi-
our oenological team is as good as they come, three oenologists with odynamically – at least, what I interpret as biodynamic culture –
Michalis Probonas at the helm.” where I don’t focus on specific recipes or cow horns filled with ma-
Emphasis on the vineyard is part of the family tradition, one nure, but on energy. Here, vinification is different; 25% is in French
that began with his great-grandfather Giorgos, founder of the winery, oak barrels and 75% is in stainless steel tanks. Lastly, Cuvée Nych-
who was also a vine grower. The baton was then passed on to grand- teri could prove to be the winery’s greatest label, with the high-
father Mathio, vine grower, who, when it came to vinification, relied est scores and the most awards. It's a wine made from some of the
on his father, whereas Matthew’s own father placed greater empha- greatest vineyards in Pyrgos and Megalochori, and we vinify it in
sis on the winery. Today, Matthew speaks with great pride about the 100% French barrels."
1200 acres of vineyard to which he has dedicated so much time, ef- A common feature of all three Cuvée is that, after their bot-
fort and money. A large part of it comprises very old vineyards, some tling, they remain in the cellar for at least a year before being re-
of which are 250 years old. Additionally, a significant part of it has leased on the market. “Our desire," Argyros says, "is for consumers,
been restructured, mainly with grafting. “After twenty years of hard when they buy our wine, to be able to drink it immediately, without
work, the whole vineyard is in excellent condition,” he says. needing to wait for it to age. Of course, there are the more knowl-
The Estate has three main labels: the Atlantis series, the Es- edgeable ones who will buy a Cuvée Evdemon and will wait five
tate Argyros series, and the Cuvée series (with Monsignori, Evde- more years before drinking it – all the better.”

SUMMER 2021 51
MATTHEW ARGYROS

Detail of the impressive

winery at the Argyros
Estate.

But how easy is this approach for a winemaker? Doesn’t it create fi- Where is lacking right now, and what is stopping Santorini from
nancial difficulties? “Of course," Argyros says, "it’s not easy to keep reaching that coveted spot at the top where it belongs? According
product stored in the cellars; it does put a strain on us. We aren’t to Argyros, it’s a combination of factors. “To begin with, we wine-
a bank, we’re a winery. On the other hand, we can’t do it any other makers must invest a lot more in the vineyard and the winery. So
way.” The experience of ageing Vinsanto, the dessert wines which let us invest, so that things may improve. Many ask if there's room
remain in barrels for many years before being bottled, have paved on Santorini for more wineries. Yes, there is, but under one condi-
the way for dry white wines, which reach the market once they are tion: they must invest in the vineyard. For new businesses to come
fully ready for consumption. And this, according to the winemaker, here and get into the process of auctioning off grapes is of no bene-
is not possible without a privately owned vineyard, which, contrary fit to anyone; that simply leads to skyrocketing prices. What's more,
to popular belief, greatly increases expenses. “In Santorini, it isn’t Santorini is in need of proper spatial planning to help straighten
financially beneficial to own your own vineyards, firstly because it out certain plot discrepancies. This, in combination with serious
requires large amounts of capital to purchase them, and second- investments which embrace the importance of the vineyard, could
ly because yields are very small.” Yet, despite the difficulties, this lead Santorini to glory. Things are moving, we’re headed in the
is his passion, and the estate’s philosophy revolves around the pro- right direction. The more serious we are about our wine, the quick-
duction of these labels. er we’ll reach our goal.”
For Argyros, the winery’s trajectory has been very clear from
the start, and he's certain that it will lead to the creation of more ex-
cellent wines. It's obvious that this is his goal, regardless of cost.
“The 2016 Evdemon," he declares, "is an excellent wine, the 2017 is
reaching the levels I want it to, the 2018 and 2019 are great wines,
top shelf wines. I think that in a few years, Evdemon and Nychteri
will be able to be hold their own next to some of the biggest white
wines in the world. Feeling this way, and seeing how things are
going in the vineyard, I believe that within the next decade, the Es-
tate will be making even greater wines, and it's precisely this that
gives us strength to continue investing and striving for quality."
Could this winery possibly function as a model for other win-
emakers operating or aspiring to operate on Santorini? “We are an
estate that’s on its way," Argyros says. "We’ve invested in the vine-
yards, we’ve invested in a new winery, we’re doing the best we can. I
hope there will be more wineries that follow suit, because the more
of us there are, the stronger we are. The more wineries there are,
the more distinctions, the more Santorini’s terroir is talked about,
and the better it is for all of us.”

For Argyros, the winery’s trajectory has been very clear from the
start, and he's certain that it will lead to the creation of more
excellent wines. It's obvious that this is his goal, regardless of cost.

52 ISSUE #22
Just a click away!
Wine stories, interesting people, travels, food and wine pairings.
The Temple of Zeus
in Ancient Nemea.

I'm still trying to discover why Nemea or,

indeed, the whole Peloponnese attracts
me so much. It may be due to my Arcadian
roots, although it 's been over 130 years since
my great-grandfather left Megalopolis in
Arcadia to build a new life in Athens.

54 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL TEXT Gregory Kontos, Dip WSET
PHOTOGRAPHY Yiorgos Kaplanidis

I guess my childhood memories of summer vacations and excur- attract newcomers and wine insiders alike. Nemean wines are real-
sions with my extended family have also played a vital role. You see, ly adaptable and can easily accompany countless dishes. The varie-
for us Athenians, the Peloponnese is the most intriguing and in- tal aromas of cinnamon and clove create a bridge with dishes con-
viting getaway destination, with dozens of beaches, landmarks, at- taining minced meat, such as spaghetti Bolognese, stuffed cannel-
tractions and picturesque villages just an hour's drive or two from loni or burgers, as well as the famed local dish, rooster marinated
our doorstep. So what is the Peloponnese about? It's about idyllic in wine. However, the absolutely best Greek pairing for every qual-
walks around Acronafplia and the old town of Nafplio, with the ity Nemean wine is with a wonderfully caramelized oven-baked
Fortress of Palamidi in the background. It's about enjoying coffee giouvetsi. The sweetness of the dish and the acidity of the tomato
at the relaxed portside cafés while looking out at the small Vene- blend harmoniously with the usually high acidity of the wines, their
tian castle known as Bourtzi. It's about family vacations in Astros rich taste and their sweet aromatic character. Nemean wines also
Kynourias, in Gythio and in the Mani. work extremely well with other cuisines. Just imagine what such a
Wandering around Mystras and the fortified town of Monem- wine can do alongside an intensely aromatic Chicken tikka masala,
vasia is important to understanding this place, too, as is swimming with its tomato purée and its curry flavors, how perfectly Agiorgi-
in the crystal-clear waters of Stoupa and Kyparissia. The plays tiko pairs with the tomato and how much its aromatic sweetness re-
at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, the excursions to Porto Heli lieves the palate before the next deliciously spicy bite. However, the
and the one-day excursions to the islands of Hydra and Spetses, ability of this variety to pair with dishes does not stop here.
real jewels of the Saronic Gulf, are yet more of the charms of the
area. Discovering the Peloponnese includes riding the cog railway THE STYLES
through Vouraikos Gorge and strolling in the mountain villages of
Arcadia where the idea of ​​the Greek revolution was born: Vytina, The most common Agiorgitiko wines fall into one of five basic
Dimitsana, Stemnitsa, and Valtesiniko. I'm not particularly prone styles. Rosé wines from Agiorgitiko are usually made from grapes
to exaggeration, but I can honestly say that, if the Peloponnese were grown in high-elevation vineyards (800-850 meters) in areas such
a country, it would definitely be the most beautiful one in the whole as Asprokampos. There is also the young, expressive red wine fer-
world to me! mented in stainless steel tanks with zero or minimal maturation
in old barrels so that freshness and varietal character are promot-
NEMEA ed. Older, dry-farmed, densely planted vineyards produce intense
wines with complexity and greater ageing potential. Agiorgitiko is
As regards wine, Nemea is the highlight. This is the biggest also vinified beautifully when blended with international varieties,
PDO designated wine region in Greece, and it's dedicated to pro- most often with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah; these grapes
ducing red wine from the local Agiorgitiko grape. Juicy, supple and contribute with structure, aroma complexity and ageing attrib-
charming, Agiorgitiko is now thriving in various areas of Greece. utes. Agiorgitiko also produces sweet wines, so few that they can be
The Nemea region is a beautiful mosaic of ​​v ines, olive trees and cy- counted on the fingers of one hand, but equally unique and special.
presses, surrounded by hills and mountains, with the Nemea Val-
ley in the middle. A wonderful, warm Mediterranean climate, el- WINERIES
evated areas and different soil types make Nemea a diverse re-
gion that gives the winemaker a variety of growing conditions and Visiting the wineries of Nemea, sampling the wines and
styles. From the semi-mountainous limestone soils and the stony meeting the people behind them is both fun and educational. In the
and gravelly soils on the mountain slopes to the alluvial deposits of area of Ancient Nemea, near the archaeological site, one can find
the Asopos River in the lowlands, grape growers have a wide range producers Papaioannou and Palyvos, while next to Ancient Kleo-
of options at hand. nes is the boutique winery of the Lafkiotis family. Near the hill vil-
Nemea’s natural beauty is similar to that of Tuscany, al- lage of Koutsi are the Gaia Winery and the Semeli Estate, while the
though it certainly lacks the cultural and culinary depths of the sec- Dryopi Estate, the majority ownership of which belongs to the Tse-
ond. There are no Michelin-starred restaurants here and no celebri- lepos family, is developing a modern bioclimatic winery which will
ty chefs in the area, only a few tavernas with authentic local cuisine soon open to the public.
that serve the best wines of the region. Nemea, however, can boast In and around the town of modern Nemea, wine lovers will
of a treasure called Ancient Nemea: a heritage of immeasurable find a number of exciting options. As you turn off National Road No.
value. The soul of the ancient city is still alive, its spirit firmly root- 7 (which runs between Corinth and Tripoli) onto the exit for Nemea,
ed in the hearts, minds and feelings of the locals. There are plenty of you'll come across, in quick succession, the Repanis, Lantidis and
those who, even today, consider the Nemean lion to be their guardi- Karamitsos wineries. In Nemea itself, you'll find the Nemeion Es-
an angel. Nemea can be proud of the excavations of the Ancient Sta- tate winery and the new Aivalis Wine Guest House where tastings
dium of Nemea, conducted under the auspices of the renowned ar- are offered (alternatively, you can attend a session at the Aivalis
chaeologist, Dr. Stephen Miller, and of the revival of the Nemean family winery in Petri). At the other end of the village, the Ieropou-
Games, which attract athletes and visitors from all over the world. los Winery and the beautiful Gofa Estate are both definitely worth
And, last but not least, there's the Temple and Sanctuary of Nemean your attention. In the village of Maladreni, in the neighboring pre-
Zeus, perhaps the only ancient temple on the planet surrounded by fecture of Argolida but still within the PDO Nemea, is Domaine
modern vineyards, producing wines for today's wine lovers. Skouras, which no wine lover should miss.
This is my Nemea, my Peloponnese, my points of reference,
WINES memories and obsessions. I love them all, now and always. In dif-
ficult times, I will think, drink and dream οf Nemea, and some-
Visitors to Nemea are invariably fascinated by the nature of how, life will be much more beautiful. The days will be a little
the wines. Agiorgitiko is all about roundness, versatility and a sweet more pleasant, and at night the stars that form the constellation of
aroma profile of sour cherries, red fruits and sweet spices. It is an Leo, the symbol and pride of eternal Nemea, will shine that much
easy-to-like, round, approachable variety with real depth that can brighter.

SUMMER 2021 55
TRAVEL TEXT Gregory Michailos, Dip WSET
PHOTOGRAPHY Domain Mega Spileo Archive

ACHAIA AND ILIA,

WESTERN PELOPONNESE
Two of Greece’s most historic wine regions are rediscovering their
heritage. This part of the country, which has had a wine culture for
millennia, is an area of diversity and breathtaking natural beauty,
and one that's capable of producing exquisite wines.

Achaia and Ilia (also known as Elis) are two of the most celebrated Among the greatest changes seen throughout the last years is the
wine regions in Greece. These vinicultural areas lie in the south- increased focus on terroir. Passionate producers are doing much
western part of the country, in the Peloponnese. West of Ilia is the more work in both the vineyard and the winery to strengthen the
Ionian Sea, while Achaia borders on both the Ionian Sea to the west characteristics these special places impart, trying to put as much
and the Gulf of Corinth to the north. Ilia is home to Ancient Olym- of the land into the bottle as possible in order to create a unique
pia, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, while neighboring product which will clearly show its origins.
Achaia hosts the vibrant seaside city of Patras, the third largest city Overall, the relatively dry Mediterranean climate is excel-
in Greece and a very important trading and transportation center. lent for vine-growing. This allows producers to respect nature
The port of Patra links the Peloponnese with the Ionian Islands and and practice more sustainable ways of treating the vines. There
connects Greece with Italy through regular ferry connections. are wineries practicing sustainable viticulture and others leaning
This part of western Greece boasts wild mountains that towards organics or even biodynamics. Even those who are apply-
touch the shore and the sky, crystal clear seas, rolling green coun- ing conventional vinicultural practices are committed to reducing
tryside, forests, archaeological sites, old monasteries, a ski resort, pesticides and producing in a more sustainable way. These efforts
and traditional villages, both on the coast and in the mountains. can further enhance the importance of terroir.
The abrupt changes in the terrain create dramatic landscapes
and provide a large number of micro-terroirs with numerous dif- A TREASURE TROVE OF GRAPES
ferent soil types in which hardy vines have grown for more than
3000 years. The area is located atop one of the major fault zones in The diversity of varieties, combined with the majestic ter-
Greece, and the broader area has seen some big earthquakes in the roirs of Achaia and Ilia, is enough to bedazzle any oenophile. Beyond
past. It is the movement of tectonic plates, the African plate and the the vines already under exploitation, there is still a treasure trove of
Eurasian plate, that has created this dramatic and complex geo- unidentified grape varieties waiting to be explored. Pink-skinned
morphology. The combination of sea and mountains provides both Roditis is the “king” of Achaia and Ilia, and the white Muscat is the
magnificent scenery and the ideal Mediterranean climate to help “jewel” in the crown of some of Greece’s best dessert wines, such as
the vines thrive. those crafted in the PDO Muscat of Patra and the PDO Muscat of Rio
Patra. Exotic Mavrodaphne is the undisputed “star” of black grapes
ACHAIA AND ILIA: Places of great contrasts and is produced in both regions. Bursting with a lovely herbal qual-
ity, it is increasingly being vinified in drier versions, even if the
When it comes to size, Achaia and Ilia account for 8.5% of the grape’s path to fame was carved out by its exquisite sweet fortified
total area of Greece's vineyards. Achaia’s grapevines cover 2900 wines, made in the style of Port, in the designated PDO Mavrodaphne
hectares, and Ilia follows closely behind with 2300 hectares under of Patra. These grapes are well established as some of Greece’s best.
cultivation. A tour through Ilia’s and Achaia’s wine regions reveals Have you ever had tried a unicorn wine, or, in other words,
a beautiful world of both very young and very old vineyards, a com- wine from a grape variety grown exclusively in just a tiny part of
bination of excellent indigenous and international varieties, higher the world, or vinified from just one producer globally? Asproudes
elevations and lower-lying spots for viticulture, as well as the con- (Tinaktorogos and Santameriana), Sideritis, Black of Kalavrita,
trast of imposing mountain tops within close proximity to the sea. A Vertzami, Avgoustiatis, Agrippiotis and Koliniatiko are just few of
half-an-hour's drive or less can take you from the shore to an eleva- the – tongue-twisting in terms of pronunciation – rare white, pink
tion of 1000 meters and a very old vineyard with a sea view. In fact, and red gems you can find in the vineyards of Achaia and Ilia. It’s
some of the highest elevations for viticulture, not only in Greece but like stepping in a Jurassic world of “grape dinosaurs.” What could
in all of Europe, are found in this part of Greece and, more specifi- be more exciting or adventurous than that?
cally, on the mountainous slopes of Aigialia (Achaia region). It should be noted that there are some fantastic examples
A similar contrast can be found in the wineries. The regions of Assyrtiko, Malagousia, and Agiorgitiko in the vineyards, too, as
of Achaia and Ilia are where some of Greece’s iconic large win- well as very well-adapted international grape varieties. Not only
eries are based, but they're also home to small producers who will you find Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay
are just beginning to be recognized in their own right. There are thriving here, but rare plantings of Refosco in Ilia and of Pinot Noir
cutting-edge wineries that incorporate the latest technology in on the slopes of Aigialia are present as well. White grapes, such as
their cellars as well as traditional ones that use time-honored aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or Gewürztraminer, also enjoy
approaches to winemaking and a hands-off approach with mini- the cooler high-elevation spots of Aigialia and produce some amaz-
mal intervention in the vineyard and the winery. ingly beautiful wines.

SUMMER 2021 57
ACHAIA AND ILIA, WESTERN PELOPONNESE

THE HOME OF RODITIS (Ro-deé-tees) Following the growing trend of skin-macerated wines, there
are some exquisite examples of “orange” Roditis on the market.
The pink-skinned Roditis grape, considered an old grape There are also many producers who are experimenting with new
variety, is the dominant grape variety both in Achaia and Ilia. It fermentation vessels, such as amphorae and concrete eggs.
accounts for more than 60% of Achaia’s vineyards, while in Ilia it Last, but not least, the Roditis grape is very much associated
covers 35% of the total vineyard. DNA profiling has proved that with the traditional style of retsina. Today, producers are embrac-
Roditis is related to the Italian variety Ansonica, found in the ing a modern new sophisticated style that aims towards delicacy
region of Tuscany. Molecular analysis yielded conclusive proof of and a balanced resin expression that complements, rather than
the Greek origin of Ansonica grapes grown on the island of Giglio overwhelms, a good-quality base wine made from Roditis. Some of
and in Tuscany. It was imported via the Greek colonies in Sicily in the best examples are vinified in clay amphorae.
the 4th century BC. Overall, the quintessential style of Roditis is that of steely
Even the simpler expressions of the grape can be a valuable minerality, a flinty edge that is both refreshing and age-worthy.
source of entry-level, value-for-money quaffing wines. These are Everyone wants acidity, freshness and minerality now. There’s
top-sellers on the Greek and international markets. They are usu- something fine and pure about Roditis that most people love.
ally sourced from lower-elevation sites with more fertile soil which
can give quite high yields. These vineyards are the workhorses WINE TOURISM
of the grape’s output and, because of them, Roditis has long been
defined more by volume and affordability rather than quality. We Traveling through the regions of Achaia and Ilia in the west-
shouldn't, however, overlook the fact that Roditis can be both user- ern Peloponnese always means getting to know some very special
friendly and serious. The grape can adapt to a range of styles, from places and people. A three-to-four-hour drive from Athens on the
gluggable fruit-driven softies to age-worthy mineral wines. smooth asphalt of the highway and you'll find yourself sandwiched
As consumers become more discerning, producers are look- between craggy mountains and kilometers of golden sandy beaches.
ing to create ever more unique wines and styles. More recently, pro- ACHAIA: A visit to the iconic castle of the Achaia Clauss Win-
ducers have taken it upon themselves to expand the grape’s possi- ery in the suburbs of Patra is an unforgettable experience; its cel-
bilities, striking deeper notes. Many of the best examples nowadays lars hold some of the oldest wines in Europe, with many bottles dat-
involve an extended period of contact with the lees, which results ing from the 19th century. The 1979 Mavrodaphni Grand Reserve is
in greater concentration and texture, and layers of complexity. bliss, a truly unique and unforgettable taste experience. The Parpa-
These wines will benefit from spending extra time in the bottle. roussis Winery, established in 1974 by Athanasios Parparoussis at
As different styles are being explored, there have also been a few Bozaitika (now known as Proastio) in Patras, is a serene paradise
experiments with oak (usually partially fermented and aged) that a short distance from the city. Their dry Taos Mavrodaphne sets a
result in a creamier, mouth-coating character. benchmark for this grape variety, bursting with lovely herbal qual-

58 ISSUE #22
TRAVEL

ity. Antonopoulos Vineyards is among the best wineries in Greece, ILIA REGION: The Mercouri Estate includes a beautiful cha-
crafting elegant, cool-climate wines from indigenous and interna- teau next to the sea with a history that dates back 140 years. It was
tional grapes. Try, among other beauties, their sublime Nea Dris red established in 1864, in Korakohori, Ilia, near Ancient Olympia. It is
made from Bordeaux varieties. Kintonis and Kotrotsos are notable associated with the Refosco grape, first planted on the estate in the
producers who craft excellent wines from a number of different 19th century. Mavrodaphne, Roditis, Avgoustiatis and other local
grapes. Patraiki Wines, the co-operative of Patra, is also known for and international grapes are also thriving on the estate.
its extensive range of both dry and sweet wines. Brintziki Estate is the first “green" winery in Greece, with
Tetramythos Winery is a leading low-intervention winery a zero-energy footprint. The winery covers all its power require-
in the village of Diakopto on the slopes of Aigialia, crafting ter- ments with the help of solar and geothermal energy. It is located
roir-driven wines. Their whole range is exciting, including their in Lantzoi-Ilia, near Ancient Olympia, and the facilities are sur-
experiments with rare indigenous varieties such as Black of Kal- rounded by a carefully tended organic vineyard planted with vari-
avrita and Agrippiotis. Rouvalis, also located on the slopes of Aig- eties such as Tinaktorogos, Avgoustiatis, Roditis, Fileri, Assyrtiko,
ialia, produces unforgettably elegant, cool-climate wines from Malagousia and Merlot.
local and international grape varieties grown at elevations of up to Stavropoulos Estate is one of the newest wineries in Ilia.
1000 meters. Another highlight of the Aigialia region is the Mega It is located near the Pineios Delta, an area of spectacular beauty
Spileo vineyard of the Cavino Winery, a leading player in the mar- belonging to the Natura 2000 network of protected biotopes. Vari-
ket. The vineyard is located within the steep Gorge of Vouraikos, at eties such as Assyrtiko, Merlot and Avgoustiatis thrive in the pri-
a mean elevation of 800 to 900 meters. The view of the vineyard as vately owned organic vineyards.
you approach from above it is breathtaking, and the wines display Olympia Land Estate continues a long family tradition in the
fantastic purity and high-elevation freshness. region of Ilia. The privately owned vineyards are planted with vari-
There are many other wineries in Achaia worth mentioning. eties that include Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Moschofilero, Chardon-
SANT’OR is the first biodynamic-certified winery in Greece that nay, Agiorgitiko, Avgoustiatis, Syrah and Merlot.
makes excellent natural wines from local varieties. Acheon Winery Very close to the birthplace of the Olympic Games is the
is another family-owned, small-scale producer with a lovely range Markogianni Winery, a small family winery that experiments
of local grapes such as Roditis, Mavrodaphne, Sideritis and Muscat. with the production of varieties such as Roditis, Mandilaria, Mav-
Kanakaris Winery is located on the slopes of Aigialia and is also rodaphne, Vertzami, Kolliniatiko and other local grapes. Try their
open to visitors. The range of vines is diverse, with lovely aromatic orange versions of Assyrtiko and Roditis, as well as their natural
expressions of domestic varieties such as Malagousia and Roditis rosé made from a field blend of grapes. The family welcomes visi-
as well as the international varieties Syrah and Merlot. Edanos tors and conducts guided winery tours and wine-tasting sessions
Winery is a very small, quality-oriented producer creating elegant, just a few kilometers from the mesmerizingly beautiful River
fresh mineral wines befitting the high-elevation vineyards. Alfios, famed in mythology.
WINERY TEXT Gregory Kontos, Dip WSET
PHOTOGRAPHY Lacules Estate Archive

I first met Austrians Barbara Gruber and Jörg Salchenegger, owners

of Lacules Estate, in the summer of 2020 at their fascinating house
near Koroni in Messinia, in the Peloponnese. What started as a
mere vacation house in the 1990s has become an impressive wine-
growing estate by the sea, producing stunning red wines from
international grapes. Barbara’s father Friedrich Gruber bought the
house, but it wasn’t until he hosted some winemaking friends from
Italy that the wine idea came up.

The Italians suggested that Friedrich's house would not be complete How did they discover you?
without a beautiful terraced vineyard around it so, starting with a
barrel's worth of wine, produced as a kind of family hobby, Gruber That's a funny story! At some point, we gave a bottle of our
ended up turning professional some years later. His daughter, Bar- wine to Camvillia, a 5-star resort in Koroni, as a “thank you” for
bara Gruber, and her husband, Jörg Salchenegger, have since taken the nice service. Without us knowing it, the bottle passed from the
over the estate. Apart from the breathtaking view and the relaxing waitress to the boss, and from him to the Oenocosmos salesman,
family atmosphere, I really loved their wines: The Chord (70% Gre- who brought it back to Athens. They tried the wine and gave us a
nache Rouge, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah) is an ideal in- call. Sometimes you don’t need a plan; you just need to stay loyal to
troduction to the other Lacules wines: a varietal Merlot and a 70% your goal of delivering the best quality possible.
Syrah, 30% Grenache blend. Months after I first visited, we decided
to catch up and chat from where we left it. You are splitting your time between Austria and Greece
and, likewise, your wines are grown and initially vinified
What's it like to run a business that began as a simple in Greece, while élevage and ageing are finished in Aus-
vacation project? How do you turn a hobby into a pro- tria. Do you consider your wines half Greek, half Austrian?
fessional endeavor, and was there a milestone (such as Marketing-wise, is this an obstacle?
sales figures) that signaled the change in status?
No, our wines are 100% Greek. The grapes are grown in
Well, first of all it’s still a hobby, because we love it! I believe Greece under the Greek sun; the climate, the soil and everything
it'll always be a hobby for us, regardless of sales. But to answer the else the grapes need are Greek. Fermentation takes place in Greece.
question, after two years of trying we finally got impressive results We also do not use additives, so what arrives in Austria is the same
from our 2013 vintage. Then we had an internship in Napa that product that will be bottled, only with some extra oak maturation.
opened our eyes further. I believe this was the point when we real- (For vintages 2013, 2014 and 2018, the wines are placed in barrels
ized our hobby could become a professional undertaking. in Greece.) We're only doing this because bottling in Austria is a
Another milestone was our decision to expand. We were in- practical solution at this stage. Our ultimate goal is for everything
* A fine wine distribution company in Greece.

itially vinifying in half barrique, so that was quite easy! Anoth- to happen in Greece, from grapes to the finished products.
er milestone was our friendship and collaboration with Christos
Kokkalis. Without him, we wouldn’t have had any access to more What is the overall annual production in bottles? Which
grapes. At the beginning, we needed the grapes to vinify slightly are the main markets for Lacules?
bigger batches, to see how it would go. It was pure luck that we met
him. Another crucial step was when we met another Christos, our We currently produce 5,000-7,000 bottles annually, the ma-
vineyard manager, who has a Merlot vineyard in Kremmydia. After jority of which are sold to Austrian clients. The remaining quanti-
that, we realized we had enough grapes and resources to move up ties are sold in Greece, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore. We
to another level, so we put together a Greek team and made it hap- plan to grow our production to 15,000, maybe 20,000 bottles.
pen. Finally, our meeting with Oenocosmos* was very important to
our development as it was through them that we started selling our Is it difficult to sell Greek wines in Austria? Do you think the
wines to retailers. Up to that point, we had mostly targeted private fact that you're Austrian makes people more eager to buy
consumers in Austria and Germany. or to try your wine?

60 ISSUE #22
Barbara Gruber and
Jörg Salchenegger in
their winery at Lacules
Estate.

Greek wine is difficult to sell in Austria, especially in res- I see you're particularly loyal to the red wine style.
taurants. The Austrian market mainly consumes Austrian, Italian
and French wines, and the gastronomic world there is not yet keen Yes, but not exclusively. This year we are making a brut,
to change that, not with the current price structure. So, at present, tank-fermented sparkling rosé mainly from Kydonitsa and Mo-
Greek wine can only be sold in Greek restaurants. schofilero. Grape varieties will not be mentioned on the label,
We do have the occasional wine geeks in the food and bev- though, for now at least.
erage industry who are always willing to experiment and try new
things. But the biggest market for us is the private sector, individu- From the foreign investor's point of view, did you find it
al consumers who are more eager to try. Let’s not forget that, until easy or difficult to start and grow your business in a small
recently, quality Greek wine was not well represented in Austria. Greek village? Do you consider Greece an easy or difficult
For most consumers, Greek wine was associated with cheap wine. environment for investors?
Only recently has this perception started to change. Now, more and
more Austrian consumers are aware that Greece offers great qual- For us, it wasn't so hard because we didn't come into the area
ity wines. This is a promising market, especially for promoting the as strangers. Also, if you start small, like we did, and if you have a
indigenous varieties. good network of locals, a reliable community of friends, then prob-
lems will be easier to solve. We have a lot of helping hands, a lot of
What would be your advice to any Greek winemaker acceptance. The authorities, on the other hand, could be more help-
wanting to make it in the small but demanding Austrian ful than they are. Even so, we have our network of supporters who
market? can help us deal with anything that may come up.

Come in with great quality, some special varieties and the What are your plans for the near future?
right contacts, people who'll believe in Greece and its wines. Top
quality marketing, a constant flow of interesting stories for the We are thinking about building a winery near Koroni, in a
sommeliers to inspire their customers, a lot of private tastings, and facility that will be separate from the house. There, we'll be able to
a lot of talk will be required to convince people. Very hard work, in host all the different production stages, including, of course, matu-
the end! ration and bottling.

Do your customers ask for indigenous Greek grapes? Are

there any plans in this direction?

Yes! Our Austrian customers in particular love our wines,

but they'd be the ones to buy wines made from indigenous Greek
varieties. Three years ago, we planted Avgoustiatis and Limniona;
this summer we'll harvest them for the first time. We're still wait-
ing to find out whether the results are satisfactory or not. Coinci-
dentally, just today we also purchased new Mavrotragano cuttings
that we intend to plant very soon.

SUMMER 2021 61
 INTERVIEW TEXT Penelope Katsatou
PHOTOGRAPHY Konstantinos Stavropoulos

I'm strolling down to Piraeus on a calm and glaringly sunny day

(before lockdown), and I think again of the foreigners who come
here and see all this beauty. They probably run out of words.
This is promptly confirmed by the man I've come to visit, Lefteris
Lazarou, who greets me with a typically wide smile under his ever-
present moustache: "The sun is definitely the main attraction; yet
the evenings can be just as magical… What can I tell you, I grew up
here, I’ve played here as a kid, I work here, and I want to believe that
I’ll end my days here. There’s nowhere else for me to go," he says,
like a genuine Piraeus lad.

LEFTERIS LAZAROU
Lefteris Lazarou feels like someone you’ve known for a long time. them enter the job market, find a job, make a living and support
He’s such a familiar and warm-hearted person that I find myself their families with dignity, as they did before. That’s the idea. De-
thinking of him as a family member, the one who will cook for you spite the major problems that exist, "Shedia" aims to become avail-
at the next big get-together. But I didn’t want to talk with him about able in Thessaloniki and in other big cities. So when you come
beginnings, about cooking or about restaurants; I wanted to have a across a seller of "Shedia," even if you don’t want to buy the maga-
laid-back conversation about the things he loves. zine, that’s perfectly OK. The important thing is to greet them re-
* Shedia is a non-profit organization focused on supporting the homeless.

turn, to wish them "Good morning." These are people who have and
The fact that you decided to collaborate with the deserve their dignity. I also consider it a great idea that any unsold
"Shedia"* street magazine, seems to me rather touching issues don’t get turned into pulp, but instead are returned to Shedia
– to say the least… and become useful objects.

The truth is that I didn’t need yet another job. But to me, this Besides your culinary abilities, which are undeniable,
was an obligation. I am still indebted to this country that nurtured what other talents would you like to possess?
me, and continues to nurture me. And essentially, and rightfully,
everything I have in my mind, in my soul, and in my art belongs I'd love to be a good fisherman. I’ve never really succeeded
to this country. So I believe I should share what I have and pass it at it, not because I’m unlucky at it, but because I lack the patience.
on, as a legacy. I don’t want people to remember me as a good cook, I am generally a hyperactive person; it’s not easy for me to sit still
and nothing else. I want people to remember me as someone who in a chair.
left his mark.
“Shedia,” as the word suggests in Greek, is all about making Do you read cookbooks?
plans, and this is the most important thing: making plans with peo-
ple who are in genuine need of them. It is extremely difficult to sit No, I don’t. It’s really easy for me to come up with a recipe.
down with someone who only knows how to boil an egg and teach The last book that made an impression on me was a novel by Alex
them how to cook properly. Yet these people manage to learn, and Michaelides entitled “The Silent Patient.” I read it within a week. My
they do with a great amount of dignity. This is something I’m proud schedule allows me very limited time slots when I have the peace
of, because the goal of "Shedia" isn’t to gather twenty people, train of mind to sit down and read. I think that it takes time to properly
them and then keep them. It is to train them and then slowly help enjoy a book.

SUMMER 2021 63
LEFTERIS LAZAROU

As a creative person, I can never function without other people,

without friends. So I attach a great importance to friendship. This
is true for many lads from Piraeus. To me, friendship is truly unique
and I could never betray it, so I function, I co-operate with these
people, whom I love very much, and I embrace this condition.

Looking back, do you recall a particularly bad moment in then. When it comes to wine, we all have to thank Dimitris Litinas:
your career when you said to yourself: "I won't make it, I he owned the Aspro wine bar in Psyrri. He was the one who taught
won't succeed, I won't get over this"? both Loukakis and me the very first things we ever learned about
wine. I'll never forget the endless nights we spent at Aspro, where
Not bad moments, no, because I am very optimistic by na- many of us cooks came together to call it a day, to drink a lovely
ture. But I do recall some difficult ones. I went through a difficult wine, and to eat some meze prepared by the lads: Chrysanthos Kar-
decade with my restaurant in Piraeus, with the turbulence in the amolegos, Tsingas, then Peskias later on. In 1994, if you had a som-
center of Athens – we all remember these times with a sense of bit- melier at your restaurant, people looked at you a bit strangely. And
terness and pain. I don’t recall any bad moments, but I remember then, little by little, we started to convince people. We introduced
some difficult ones, which I managed to overcome one way or an- some slightly better wine glasses, we started to insist on pairing
other. During the crisis decade, I was among those who had work. red wines with seafood, and on decanting them…
And this year again, with COVID-19, I’ve also had work. Things were
tough on the tourism front, but luckily the Greek consumers were Your favourite grape variety?
there for us. People choose to go to the restaurants where they feel
confident and safe, restaurants that respect their employees as Lately, I prefer Malagousia.
well as their guests. That being said, we are probably going through
the most difficult period, because, above all, it is uncharted. Unfor- Does one’s taste in wine change?
tunately, after 35 years at Varoulko and 50 years of my own career
in the food and beverage business, for the first time I feel, let's not Of course; mainly over time, perhaps. The minerality of one’s
say scared, but very troubled indeed. Still, we are at a time when palate begins to function differently. During the course of a dinner,
there are job openings available, there are investments, at a time I can go through two or three different wines. When I really want to
when the creative aspect of cooking is there. By this I mean the very enjoy a meal, I prefer to start off with a tsipouro – when I have the
joy of cooking, which for us cooks is basically to put our ideas into time, that is, because afterwards it’s not easy to return to the kitch-
effect and share them with guests; to get their feedback, to see peo- en and get to work. I don’t get along particularly well with Assyr-
ple smiling, see their eyes shining: this is our reward, not the day’s tiko wines. They’re usually not my first option, although I consider
earnings. So I want to believe – and I hope – that we will soon get them of excellent quality. They simply don’t work for me. Chardon-
over this and rediscover our lives and who we are, who we must be- nay fascinates me the most: I’d be happy to try a Chardonnay wine
come in order to have every reason to be alive. at all times.

How did your relationship with wine begin? Your ideal food and wine pairing?

My relationship with wine began when Varoulko first opened As much as it comes as a surprise, rosé wines have taken a big
in 1986-87. Back then, I had an urge to do things differently, because piece of the pie. I mean, a Xinomavro paired with a steamed angler-
this is what my personality is like. First of all, I created a style of fish is just sublime, thanks to the celery, the spring onions, the slight
cooking that was purely my own. Then I started asking around to burning sensation left by the pepper plant, the discreet lemon with
learn more about wine, and I discovered Gerovassiliou’s “Château its mild acidity, and of course the anglerfish’s own divine aromas.
Beau Soleil.” I discovered the late Thanassis Papaioannou, who was This fish has such a personality, and it enhances Xinomavro wines
the first winemaker in Greece to produce a Beaujolais. I discovered in such a way, that you think to yourself: "May I eat a dish like this
the distinguished Thanassis Parparoussis, with his Gifts of Diony- every day, have two glasses of wine, and may time just stand still."
sus, Drossalis, and Oenari. I discovered Moraitis, and Anestis Ba-
batzimopoulos, too, a mythical figure of distillation. I have a photo What do you consider most important in life?
somewhere showing him with an alembic inside the first Varoulko
restaurant, where we demonstrated the distillation process, and I As a creative person, I can never function without other peo-
am there holding a fire extinguisher. Varoulko was really tiny back ple, without friends. So I attach great importance to friendship.
then. By the beginning of 1988, I was offering a selection of around This is true for many lads from Piraeus (and I don’t mean Universi-
40 wine labels, ranging from Macedonia and Santorini to Kefalonia. ty of Piraeus students, I mean people who were born and raised in
Piraeus!). To me, friendship is truly unique and I could never betray
Is it possible to ruin a nice dish by pairing it with the it, so I function, I co-operate with these people, whom I love very
wrong wine? much, and I embrace this condition.

A wrong wine may not highlight the dish, or it may not take Who would be your hero, in your personal life?
the guest on a very memorable journey. So I think that this lovely
marriage, this union, is truly unique when things fit ever so nicely; I think that I have many heroes, Greece is full of them, and
so the sommelier should be thoroughly informed about the compo- I have learned many lessons in life from many "ordinary" people.
sition of the dish. I used to play this role myself: the lads (the som- A hero to me is someone who wears the vest of "Shedia," puts his
meliers) came much later. In 1994, Nikos Loukakis was in charge name on the tag, and goes out to the streets to sell the magazine.
of Varoulko’s wine list. There were no sommeliers in Greece back I’ve done it myself, and I’ve felt very proud to do it.

64 ISSUE #22
WINE PAIRING TEXT Nick Loukakis, Senior WSPC Lecturer
ILLUSTRATION Philippos Avramidis

Sweet wines are very important, both in terms of quality and

quantity, for the image of the Greek wine sector.

GREEK SWEET WINES

From a quantity point of view, out of the 40 wine (not regions) PDOs island of Sifnos, made with honey and anthotyro, a fresh, salty and
in Greece, 13 are dedicated to sweet wines. This is a third of the creamy cheese. Mavrodaphne of Patras, one of the most famous
total PDO wine system; one out of every three wine PDOs is a sweet dessert wines in Greece, is made from Mavrodaphne grapes (at
wine. This number alone confirms the significance of sweet wines least 51%) and Corinthian black currants. The wine is red, and for-
to Greek wine production. tification takes place during the fermentation. The wine matures in
large oak casks for a considerable time. Hints of black fruit, raisins,
THE PDOS DEDICATED TO SWEET GREEK WINES ARE: nuts, and chocolate are the main characteristics of this wine. Mav-
rodaphne of Cephalonia is very similar to Mavrodaphne of Patras.
Santorini Vinsanto, Samos, Muscat of Lemnos, Muscat of Both wines are ideal for chocolate desserts.
Rio Patras, Muscat of Rhodes, Muscat of Patras, Muscat of Cephalo- Vinsanto from Santorini is one of the most acclaimed wines
nia, Mavrodapne of Patras, Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia, Malvasia of the modern wine era. It is made exclusively from sun-dried As-
Sitia, Monemvassia-Malvasia, Malvasia Parosand Malvasia Handa- syrtiko (minimum 51%), Aidani and other native grape varieties. As
kas-Candia. they dry, the grapes lose water, and acidity becomes concentrated at
even higher levels, balancing out the sweetness magnificently. Vin-
Many of these wines sell at high prices and garner high santo can be aged for a considerable time in oak. After a few years,
scores from critics around the world, so it's not only a matter of the wine offers loads of sweetened and caramelized fruits, but as
quantity but quality, too. What is it exactly that makes Greek sweet time progresses, its character transforms, and you get dry nut, cof-
wines so special, and what can they offer the world? First of all, it's fee and chocolate. With its high sugar content, only the sweetest
the sun; we make great sweet wines because of the sun, rather than desserts can accompany it, or you can go for contrast with very salty
the lack of it, as is the case in the northern part of Europe. The main cheeses like San Michali, Kopanisti or Roquefort. Malvasia of Paros
variety used for sweet wines is Muscat (Alexandria and white). is one the newest PDOs in Greece, established in 2011. The grapes
You'll find all kinds of Muscat wines: sun-dried, fortified, naturally are Monemvasia (at least 85%) and Assyrtiko. The wine should be
sweet, and with and without oak. Samos is the most famous PDO by aged for 24 months in oak barrels prior to release. Production can
far for sweet Muscat wines. The white Muscat with the small grapes be from sun-dried grapes and/or via fortification. The ideal dessert
has adapted to the island’s terroir in magnificent ways. The grape for this wine is "ekmek," made with either kataifi fyllo or tsoureki as
itself is intense; its acidity is refreshing and balances the sweet- its base, and topped with custard and whipped cream.
ness. The high-elevation vineyards of Samos deliver very flavorful Monemvassia-Malvasia was added as a new PDO in 2011 as
fruit which will adapt to any style the winemaker wants to give to well; the wine is produced at the southeastern end of the Lakonia
the wine. Styles vary from young and refreshing to sun-dried and region in the Peloponnese. The grapes are Monemvassia (at least
aged in oak on to fortified and aged in oak. The wines can age glo- 51%), Assyrtiko, Asproudes and Kydonitsa. The wine is made from
riously, and are in fact the ultimate value-for-money sweet wine. sun-dried grapes and/or via fortification. Oxidized ageing for at
According to the style of wine, you can serve it with fresh least two years is mandatory; if it is done for longer, it has to be for
fruits with honey, creamy desserts like crème brulee, or even choc- four years or for multiples of four. Because of its oxidative charac-
olate-based desserts. Lemnos is another island where Muscat of Al- ter, the wine carries notes of honey and nuts, making it appropri-
exandria has adapted well. Wines here are very aromatic and in- ate for baklavas, the famed dessert of sweet fyllo stuffed with car-
tense but less complex than those of Samos. You can find sun-dried, amelized nuts.
fortified and naturally sweet wines, but the ideal yield here is a The PDO Malvasia Handakas-Candia covers a major part
young and seductive wine. All kinds of fruity and creamy desserts of the region of Irakeio, making it the largest PDO on the island of
pair well with these wines. Muscat of Rio Patras uses the white Crete. This wine is more or less a blended wine, rather than a va-
Muscat, as on Samos. Wines can be sun-dried, fortified or natu- rietal as many of the previous ones; at least 85% should be from a
rally sweet, with great flavor concentration and potential ageing. blend of Assyrtiko, Vidiano, Trapsathiri and Liatiko, and no more
Muscat of Patras uses white Muscat, too, and is made by the same than 15% of white Muscat and Malvasia di Candia aromatica. The
methods, but its vineyards cover a larger area than that of Rio. You wine is made from sun-dried grapes and/or via fortification, and
can combine Muscat of Patras with yogurt desserts, with caramel- should be aged for at least 24 months in oak barrels prior to bot-
ized fruits, and with a milky orange rice pudding we call “risogalo.” tling. A traditional Cretan dessert pairs well, a sweet treat called
Muscat of Rhodes is a blend of white Muscat and Muscat di Trani. “mamoulia” that's made with almonds, walnuts and rosewater. The
It is a very delicate version of Muscat wine, quite aromatic and less PDO Malvasia Sitia shares the same blending rules as the Malvasia
concentrated than that of Samos. Wines are made from sun-dried Handakas-Candia, but its zone is situated in Lasithi, in the eastern
grapes or using fortification techniques. A very common pairing is part of Crete, at an elevation between 300-700 meters; it, too, was
with an orange cake topped with “kaimaki” ice cream; the acidi- established in 2011. Another traditional dessert from Crete, “pa-
ty of the orange is balanced by the creamy texture of the ice cream touda,” a pastry made with nutmeg, walnuts, almonds, sesame and
and the wine. honey, is an option as well. In general, Greek sweet wines are con-
Muscat of Cephalonia is 100% white Muscat cultivated in the centrated in flavor, sugar and acidity, with medium to high alco-
northern part of the island. Concentrated flavors with refreshing hol levels, and are oak-influenced across most of the winemaking
acidity are produced from sun-dried grapes or fortified wines. Two styles, including the many fortified versions. They offer great evo-
traditional desserts that go well with these wines are “ravani” Ver- lution over time, with tertiary aromas and length in the finish, and
ia-style, made from yogurt and semolina, and “honey-pie” from the are still in a very affordable price range. Enjoy them!

SUMMER 2021 67
1 Cuvée De Reserve of biodynamic cultivation, chemical engineer-oenologist, from contact with the marcs. It
Karanika 2106 highlight the Xinomavro in daughter of George Karimalis, offers yellow fruits, jam, honey
€30.40 their own way. Since 2011, presents, as a second- and dried herbs around a
Xinomavro has been released generation winemaker, her strongly mineral background.
Cuvée De Reserve, the epitome in the blanc de noir version, first wine. Kala-bele, meaning
of sparkling wine in Greece, which stays on the lees for "good vineyard," is a name 9 Santa Maria La Nave,
comes from Amynteo. Laurens a year. The wine was made for the ancestral field of the Millesulmare 2017
Hartman, Annette Van Kampen without much oenological family, the one most suitable for €62.40
and oenologist Lia Gatsou intervention; it is a gastronomic planting vineyards. Kalabele is
choose natural methods of wine, with high acidity and, of a wine of minimal intervention When Sonia Spadaro started,
cultivation and vinification course, like all “Tatsis” wines, which is made from Begleri and she was determined to produce
and, of course, the “Méthode with a strong character. Assyrtiko. The vinification is wines of limited availability,
Traditional.” Without a trace done with native wild yeasts, with her main ambition
of dosage, and with five years 4 Vidiano Young Vines and the wine, staying on the being the revival of very old
on the lees in the bottle, the 2020, Iliana Malichin lees for a few days, is golden vineyards (80-100 years old)
Xinomavro has the time to €16.90 yellow, with a full body and from two selected vineyards
mature and remain fresh and balanced acidity. in the volcanic soil of Etna,
dynamic. Crisp acidity, lime Vidiano Young Vines, as its the active volcano of Sicily.
and flint, aromas of dough and name suggests, comes from 7 Santameriana Millesulmare is a wine of long
butter, long-lasting in sparkling new vineyards aged 5 to 15 Santor 2020 ageing from the rare variety
and aftertaste are some of the years at an elevation of 650 €14.40 Greca.
elegant features of Cuvée de to 700 meters, in Melampes,
Reserve. Rethymnon. Iliana Malichin In 2007, Panagiotis 10 Alchymiste Rosé
shows us that, when it comes to Dimitropoulos decided to Sclavos 2020
2 Can Sumoi Ancestral a unique terroir, even the young continue the tradition of his €11.90
Montònega 2018 vines can give an impressively family in viticulture, and
€17.90 pleasant result with a started making wines with The rosé Alchymiste by
strong taste and aromatic minimal interventions from Evryviadis Sklavos, is for all
Can Sumoi Ancestral concentration. Produced by biodynamic cultivation vines. those who feel that they have a
Montònega is a sparkling wine, spontaneous fermentation, it Santameriana is a rare local complex and erotic relationship
produced by the traditional stays on the lees for 6 months variety which, until recently, with taste. It is far from the
sparkling wine method, in the without further intervention. belonged to the ”Asproudi” modern rosés of the Provence
Penedès region of Spain. Pepe (white wine) family. It ferments type. This is a field-blend rosé
Raventós wants to produce 5 Santorini Vassaltis 2020 spontaneously and remains in from old Mavrodaphne and
wines with origins, giving the €26.90 stainless steel tanks for about Moschatela (Greek varieties).
real identity of the place with a 6 months. Intensely explosive The flower aromas, the fruit
sincere and genuine expression Vassaltis' company has grown in the nose and mouth, with and the minerality of the two
of the terroir of the area. To up and is now developing its aromas of mainly citrus, it also varieties are mixed, creating
achieve this, he cultivates the talent. Focusing on the best- offers more ripe exotic fruits. one of the most beautiful rosés
vineyard using biodynamic known label of the winery, that come out in our country.
methods. The harvest is done by they produce a wine that is 8 Sébastien Riffault,
hand, the yeasts are indigenous, now established in the market Akmenine 2017 11 Pleiades Ktima
native to the vineyard and the as one of the leading wines of €23.90 Flamourou 2020
grapes, and the fermentation is Santorini. The main feature €14.90
completed in the bottle where it of this wine is the balance Sancerre guerrilla Sébastien
remains for a few months until between all its elements; Riffault does it all in his own Produced on the beautiful
it is marketed. It is a balanced, minerality, fruit, body, unique way. Akmenine, a island of Anafi, "Pleiades" by
aromatic and extremely acidity, and alcohol coexist Sauvignon Blanc from the Stefanos Michalis comes from
summery sparkling wine with harmoniously to produce an single vineyard series, is an the red varieties of the island
crisp acidity, elegant bubbles explosive wine. incredible, oxidizing style and where they are pressed in
and a slightly salty finish. hardcore natural vinification basket presses, fermented and
6 Kalabele Karimali 2020 wine, produced from grapes fermented... The bottling is
3 Xiropotamos Tatsi 2018 €12.40 affected by 50% botrytis. It done without filtering, and only
€13.90 is rich and strong, and its 700 bottles of this gastronomic
Kalabele 2020 is the first wine characteristic orange color rosé are out there!
The Tatsi brothers, pioneers of Iliana Karimali. The young comes from oxidation and not

68 ISSUE #22
12 IERIA Bosinaki 2020 favorite combination of Marios and done without irrigation in …and, of course, we are all
€11.90 Nikolaidis is with lamb in the mainly shale soils on slopes. waiting for the wines of Giannis
oven. In the Tourtoura area, there Economou…
IERIA is the second label of are several old vines, aged 65
the Bosinaki family. It's a rosé 14 Merle Dalamara 2020 and over, from which Rapsani
from 100% Moschofilero that €11.90 Old Vines is made. A wine with
comes from a single vineyard in red fruit, quite herbal, complex
the area of ​​Mantineia. Its light Merle, a Merlot from the and with intense well-worked
pink color is acquired after vineyard of Paliokalia, tannins, it matures in old
24 hours on the peels. A light spontaneously ferments and French barrels for 18 months.
summer rosé wine, it highlights is bottled with low sulfites,
the aromatic character of without any other addition 16 Laurier Noir natur, ε,
the variety and has a very or intervention. It is a pure Tetramythos 2019
interesting nose and light to expression of the variety, with €20.90
medium body. aromas of milk chocolate, black
berry and fresh vanilla, all More and more Mavrodaphne
13 Limnio, Anatolikos complemented by hints of bitter is being produced recently,
Vineyards 2017 chocolate and dried mint in the proving that this is indeed a
€18.90 mouth. In short, it's a very tasty great variety. The latest big
and fresh summer wine. surprise for us, and probably
In a northern coastal organic the best debut, is "Laurier Noir
vineyard, in Abdera of Xanthi, 15 Rapsani Old Vines natur ,ɛ" a red wine, organic
Limnio is produced by the Dougos 2017 and with mild interventions,
Nikolaidis brothers. This €19.40 coming from a unique
wine is vinified with minimal Mavrodaphne vineyard at an
intervention and matures Thanos and Louiza elevation of 915 meters on a
for 12 months in old oak Dougos, second-generation hillside in Aigialia. Fermented
barrels. The perfect summer winemakers, have been with native yeasts and matured
wine, and more, it matches cultivating 90 acres in the area in a large oak barrel of 1500
with cream and tomato- of ​​mountainous Rapsani since liters, it's a real drinking
based stews, although the 1991. The cultivation is organic pleasure!
A ——— AGIORGITIKO cellar in the local dialect M ——— MAVROTRAGANO wine. This method was
of Santorini. A canava used in the past to mask
Agiorgitiko is the most is usually a rock-hewn, A very rare red variety the oxidative aromas of
widely planted red wine underground space or from Santorini that was, wines at a time when
grape in Greece. It orig- a structure protected by until recently, at risk of technology did not allow
inates from the PDO nearby buildings. extinction. This varie- better wine preserva-
Nemea zone, which en- ty combines dense red tion. However, the flavor
joys a typical, warm D ——— DIONYSUS fruit with roasted coffee itself became so pop-
Mediterranean climate. and smoke, robust tan- ular that retsina is still
The variety produc- Dionysus was the nins and a rich and min- being made today in
es supple and versatile god of wine, celebra- eral mouth. traditional and in mod-
red and rosé wines with tion and fertility in an- ern versions that create
sweet fruit/sweet spice cient Greece. He taught N ——— NYCHTERI a great summer wine,
aromas, a round pal- his followers to be free ideal for accompany-
ate and velvety tannins. from fears brought on Santorini’s tradition- ing fried appetizers and
Agiorgitiko is now widely by self-consciousness al wine, made from a other meze.
cultivated in other plac- and to celebrate life blend of Assyrtiko, Athi-
es, notably in Kavala with wine, music and ri and Aidani. Grapes V ——— VINSANTO
and Drama in northern dance. Symbols related destined for Nychteri
Greece. to Dionysus include the were pressed during Santorini’s sweet wine,
grapevine, the drinking the night after the har- made predominantly
ASSYRTIKO cup and, on occasion, vest, to protect the juice of Assyrtiko, with Aidani
ivy. A son of Zeus and from the heat of the day. and Athiri also partici-
Santorini’s signature Semele, Dionysus lived Its name derives from pating in the blend. It’s
white grape variety, As- on Mt Olympus with the the Greek word “nychta,” made from late-harvest
syrtiko is rapidly gaining other gods. His Roman which means “night.” grapes which are left to
worldwide recognition. It name was Bacchus. dry in the sun for 12-14
produces wines of me- R ——— RETSINA days. It ferments and
dium aromatic intensity K ——— KOULOURA then ages for at least 24
but with strong mineral- Retsina is a white or rosé months in oak barrels.
ity that is characteris- This term describes the resinated Greek wine,
tic of the island’s wines, traditional way of train- made by adding pine
and it has great ageing ing Santorini’s vines into resin into the fermen-
potential. a basket-like shape in tation vessel; the du-
order to protect them ration of the process is
C ——— CANAVA from the strong winds decided by the wine-
and the high summer maker and determines
The name of the tra- temperatures. the intensity of the resin
ditional winery or wine aroma and flavor in the

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70 ISSUE #22