Wine

Tongue twisters

Greek wine has made quite a name for itself over the past decade

Wine ran through the veins of ancient Greek culture: it was central to religious ritual and to everyday life. The Greek god of wine Dionysus, also known as Bacchus by the Romans, gave his name to Bacchanalian rituals which, as depicted on so many antiquities, were basically parties in which heavy drinking was combined with singing, dancing and lots of sex. Mortals duly followed suit and wine was enjoyed as a social lubricant by all social classes, and by women as well as men. Wine was also an important trading commodity and was exported all over the ancient world. It was stored in clay vessels called amphorae that were sometimes sealed with a pine resin which imparted its flavour into the wine – a drink that is still alive today in the form of retsina.

Trips to Greece at the turn of this century were not fondly remembered for the wine - they tended to be more retsina and beer fuelled.

Greece has however, in the last twenty years, transformed into a rising star of the wine world.

The country does boast an ideal winemaking climate with a winning combination of ample sun, minimal rainfall and challenging terroirs. Arguably, the country’s biggest liability is the varietal nomenclature - try ordering a xinomavro or a agiorgitiko. However, tongue-twisting grape names should not deter anyone from trying Greek wines—whites, reds, roses and sparklings—Greece has much to offer the wine lover.

Improved techniques and careful growing of indigenous grapes with exotic names have led to a thriving new Greek culture producing wines of real quality and character.

To understand the true potential of Greek grape varieties look for white assyrtiko, particulary from the volcanic island of Santorini, and reds made from agiorgitiko from the Peloponnese and xinomavro from further north. Production is small - the whole of Greece produces about a third of the volume of Bordeaux, and most producers tend to run small, quality focused, operations. ●

Two to try

ESTATE ARGYROS, CUVEE Monsignori: Focused and intense, this assyrtiko white wine from Santorini oozes class. Lemongrass on the nose. Good use of oak and lees work give the wine great body and structure with the citrusy taste of grapefruit and lemon on the palate.

Kir-Yianni, Diaporos Xinomavro: A red from Macedonia with an opulent nose of blueberry, confit tomato and dried raspberry. The palate is lively and expressive with a sour cherry core peppered with notes of leather, liquorice and flowers. ●