Greek wines aren’t the new rock ‘n roll. They’re the new punk.
Invisible Woman and The Human Torch
Rough around the edges, loud, distinctly powerful, arguably callous and searingly authentic.
They’re also incredibly difficult to understand on the first go.
I count myself among the wine-educated; perhaps you do too. You’ve tried examples of Nebbiolo and Gruner Veltliner, and you feel as though you have an edge on those boring old Syrah drinkers.
Then, Mavrodaphne and Savatiano steamroll your oeno-pride.
Greek wines receive far less attention than European wine-zones of France, Italy, or even Germany. Similarly to Portugal, another classically important winemaking country, Greek wines are defined by indigenous varietals in geologically diverse Mediterranean climates.
“Challenging” best describes our topic. Surely, not impossible to learn, but foreign in most respects. Rewarding, too.
Recently, I was privileged to attend Toronto’s “New Wines of Greece” tasting hosted by John Szabo, Master Sommelier. John’s involvement with the Greek wine bureau signals a significant shift toward establishing Greece as a new force in Ontario — a market seen by some observers as precedent-setting for global trends.
An enthused crowd of wine writers, the city’s best sommeliers, and sommelier students (that’s me!) eagerly accepted the organizers’ four Greek “ambassador” grapes. We were charged with a simple, yet nuanced task: sample three glasses of wine, describe their consistent characterstics; then, assess if two subsequent, different varietal-wines are comparable.
The grapes? Moschofilero, Agiorgitiko, Assyrtiko, and Xinomavro.
Trust me, in a few years, they’ll roll off the tongue like Negroamaro. Remember the first time you heard of Monastrell?
I’ve worked out my own unorthodox system for remembering these four fantastic grapes. Comic books.
Moschofilero // Invisible Woman
Moschofilero
Sue Storm: Invisible Woman
Moschofilero is a pink-skinned, aromatic variety grown in Mantinia (central Peloponnese). Crisp acid and light body define this ephemeral wine.
I hesitate to make allusions of femininity, but the examples I sampled were delicate, sprightly, and redolent of chalky vitamins. All agreed to their bistro-ready nature, and favourable similarity to high-quality Italian Pinot Grigio. Though they lacked obvious fruit, their subtle charms were clearly appreciable.
Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, possesses powers of invisibility and the ability to create force-shields. You may not be able to see what she’s doing, but she’s an integral part of the team. Sounds like our wine.
Agiorgitiko // Human Torch
Johnny Storm: Human Torch
Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko, meaning St. George’s, is home in Nemea (Peloponnese once more). Soils vary here with elevation, from fine alluvial materials, coarse colluvial, up to soft limestone. Height matters - and yes, the Human Torch can fly.
The grape’s high tartaric acid, low pH, and soft tannins are a curious combination; rebellious/antithetical to most popular modern wines. Noting flavours of tart red fruits, spice and earth, some in the audience commented on the similarity to Rioja. I saw it as a fiery wine before all this nonsense about the Fantastic Four began.
Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, can fly when setting himself aflame. Boy, when you put it like that, this whole allusion does sound silly. I stand by the fiery wine comment. (Did you know he married a shapeshifting alien once?)
Assyrtiko // Mr. Fantastic
Assyrtiko
Dr. Reed Richards: Mr. Fantastic
Assyrtiko was the one grape I had some familiarity with (and love for) prior to the tasting. Grown on Santorini’s viciously infertile volcanic soils, the vines are actually coiled into small baskets. Foliage shields the grapes from the intense heat; their minute moisture a gift from the morning dew against the ground.
It’s a marvel they grow at all, made even more impressive by their blistering acidity and perceptible gout de terroir. Dry with astounding length, yet still brightly fruited, bearing aspects of yellow plums and citrus.
Dr. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, has the ability to stretch his body like water (or like plasticine, if you will). He’s also a brilliant scientist. It’s so easy to be brilliant when you’re fictional. Still, the key point: length, and impossibly flowing acid. Aloud, I commented on the similarity to Savennières; not in flavour per se, but by the strength of acidity and earth-derived flavours. Chablis was the obvious choice, but someone beat me to it. Interestingly, Gruner Veltliner was also poured, though I wasn’t as convinced as some.
Xinomavro // The Thing
Benjamin J. Grimm: The Thing
Xinomavro
Xinomavro might be the closest match to Nebbiolo I’ve come across — and Nebbiolo is a tough cookie to copy. You can’t miss it in a blind tasting: high acid, high tannins, low colour. Xinomavro is grown particularly well in Naoussa, although more regions are taking to the bruising varietal.
Aside from varied red fruits, the group spoke of spices and olives. The powerful, savoury aspects of the wine lend them to hearty meat dishes. Muscular wines need their protein! When purchasing the scant supply of Xinomavro that could cross your path, acquire multiples to see the weathering effects of aging.
Our last member of the Fantastic Four, Benjamin J. Grimm a.k.a. The Thing, is a behemoth made of stone. The Thing always had a tough rap. His power of super-strength and near-impervious rock-skin was something he couldn’t turn off, but inside he had a heart of gold. Tragic figure? (JW)
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For more fun with Greek wines, drop in at AllAboutGreekWine.com. They generously donated the above images without knowing it. (Free advertising, guys!)
Need more Four? Head to Marvel Comics’ official site for the FF. Images sourced from Wikipedia (don’t judge).
