Greek Wines

[Meow-Mix]

What are your opinions on Greek wines? Anyone here enjoy a Demestica, Agiorghitico, or Roditis? They taste good with Greek food. I'd like to hear any of your opinions, pro and con. Detractors feel free to blast away

[melkor]

Retsina is by far the worst wine I've ever had. I've had a few good greek wines but I can't for the life of me remember the producers names.

[Mark Sommelier]

Had some delicious white wine from Santorini last night. Also a decent xinomavro. Sorry, the labels were in ..... Greek.

[KatieLoeb]

We have a Boutari Moschofilero on the list at Striped Bass. Not surprisingly it goes well with seafood - both the thrust of our menu and a staple of Greek cuisine. It's relatively inexpensive (around $35 on our list - probably $14 at retail) and seems to be quite popular. I've not tasted it personally, but it gets high marks from the waitstaff and customers.

[Steve Klc]

I use a nice Samos muscat in an apricot dessert and a Santorini vin santo (Assirtiko grape I think) from Kostas Antoniou in another (Athenee Importers, Malverne NY.) Another very good dessert wine from Evia, Greece is Montofoli Estate (imported by Vina Mediterranean LLC, Upper Marlboro, MD.)

On the non-dessert side I think you have to compare the Greek reds to Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar from the Bekaa Valley.

All relatively affordable and nice value.

[Andre]

Big changes in Greece in the last 5 or so years and not all to my liking.

Greece resembles tradition to me and one of the last to hold against the new world wine Tsunami.

With many greek wine makers studying in Davis or Adelaide or greek wine makers hiring international wine experts, many of them will be washed away into the ABC world.

The greek know very well how to live of the earth in terms of both food or beverage.

The fact that an addition of Cabernet to Aghiorghitiko makes it a superior wine is enacceptable.

Indeed many are usued to the Cabernet flavors and will like the wine more if they find something familiar. [ I guess mama's food tastes best ] but, in no way should it be rated higher !

The greeks are not the best in marketing I guess. They have the best food, unique [ and that is a very positive word these days ] wines, great scenery and yet considered inferior to many other European countries.

"On the non-dessert side I think you have to compare the Greek reds to Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar from the Bekaa Valley."

Steve, I am sorry not to agree with this one. Indeed both express worm climate [ especially on the production side ] but this is where I see as the end of comparison.

As far as the desert side is concerned: In place like Samos and their Nectar, I very much hope the land and wine production will go private so we can all enjoy the true expression of this great island.

[Mark Sommelier]

Big changes in Greece in the last 5 or so years and not all to my liking.

Greece resembles tradition to me and one of the last to hold against the new world wine Tsunami.

With many greek wine makers studying in Davis or Adelaide or greek wine makers hiring international wine experts, many of them will be washed away into the ABC world.

The greek know very well how to live of the earth in terms of both food or beverage.

The fact that an addition of Cabernet to Aghiorghitiko makes it a superior wine is enacceptable.

Indeed many are usued to the Cabernet flavors and will like the wine more if they find something familiar. [ I guess mama's food tastes best ] but, in no way should it be rated higher !

The greeks are not the best in marketing I guess. They have the best food, unique [ and that is a very positive word these days ] wines, great scenery and yet considered inferior to many other European countries.

"On the non-dessert side I think you have to compare the Greek reds to Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar from the Bekaa Valley."

Steve, I am sorry not to agree with this one. Indeed both express worm climate [ especially on the production side ] but this is where I see as the end of comparison.

As far as the desert side is concerned: In place like Samos and their Nectar, I very much hope the land and wine production will go private so we can all enjoy the true expression of this great island.

Andre,

You are right. There are big changes going on in Greek winemaking now. The 2 Greek wines that I know from my youth, Retsina and Mavrodaphne, seem to have disappeared. Xthinomavro is the grape to look for. Adding cabernet sauvignon and merlot to these wines should be illegal, IMO.