Macedonia | Greek Wine World

Moscato Methexis Domaine Kosta Lazaridi 40% ABV

A highlight of my autumn vineyard tour was time spent with distiller Giorgos Zirnovalis. He was generous in sharing his insight while going about his, as he put it, ‘usual for this time of year 15-hour days’. Considered as one of the best in his profession, he remains a humble person. Professional satisfaction was obvious but no ego. I came away with a sense that he is part flair and part discipline. Some pride too. Of the many grapes he distils, he rates Sauvignon Blanc especially high. Such praise for SB was new to me. But then, mostly due to my teaching commitments, I do not spend as much time as I would like with distillers. To my palate, for several reasons, the Moscato stood apart. The difference to tsipouro (grappa) is that this Moscato is the distillation of only grape berries minus stems. How does it differ? Well, a fiery vinous element, found in many a tsipouro, is not part of the equation. A fuller, more gentle character comes through. There are close to 3,000 Muscat variations. This grape spirit is made from the Muscat of Alexandria. Methexis? From the classical theatre: methexis is participation.

Crystal clear. Floral. Lemon blossom. Spicy. Intensely flavoured, round, grapey mid-palate. Clean, textured finish. Initial lemon zestiness leading to rose petal tea-like softness. Aftertaste of Gewurztraminer. Lightly chilled enhances the viscous smooth richness.
Score: 17.5/20
For more information, please visit: www.domaine-lazaridi.gr
US importers
California: www.greekfoodandwine.com
All other States: www.nestorimports.com

2.12.2009

2005
Ovilos Biblia Chora Estate

ovilos With few exceptions, the majority of Greek Cabernet Sauvignon efforts are off the mark. Most are planted in the wrong place (arid hotter regions) and not farmed appropriately to achieve balanced ripe grapes. The wines are charmless. Mostly, a boatload of astringent green drying tannins. Hardly appealing stuff. On the other hand, there are microclimates and know-how to produce good, perhaps exceptional, varietal wine from this ubiquitous grape.

CS does not even make it to the top 3 shortlist of my favourite red grape varieties. So, during my autumn month-long scouting in the vineyards, I was pleasantly shocked to find something that appealed in equal measures to mind and heart. So much so, that one of those rare lapses of professional discipline occurred – the opposite to spitting out.

Vassilis Tsaktsarlis may have a hard-to-pronounce surname, but his soft touch, apparent in all of his wines, represents one of the towering efforts in Greek wines. A Bordeaux graduate, this 42-year-old is a partner, with Vangelis Gerovassiliou, of the eponymous estate and the vineyard-focused oenologist at Biblia Chora. A man of few words. Incisive comment. Free of hype. Actually, as refreshing as the wines he makes.

Dark. Classic nose of cassis and minerality. Piquant Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. Depth. Grippy stylish tannins complemented by tight-woven acidity. Great balance. Oozing elegance on the long finish. Whispering presence and staying power. Stylistically, this is the closest the northern Aegean shoreline has so far got to… St Estephe! A star in the making. Best 2010-2020.

Score: 18/20

For more details please visit: www.bibliachora.gr

26.10.2009

2006
Alpha Estate Alpha 1 Tannat

alpha-one2 Fifteen years ago, Amyndeon was a no man’s land. It has now emerged as an exciting forward-looking region. Surrounded by mountains, it experiences the largest swing in diurnal temperatures. During the growing season, April to September, nights are cool (+10° C), highs rarely rise above +31° C.

Of all the non-Greek red grapes planted in this important 65-hectare estate, Syrah, Montepulciano and Tannat have excelled. They have adapted to such a degree that no one, including here, could ever imagine such impressive wines.

The Alpha 1 grape choice changes yearly. It is either a varietal wine or a blend. In essence, it is the top performing grape(s) of the vintage. It is a halo wine, sold at double the price of the excellent flagship Alpha Estate, a Syrah, Xinomavro and Merlot blend. If reductive aromas and rustic tannins is your experience with Tannat, well, this newcomer to Greece is a rather different, tamed, beast. There is a rarely achieved phenolic ripeness, balance, even polish here. Not the usual descriptors one associates with this love-it-or-leave-it tannic grape. The 2006 vintage was a long, protracted affair. Mustering one of the lowest recorded(1420) degree days. The wine spent 18 months in Allier Bertrange medium-toasted new oak casks at 200% (9+9). The wine is bottled unfiltered.

Opaque. Pharmaceutical nose with camphor dominating. Vinosity, chocolate/cocoa powder. Compact. Enveloped with finesse on the outside with a creamy core. Tastey, ripe tannins. Well balanced and round. Lingering finish. Suprisingly complex. Best 2009-2016.

Score: 18/20

For more information, please visit www.alpha-estate.com

13.08.2009

Wine geography