Greek wine – ever better

In search of high-quality wines at competitive prices, I often look to South Africa and Portugal but Greece is certainly staking its case. Huge progress has been made there over the last 10 years in growing and winemaking due, not least, to the influx of new talent, often younger members of existing winemaking families. Many have trained in vineyards round the world and have returned to their homeland with new ideas as well as a better understanding of what international markets are looking for.

They’re working with a great pallet. Greece arguably has one of the widest ranges of terroir in the world and an extensive list of excellent indigenous grape varieties, both white and red, some of which are only now being re-discovered.

First perceptions of Greece may be of a hot country and so one might expect the super ripe, earthy wines found, say, in central California or Puglia. But, actually, Greece is very mountainous and vines can be grown at high elevations. Tourists basking in the sun on the Peloponnese coast may be surprised to know that way above them grapes are growing at altitudes up to 1,000 metres.  In the north of the country regions like Naoussa or Amyndeon are relatively cool with vineyards up to 700m, cooled further by strong winds. Crete may be another hot holiday destination but it also has many high-altitude vineyards, producing excellent wines.  These regions all benefit from big day/night temperature ranges which retain acid in the grapes while the long growing season allows deep flavours to develop in the wines.

In January 2023, I had the pleasure of attending Maltby + Greek’s tasting in London which showcased their portfolio of Greek wines from the mainland and the islands. I’ve written about my love of Xinomavro in the blog article – Acid-Black: the new Tar and Roses – so I’ve concentrated here on other varieties. Although I must again mention Alpha Estates’ single vineyard Reserve Xinomavro Barba Yannis. Terrific, opulent wine for ageing at a highly competitive price.

It’s hard to do justice in a short article to what was a particularly diverse tasting but here are some highlights:

Whites

No piece about Greek white wines could fail to mention Assyrtiko which makes full-bodied wines with lively acidity and mineral or, some say, salty notes, especially in Santorini. Predominant flavours are citrus and stone fruits and you can expect a biscuity, yeasty flavour and texture depending on the time the wines are left on their lees and the amount of stirring (the more the yeastier). Some examples are partially fermented in oak and some aged in oak with a view to longevity and development of honey and nutty notes.  In terms of style, comparisons could be made to white Rhone wines (which have similar body, stone fruits but a little less acidity) or to Chenin Blanc which has similar high acidity and also takes well to oak.

Try:

Santo Wines Santorini PDO Assyrtiko 2021 for a fresher style or their Santo Nykteri for a fuller-bodied wine. Here two lesser-known varieties – Athiri and Aidani – are added to the mandatory 85% Assyrtiko to add body and damp down acidity and the wine is aged in oak vats for 6 months.

Douloufakis Alargo Assyrtiko 2020 shows what Crete can offer lovers of Assyrtiko. A fresher, mineral style but with pleasant creamy notes from the lees.

If you like aromatic white wines (perhaps Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc or Bacchus) Moschofilero may be for you. The Peloponnese PDO of Mantinia is a key area for the grape. Aromas include rose and honeysuckle with grapefruit and peach fruit flavours. Like many white Greek varieties, it has relatively high acid but alcohol levels tend to be muted.

Try:

Bosinakis Mantinia PDO Moschofilero 2021 – Bosinakis are on a mission to change the perception of Moschofilero as purely a light, floral wine by adding body through longer skin contact – here 12 hours – and using less free run juice.  I think it works well. They also make a 50/50 Assyrtiko/Moschofilero blend with a similar idea in mind, combining the floral notes of the latter with the fuller body of the former.

A brief mention also for Vidiano which many think is Crete’s greatest white wine variety. This grape produces an easy-drinking, smooth-tasting wine with medium acidity and alcohol and yellow apple and peach and apricot fruit flavours. Perhaps reminiscent of better-quality Pinot Grigio. It’s also made into sparkling wine.

Try:

Douloufakis Dafnios Vidiano 2021 for a lighter style or their barrel-aged, premium Aspros Lagos which recently received 17.5pts/20 from Jancis Robinson. Jancis’s team also tried the 2016 Vidiano and called it “superb” (17.5pts), remarking on the development of honey and nutty flavours in the wine.

Reds

Not just Xinomavro but many other Greek red varieties make powerful, full-bodied tannic wines but there are a range of styles to please any palate.

In the smoother, easy-drinking, category are wines made from the Agioritiko (Saint George) grape of the Peloponnese.  Travellers may remember drinking wines from Nemea, sometimes with a lion on the label, recalling Hercules’ feat in slaying the Nemean lion in Greek mythology.  Although Agioritiko can be made into structured, full-bodied, oaked wines with ageing potential it is perhaps more typically made in a lighter, red fruited, medium-acid style recalling Beaujolais and perhaps Merlot or Barbera. Another grape offering this smooth style but with a little more spice is Limniona from Crete. This is also similar to Gamay (Beaujolais) or Mencia from Spain.

Try:

Kokotos Estate Three Hills Agioritiko 2020 – from Attica rather than Nemea, this is a very good value, soft and drinkable example. Cherry fruit with smooth tannins. 10% Cabernet Sauvignon to add structure.

A new discovery for me was the powerful grape, Liatiko, from Crete. This is said to be the island’s finest red variety. It makes pale wines reminiscent of a powerful Pinot Noir with redcurrants, strawberries and cherries which can develop more savoury notes with age. Like many Cretan wines I tasted it has strong herbal aromas, evocative of the “garrigue” notes of southern French wine.

Try:

Douloufakis Dafnios Liatiko 2019 – this has excellent tannin and acid structure, well-balanced by the ripe red cherry fruit and herbal notes.  It undergoes 12 months in large old oak casks – 1,500l and 3,000l – and should age well. The producer suggests leather and spice notes will develop over time.

Finally, two relatively obscure varieties stood out for me: Mavroudi and Mavrodaphne.  

The first was originally a Bulgarian variety (Mavrud) and is grown by Ktima Vourvoukeli in Avdira in Thrace, close to the Bulgarian border. Centuries ago this area produced the famed Pamiti wine, beloved apparently of drinkers in Byzantium but phylloxera devastated the area in the nineteenth century and viticulture was only re-started in 1990.  Vourvoukeli’s Mavroudi 2017 is a full-bodied, crimson-coloured wine with crisp acidity and strong tannins showing bright red and black fruits and vanilla notes from the new French oak barrels. The 2017 is just starting to develop some deeper savoury notes and clearly has ageing potential which will help soften the tannins. Very much a wine to drink with rich food.

Mavrodaphne hails from Kefalonia as either Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia or of Patras and is often made into sweet wines. In Aigialeia in the Peloponnese it is called Tsigello and grows at altitudes of up to 650m in the Rouvalis vineyards. The Rouvalis Tsigello PDI Slopes of Aigialeia 2020 is a single vineyard wine, produces only 2,000 bottles each year. It offers really fresh red fruits and herbal notes backed by fine tannins.  I was not surprised that 80% of the wine is aged in clay amphoras and the balance in old French oak barrels for five months. For whatever reason, ageing in amphoras really does give bright, fresh flavours. Again, lots of ageing potential here.

So I urge you to try some Greek wines if you haven’t already. Or for those familiar with some of the varieties, try some of the lesser-known ones. Most of the wines excellent value and you’ll be surprised by their quality.

All the wines mentioned above are available through Maltby + Greek but I would also look at the Wine Society’s Greek range which has become more of a focus for them in recent years.

Enjoy!