The Greek wine renaissance is in full swing and at last retailers in the UK are starting to stock their minerally whites and juicy reds.  Discover unusual indigenous grapes like fragrant Moschofilero and Malagousia whites as well as spicy Xinomavro and Agiorgitiko reds – with prices for all budgets from £7.29 to over £50.

 

 

DRY WHITES:

 

Peloponnese: THE SOCIETY’S GREEK WHITE 2022 Semeli ***GOOD VALUE***

£5.75 hf bt; £8.95 bt The Wine Society

Superb entre into Greek vinous delights – a gentle aromatic blend with limepeel, grapefruit, zippy zesty dry palate made from local Moschofilero and Roditis grapes crafted by the master of Moschofilero himself, Leonidas Nassiakos, from vines grown 650m on Peloponnese plateau.

 

 

Epanomi: CHARDONNAY 2021 Domaine Gerovassiliou

£21 Strictly Wine; All About Wine; Aspris

From northerly Epanomi region near Thessalonika where vineyards are cooled by sea breezes; this is serious oak fermented Chardonnay with rich leesy intensity, rich creamy and complex – at a remarkably good price in comparison to white Burgundy.

 

 

Santorini: ENALIA ASSYRTIKO 2019 Gavalas  ***STAR BUY***

£46 Terra Wines

Discovered this gem at the recent 50 Great Greek Wine tasting; citric spicy, beautifully intensity and complexity with mineral and saline edge – made from 120 year old Assyrtiko vines grown in Pyrgos and Megalochori areas of the island.

 

 

Crete: DAFNIOS WHITE 2021 Douloufakis

£14.95 The Wine Society

This youthful example of local Cretan Vidiano grape is overtly fruity with a hint of chamomile tea and slightly waxy texture; I recently sampled the mature 2018 vintage of this wine at 50 Great Greek Tasting and was so impressed by its toastiness and honey notes.

 

 

Santorini: PYRITIS 2020 Artemis Karamolegos

£41 Amathus Drinks; £49 Hedonism Wine

Assyrtiko grape at its best grown on the volcanic ash and basalt soils of Santorini island and crafted by leading Santorini winery Karamolegos; incredibly intense flinty minerally dry white made from very old vines.

 

 

Peloponnese: CHOSEN BY MAJESTIC GREEK WHITE 2022

£8.99 / £9.99 Majestic Wine

Majestic’s new own label wine makes a great introduction to aromatic Greek whites.  Made predominantly from Malagousia (63% of blend) with 27% Roditis and 10% Assyrtiko from Kintonis winery.  Very floral aromas with pearskin flavours and sleek minerally finish.

 

 

Macedonia: OVILOS BARREL FERMENTED ASSYRTIKO SEMILLON 2021 Biblia Chora  ***STAR BUY***

£31 Strictly Wine; Novel Wines

This is one of my favourite Greek wines from the slopes of Mount Pangeon near Kavala– beautifully crafted by winemaker Vassilios Tsaktsarlis who studied in Bordeaux.  His barrel fermented Assyrtiko with equal amount of Semillon in the blend is deliciously creamy, nutty, savoury and textural.

 

 

 

REDS:

 

 

Peloponnese: AGIORGITIKO 2018 Athlon  ***GOOD VALUE***

£7.29 Aldi

Smart own label wine from Aldi made from widely planted Agiorgitiko grape, alongside Syrah, this pale red with bright plummy fruits and peppery undertones has a lovely savoury finish.  Superb value.

 

 

Crete: PETALI LIATIKO 2019 Diamantakis

£14 Woodwinters

Little known Cretan Liatiko grape makes deliciously juicy cherry fruits and herby undertones – it tastes like a cross between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo – expect a light red ideal for summer.

 

 

Naoussa: RAMNISTA XINOMAVRO 2017 Ktima Kir Yianni ***STAR BUY***

£26.95 Fine Wine Portobello

Another discovery from the 50 Great Greek tasting; very stylish Xinomavro aged in both French and American oak.  Fragrant delicate violet and chocolate notes with grippy tannins and lingering finish.

 

 

Macedonia: XINOMAVRO 2021 Oenops wines

£21.40 Epinoia

Xinomavro blend from two areas: Naoussa’s clay and calcareous soils in central Macedonia and Amyndeo’s cool high elevation sandy plateau in western Macedonia.  Loved this black fruited savoury dense Xinomavro from Nikos Karatzas, another find from 50 Great Greek tasting.

 

 

Naoussa: XINOMAVRO JEUNES VIGNES 2021 Thymiopoulos

£13.50 The Wine Society

Xinomavro is known as ‘sour black’, but here it is at its most user-friendly made by the Xinomavro master Apostolos Thymiopoulos who has such a gentle touch; light elegant perfumed red fruits – suit anyone who normally enjoys Pinot Noir.

 

 

Thessaly: LIMNIONA TERRACOTTA 2020 Ktima Zafeirakis

£24 Wine & Greene; Greek Wine

Christos Zafeirakis makes superb wines from biodynamically-grown Limniona grape.  Unusually fermented in large wooden casks, then aged in clay amphora giving it spicy red fruit, ripe tannins and silky lush tannins.

 

 

 

SWEET:

 

Santorini: VINSANTO LATE RELEASE 2002 Argyos  ***STAR BUY***

£76 Epinoia

Incredible mature example of Santorini’s famous Vinsanto dessert wine made by the Vinsanto masters Estate Argyos – an Assytriko/Aidani/Athiri blend aged 16 years in the cellar. Loved its figgy raisiny honeyed notes and delectably sweet complex finish.

 

By Rose Murray Brown MW   Published in The Scotsman 29 July 2023

 

Join Rose’s Escorted Wine Tour to South America in Jan/Feb 2024 www.rosemurraybrown.com