Over the Wine-Dark Sea
Greece likely has the richest ancient wine culture in the world. Homer, lacking the color blue in his vocabulary, resorted to the only descriptor for ‘dark liquid’ that would make sense to all: the ‘wine-dark sea’, referenced over a dozen times in the Iliad and Odyssey. Alas, as romantic as its past is, Greek wine has been an afterthought (at best) since at least the 15th century, when Turkish rule put an unceremonious halt to all Greek wine trade in the Mediterranean. So is there a thread connecting the wine of the Mycaneans (c.1600 - 1150 bce) with the wine being made today? At the very least connecting us with medieval Byzantine wine? Yes and no.
The ways in which Greek wine has bridged the gap are twofold: broadly, the local grapes used throughout Greece seem to be genetically distinct to Aegean and Ionian sea regions, meaning they are likely distant offspring of grapes grown in antiquity (though almost certainly not identical); specifically, there are some traditions that echo the winemaking of long ago such as ‘retsina’, or wine that is flavored with resin, to mimic ancient wines that took on amphorae-sealing resin’s flavor. While there are no retsinas in this month’s wine club, we do have one on the shelf if you’re curious! It’s definitely one of the most unique wines we carry.
For the most part, though, contemporary Greek wine is a thoroughly modern invention. Through civil war in the 19th century and world wars in the 20th, Greece as a whole never had a chance to breathe after breaking from the Ottoman Empire. It wasn’t until the 1960’s/70’s that they began to invest in any semblance of a wine industry that wasn’t just cheap swill for domestic consumption. In the 1980’s/90’s Greek winemakers who had been studying in France began moving back to the homeland and vastly improving quality - one notable winemaker from this tradition, George Skouras, is represented this month with his Agiorgitiko.
Through the end of the 20th century, wine quality steadily improved - bolstered by the burgeoning Greek tourism industry, which has blossomed into one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. Assyrtiko from the beautiful island of Santorini benefited most from this uptick - the Assyrtiko from Santo Winery this month is a classic example of what Santorini produces today.
Finally, a renewed interest in native grapes across all of the winemaking world has greatly benefited Greece, with its wide-ranging indigenous varieties providing ample opportunities for people to explore a previously untapped world of wine. Thankfully for us here in Wisconsin, we have a number of distributors working with stellar importers of Greek wine. If you enjoy these, check out some of the others we’re highlighting all month on our feature table!
Denthis ‘Stamnaki’ Assyrtiko
Peloponnese, Greece
The Grapes
100% Assyrtiko
Producer Profile
Denthis “Stamnaki” (“wine jug” in Greek) is an in-house project for Eklektikon, a Greek wine importer working exclusively with tiny family winemaking projects across Greece. These wines are an ode to indigenous Greek varieties, through simple and honest monovarietal vinifications.
Tasting Notes
Crisp green apple and honeydew melon. A touch of ripe lemon and apricot with a noticeable mineral finish. Nice acidity, light body, and crisp as can be.
Pairing Suggestions
We’ve got all of these lovely tinned fish in the store now… this wine would be a perfect pair with some smoked mackerel with an array of hard cheeses and crackers.
Santo Winery Assyrtiko
Sanotorini, Greece
The Grapes
100% Assyrtiko
Producer Profile
Santo Wines is a conglomerate of small producers on Santorini working to champion the island’s wines (and tourism) to as broad an international audience as possible. They make wines of the highest quality that are representative of the incredible volcanic terroir of Santorini. This is definitely a winery to put on your list if you’re making a trip to Greece!
Tasting Notes
Laser-sharp acid and minerality, the hallmark of Santorini Assyrtiko, defines this wine all the way through. Fresh-squeezed lemon with a hint of florality comes through nicely before a long finish still defined by the backbone of acidity with a touch of salinity so typical of Mediterranean whites.
Pairing Suggestions
If possible, fresh seafood. My perfect pairing with this wine would be raw Pacific oysters with a touch of heat. Otherwise this is a good wine to level up your fish fry with.
Denthis ‘Stamnaki’ Agiorgitiko
Peloponnese, Greece
The Grapes
100% Agiorgitiko
Producer Profile
Denthis “Stamnaki” (“wine jug” in Greek) is an in-house project for Eklektikon, a Greek wine importer working exclusively with tiny family winemaking projects across Greece. These wines are an ode to indigenous Greek varieties, through simple and honest monovarietal vinifications.
Tasting Notes
Bright and punchy red fruit: wild strawberries and pomegranate with some darker plum notes. Spiciness bounces around with the fruit. A nice nip of tannin and acid before a quick, fruity finish.
Pairing Suggestions
This is very much an everyday ‘table wine’, and not a typical Agiorgitiko (as you’ll see with the St. George below). I’d pair this with roasted chicken, preferably stuffed to the gizzard with rosemary and thyme.
Domaine Skouras ‘St. George’ Nemea
Nemea, Greece
The Grapes
100% Agiorgitiko
Producer Profile
George Skouras was one of the OG winemakers changing the perception of Greek wine. He studied in Dijon, France in the early 1980’s before moving home and starting Domaine Skouras in his hometown of Argos in Nemea. He’s been on the forefront of Greek winemaking ever since and was the pioneer of revitalizing the Agiorgitiko grape, presented here in a classic expression.
Tasting Notes
All sorts of rich, dark berries jump out of the glass. Blackberry gives way to mulberry and black plum. A light touch of oak aging shows itself with some clove and cinnamon notes before the lovely fine tannins and little poke of acidity jump in. Finished off nicely with rich cherry and vanilla.
Pairing Suggestions
We weren’t going to escape Greece without a lamb pairing, and this is the perfect wine for it. Grab a Greek lamb meatball recipe, throw some pitas on the grill, whip up some tzatziki, pop this bottle of wine, and have yourself a wonderful time.