Greek wine goes for the gold ！ Olympic gold
By Anthony
Between now and next summer's Olympic Games in Athens, much
of the attention will focus on whether various Greek institutions can whip
themselves into shape in time to host a party for the world.
Fortunately, Greece's winemakers already have done their
part, having spent the past decade modernizing their 4,000-year-old industry and
turning it into a source of well-made, distinctive wines. Set aside those
memories of retsina, the rustic, pine-resin-flavored wine that long has been the
country's most famous (some would say notorious) vinified product. It's still
around, but it's giving way to elegant white wines made from indigenous grapes,
such as Moschofilero and Assyrtiko, and complex, meaty reds made from Xynomavro
and Agiorgitiko.
They're a mouthful, but a tasty mouthful.
"The average consumer still thinks all Greek wine is
retsina, until they put (a modern) one in their mouth and taste it. Then they're
sold," says Andrea Englisis of Athenee Importers, which represents about 25
Greek wineries in the USA.
After Greece joined the European Union in 1993, its wine
industry followed the same progressive path that has revolutionized quality so
dramatically in Italy and Spain. Today, many of Greece's top winemakers are
young and ambitious and have trained in France, California and Australia. And
the government has helped wineries upgrade equipment and plant vineyards to meet
EU standards.
As a result, the past five years have seen a gradual shift
away from mass-produced generic wines and toward more finely crafted boutique
bottles. Importers say that among the 200,000 cases of Greek wine sold in the
USA in a typical year, the fastest-selling bottles are those priced at $10 to
$20. More significantly, the best bottles are finding a home on wine lists of
both Greek and non-Greek upscale restaurants.
"They add breadth and depth to a list," says Englisis,
noting that restaurateurs are more interested in wines from indigenous Greek
grapes because they offer interesting alternatives to the chardonnays and
merlots. Conversely, in retail stores, consumers who just want to dip their toes
in the water are more likely to start with Greek wines from familiar grapes ！
chardonnay, merlot, cabernet.
"Either way, we have it covered," she says.
Though Greek wines are making headway ！ U.S. imports in
2002 were up 22% in volume and 31% in value over 2001 ！ marketing and consumer
education are major barriers to mainstream acceptance.
More than 250 indigenous wine grapes and two dozen
traditional European varieties grow in Greece. Many of the varieties are hard
for Americans to pronounce, and some have alternative spellings. Greece also has
nearly a dozen major growing regions, all of which means some homework is
required to understand the labels and the wines.
"Some producers spend $5 million on the winery, but
there's no marketing plan," says Konstantine Drougos, founder of Amerikus Wines
& Spirits, which represents 14 Greek wineries in the USA. "We'll see
amazing, world-class wines coming from Greece in the next five years, but to
sell them you still have to associate them with a story."
For Drougos, the story is that Greece is "the Napa of
Europe, with several thousand years of history on top of it. It has so many
perfect places to grow grapes, and the grapes have their own character. We can
produce fruity wines because we get lots of sun, but they also have good acidity
because a lot of the vineyards are high on mountains."
One wine that has made a significant breakthrough is the
Moschofilero from Boutari, one of Greece's largest producers of fine wine. The
floral-scented, velvety-textured white wine sells for about $14 retail and has
been extremely popular at upscale mainstream restaurants since it was introduced
in 2000. Paterno Wines International, which imports the Boutari wines, says it
sold 7,000 cases in the first quarter of this year and projects annual sales to
reach 20,000 cases within a few years.
"This is a wine that people just like to drink; they don't
believe it's Greek," Paterno CEO Anthony Terlato says. "Normally when you import
a Greek wine, you go straight to the Greek restaurants, and then it ends because
the transition (to the mainstream) is difficult. With this wine, we decided to
avoid the Greek restaurants and go everywhere else. It was accepted
immediately."
Terlato doesn't see a breakout red wine yet, but he
believes Greek wines in general will continue to flourish, regardless of the
Olympics connection.
"People won't drink Moschofilero because it's Greek;
they'll drink it because they like it," he says. "If the Olympics helps, that's
fine. Regardless, this project is on course."
A sampler of fine wine
Getting a grip on Greek wines can challenge even the most
dedicated oenophile (a word that originated in Greece, by the way). A
bewildering number of grape varieties grow there in a variety of microclimates
spread over a vast area.
But exploring wines beyond the ubiquitous retsina is worth
the effort, because many are well-made in a modern style and deliver great
value.
Two tips for shopping:
? Look for wines with one of the major appellations
(growing areas) on the label, such as Nemea, Noussa, Santorini or Mantinia. That
way, you'll avoid the generic wines of lesser quality.
? Focus on wines made from these top indigenous grapes:
Moschofilero, a spicy, floral white from Mantinia; Assyrtiko, a crisp, elegant
white from Santorini; Agiorgitiko, a soft, berry-flavored red from Nemea; and
Xynomavro, a full-bodied red wine from Naoussa.
Here are a few currently available bottles that showcase
Greece's breadth and depth (retail prices are approximate):
Whites
? 2002 Megapanos Winery Savatiano, Attica, $8. Soft,
refreshing, bone dry. Food match: shellfish.
? 2002 Techni Alipias Sauvignon Blanc, Drama, $15. Citrusy
bouquet; zesty flavors of lime, minerals and grass. Food match: seafood.
? 2002 Boutari Moschofilero, Mantinia, $14. Floral aroma;
juicy, spicy flavors of citrus and melon; elegant texture. Food match: grilled
fish, quiche.
? 2002 Miliarakis Vilana, Crete, $14. Rich and ripe with
pronounced vanilla and pear flavors. Food match: smoked fish.
? 2002 Boutari Kallisti, Santorini, $18. Weighty texture,
oak-accented flavors of pears and caramel; made from the Assyrtiko grape. Food
match: pork, chicken, cream sauces.
? 2002 Gaia Estate Thalassitis, Santorini, $18. Full-bodied
with a velvety texture; generous flavors of smoke and citrus; made from the
Assyrtiko grape. Food match: grilled fish, chicken.
Reds
? 2000 Haggipavlu Olympus Hellas Aghiorgitiko, Nemea, $11.
Aromas of green pepper; hefty weight; soft herbal flavors tinged with smoke.
Food match: smoked meats, stews.
? 2000 Domaine Spiropoulos Red Stag, $11. Rich, soft, spicy
flavors; made from Agiorgitiko grapes from Nemea. Food match: roast lamb.
? 2000 Hatzimichalis Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Attica,
$17. Sweet and herbal aroma; meaty, herb-tinged black cherry flavors. Food
match: roast meats, hard cheeses.
? 1997 Boutari Grande Reserve, Naoussa, $15. Made from the
Xynomavro grape; nice acidic backbone reminiscent of a Chianti; oak-tinged
cherry-raspberry flavors. Food match: roast lamb, grilled meats. |
Story: