REPORT ON GREEK WINE TODAY: authentic, sustainable...
The Date and Time: Wednesday August 27 11AM and 1:30PM for two masterclasses.
The Event: Masterclasses of predominantly white (11AM) and red (1:30PM) wines, with five panelists providing deep background. The first official Greek wine legislation was in the early 1970s, Currently, the North American taste is for assyrtiko white wines, with the red agriorgitiko and the red xinomavro (the latter principally rose sparkling), The white moschofilero also appears.
The Venue: Arcadian Loft Bay Street
The Target Audience: sommeliers, agents, media, and some buyers
The Availability/Catalogue: It was a simple listing by winery, with varietal names, dates locations and agents. 14 wines were from Macedonia, 13 from Peloponnese, some from Crete, Epirus, Thessaly, Aegean Island -- about 45 in all. The walkaround was very nicely done.
The Quote/Background: Greek wines attract the attention of sommeliers as something affordable and different. The country has 300 indigenous grape varieties and 1600 wineries. Currently, only 12% of the wine is exported; Germany is the destination for a third of Greece's total export.
The Wines: I did not try every wine. Agents are listed with a Google search.
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Papaioannou Winery Mikroklima Agiorgitiko Nemea 2006 Peloponnese -- my fave of the day
-Ktima Palivou Diaselo Kidonitsa 2024 Peloponnese
-Ktima Pavlidis Emphasis Assyrtiko 2024 Macedonia
-Kechris Winery Tear of the Pine 2022 Macedonia
-Ktima Spiropoulos Nemea Unoaked 2024 Peloponnese
-Ktima Biblia Chora White 2024 Macedonia
-Ktima Gerovassiliou White 2024 Macedonia
-Idaia Winery Ocean Thrapsathiri 2024 Crete
-Lafazanis Winery Geometria White 2023 Peloponnese
-Michalakia Estate Gold Cuvee 2024 Crete
-Kotrotsos Winery Malagouzia 2024 Peloponnese
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (86 – 89 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Orealios Gaea R Robola 2024 Ionian Island
-Diamantakis Winery Vidiano 2024 Crete
-Novus Winery A Priori Mantinia 2024 Peloponnese
-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Malagouzia Single Vineyard 2024 Macedonia
-Dourakis Winery To Romeiko 2020 Crete - Rose
-Tsililis Winery Ktima Theopetra White 2024 Thessaly
The Food: Oliver & Bonacini had a charcuterie and cheese board with fresh and dried fruit, breads and biscuits, and preserves.
The Downside: the two masterclasses were red or white (no real choice)
The Upside: a chance to taste some rare wines not usually seen in Ontario.
The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85
The Date and Time: Wednesday August 27 11AM and 1:30PM for two masterclasses.
The Event: Masterclasses of predominantly white (11AM) and red (1:30PM) wines, with five panelists providing deep background. The first official Greek wine legislation was in the early 1970s, Currently, the North American taste is for assyrtiko white wines, with the red agriorgitiko and the red xinomavro (the latter principally rose sparkling), The white moschofilero also appears.
The Venue: Arcadian Loft Bay Street
The Target Audience: sommeliers, agents, media, and some buyers
The Availability/Catalogue: It was a simple listing by winery, with varietal names, dates locations and agents. 14 wines were from Macedonia, 13 from Peloponnese, some from Crete, Epirus, Thessaly, Aegean Island -- about 45 in all. The walkaround was very nicely done.
The Quote/Background: Greek wines attract the attention of sommeliers as something affordable and different. The country has 300 indigenous grape varieties and 1600 wineries. Currently, only 12% of the wine is exported; Germany is the destination for a third of Greece's total export.
The Wines: I did not try every wine. Agents are listed with a Google search.
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Papaioannou Winery Mikroklima Agiorgitiko Nemea 2006 Peloponnese -- my fave of the day
-Ktima Palivou Diaselo Kidonitsa 2024 Peloponnese
-Ktima Pavlidis Emphasis Assyrtiko 2024 Macedonia
-Kechris Winery Tear of the Pine 2022 Macedonia
-Ktima Spiropoulos Nemea Unoaked 2024 Peloponnese
-Ktima Biblia Chora White 2024 Macedonia
-Ktima Gerovassiliou White 2024 Macedonia
-Idaia Winery Ocean Thrapsathiri 2024 Crete
-Lafazanis Winery Geometria White 2023 Peloponnese
-Michalakia Estate Gold Cuvee 2024 Crete
-Kotrotsos Winery Malagouzia 2024 Peloponnese
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (86 – 89 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Orealios Gaea R Robola 2024 Ionian Island
-Diamantakis Winery Vidiano 2024 Crete
-Novus Winery A Priori Mantinia 2024 Peloponnese
-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Malagouzia Single Vineyard 2024 Macedonia
-Dourakis Winery To Romeiko 2020 Crete - Rose
-Tsililis Winery Ktima Theopetra White 2024 Thessaly
The Food: Oliver & Bonacini had a charcuterie and cheese board with fresh and dried fruit, breads and biscuits, and preserves.
The Downside: the two masterclasses were red or white (no real choice)
The Upside: a chance to taste some rare wines not usually seen in Ontario.
The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85
Dean Tudor, Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.comhttp://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
No comments:
Post a Comment