Written by Evan Saviolidis | 27 September 2010

Article Index
Greece Rising Up!
Day 3
Day 4 & 5
Day 6
Day 7
The Finale
All Pages

What was once the past is now the future.

Having grown up in a Greek household, the usual wine of choice at the dinner table was Retsina or some table wine from Zeus knows where. Needless to say, those harrowing experiences endured until I became serious about wine in the mid 90s. I remember the moment of my epiphany! I was participating in a blind 1990 Bordeaux Tasting (a fabulous vintage). Our panel was informed that that there was a ringer in the flight. We were taken to task to rank our top three selections and to try to deduce the mystery wine. When all was said and done, the ringer ranked second, beating out classified growths. That wine was the Chateau Porto Carras 1990, a Bordeaux styled blend with a dash of indigenous Limnio added for good measure.

Since that time, I have tried to experience as much nouveau Greek wine as possible, both from indigenous and French grapes. The only thing, historically, standing in the way, has been the provincial liquor board’s non willingness to place Greek products on the shelf in favour of their own agenda. Thankfully, a new generation of wine importers, both in Quebec and Ontario, have done a fabulous job bringing modern wines of that ancient land to the consumer.

Still, there are many that I have as yet to experience, especially with over 300 indigenous varietals. So when the opportunity to return to the homeland with a group of sommeliers and journalists arose, I jumped at the chance. Here is my week long diary in the land of Dionysus.

Day 1
After an overnight flight and a connection through Germany, our group landed in Thessaloniki where we checked into the Electra Palace. Each room had a breathtaking view onto the sea, with Mount Olympus as the backdrop.  After refreshing ourselves, we were slowly eased into the local wine and food culture with dinner at the hotel. The wines of Biblia Chora, a partnership between winemaking superstars and long time friends Evangelos Gerovassiliou and Vassilis Tsaktsarlis were served.

The Biblia Chora Rose 08, made from 100% Syrah, scored 87 points. The red berry fruits, acid and slight tannic edge paired beautifully with the saltiness of the grilled haloumi cheese. The 89 point Ovilos White 09, an oak aged blend of Semillion and Assyrtiko, was a great partner to the roasted eggplant and feta, as the smokiness of the wine matched the smokiness of the aubergine. For the main course, we were served bifteki (grilled meat patties) and veal cheeks in a cinnamon scented tomato sauce. The red Biblia did the job (88).

Before turning in for the night, the mandatory phyllo pastry desserts with the equally mandatory Tsipouro (Greek grappa) was served. Sleep came easily.

Day 2
Departing at 9 am, we travelled 25km southwest of Thessaloniki to the town of Epanomi and Domaine Gerovassiliou. Evangelos Gerovassiliou is a legend. One of the father’s of the modern wine movement, he trained under fabled Bordeaux University Professor, Emile Peynaud. Upon returning home in 1976, he was hired as the oeneolgist for Chateau Porto Carras, where he made some of Greece’s earliest brilliant wines.

In 1983, he decided to resuscitate and replant the family vineyard with both French (20%) and indigenous grapes (80%). One of the grapes which he is credited with bringing back is the ancient white varietal, Malagousia.  When treated with respect, it is Greece’s answer to Gewürztraminer. Other grapes grown at the domaine include Viognier, Syrah, Mavroudi, Mavrotragano and Limnio. The latter varietal has been documented since the time of Aristotle, circa 350 B.C.

We tasted an impressive array of older and younger wines. The Syrah 2001, which still has another decade of life ahead it, earned a solid 93 points for its concentrated violets, raisins, dark fruits and visinada (sour cherry syrup). The Evangelo 2006, a Cote Rotie styled blend of Syrah and Viognier earned 89 points, as did the 100% Viognier.  

For lunch at the winery, we were served grilled kalamari topped with eggplant and grilled peppers as an appetizer. Mayfish, a firm textured fish, with horta (bitter greens) was the main course. These paired perfectly with two wines. The first was the Chardonnay 2008 (90), a full bodied yet elegant oak aged wine with loads of peach, vanilla and tropical fruit. The other was the Fume Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (88), which showed a creamy texture and flavours of pear, apple, citrus, flowers, and spice. For dessert, the Late Harvest Malagousia 2009 (89) with all its peach, banana, orange blossom and spice was a perfect match for the clove scented green figs in simple syrup.

After lunch, our voyage took us south east to Halkidiaki and the singular Côtes de Meliton appellation. The region is defined by two details.  First, it is the only OPAP (AOC) region which authorizes French grapes. Elsewhere, the more liberal Regional Wine/Vin de Pays designation comes into play. Secondly, it is a one winery only appellation – Domaine Porto Carras.

The most famous historic estate in all of Greece, it was founded by celebrated ship owner, John Carras. With no history of viticulture, Carras brought in Emile Peynaud, who helped to supervise the planting of twenty seven varieties.  Gerovassiliou was then brought in the 70s, and the rest, as they say, is history, albeit short in Greek terms. Unfortunately, in the early 2000s, the company fell into bankruptcy, and is now in the hands of an investment group.

I had high hopes for the wines, but the decline has set in. On a positive note, the winery has just hired a new Chilean winemaker, so there is hope on the horizon.

Dinner that night was back in Thessaloniki which included the mandatory Tsipouro.