Konstantinos Lazarakis' Directory of Greek Wine Producers

By Konstantinos Lazarakis

This short ebook comprises a directory of many of the most significant producers of wine in Greece today. Greek Master of Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis offers profiles of over 170 of Greece’s 700 wine producers. Wine is made across the country, from the influential and innovative wines of Macedonia, to the vivid Mediterranean wines of the Peloponnese and Greece’s many island wines. Producers are listed by region and each section begins with a short explanation of the important wine grapes and typical wine styles of the region in question. Profiles include tasting pointers on each producer’s most notable wines as well as an appraisal of the winery’s overall style. This handy book will prove valuable to anybody buying Greek wines or visiting the country to experience its wines.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Académie du Vin Library
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781917084062

Konstantinos Lazarakis

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Masters of Wine, became the first Greek Master of Wine in 2002. He co-founded Wine & Spirits Professional Center, an educational organization that runs Wine & Spirits Education Trust and the Court of Master Sommeliers courses throughout Greece. He consults widely for the Hellenic Exports Organization, Aegean Airlines and Costa Navarino and for wine producers, restaurants and hotels all over the world.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Greek wine in the global wine scene is, to use a Greek word, an oxymoron. It is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. It is the place where the first sought after wines were made, and made famous. The concept of grands crus and the cult wines of today stems from ancient Greece. The Greeks have one of the deepest wine cultures in the world. In more than one way, Greeks paved the way for wine to become a fascinating, aspirational product.

Greek wine has been through a sea of transformation over the last century, with the rate of change becoming breathtaking since the 1980s. Greek wine producers are actually a very interesting breed. Their approach combines elements from the New World as well as their Old World counterparts. They work with some of the oldest grape varieties on the planet, yet they expend tremendous amounts of effort realizing the potential of their vines, their vineyards and even themselves.

Developments in production went hand in hand with developments in the Greek consumer base. Greek wine drinkers who, for better or for worse, are the main customers of Greek wineries, provided the ideal template of challenges for national winemakers. Younger generations had to be convinced that wine-drinking could be cool. Older generations had to be converted to bottled (as opposed to bulk) wine. Both had to be taught that wine can be an aspirational part of everyday life. Many wine consumers, once they turned into wine lovers, realized that there is a lot more to discover in wines made in other countries, keeping Greek winemakers on their toes. This perfect example of social–agricultural co-evolution in itself makes Greek wine very interesting.

I often see old friends at wine fairs in France, the UK or the US. Even today, when I invite them over to the Greek stands to taste some wine I frequently get the one-line response, ‘I do not like retsina,’ as an answer. And it is wine professionals I am talking about here, so this just goes to show the huge amount of work the Greek wine industry needs to do in order to convince the world of Greece’s worth as a wine-producing nation. Not only do such responses show a complete lack of knowledge, since Greek wine is so much more than just retsina, it also demonstrates an unwillingness to give these wines a second chance, which is a great shame since, as you will discover in the following pages, retsina can be a world-class wine.

The directory that follows features a selection of my favourite producers of Greek wine. It is taken from my book The wines of Greece, a comprehensive study of the country and its winemakers. That book includes far more information on the history of Greek wine, a thorough exploration of the rapidly evolving modern wine industry, a survey of the Greek landscape and profiles of the most important of the huge variety of indigenous grapes grown across the country. It also provides more in-depth introductions to all of the regions, and more detailed producer profiles, along with thorough appendices. For details on where you can get your copy please turn to the end of this book.

The producer entries were written with the help of my archive notes, as well as the answers to a questionnaire I sent out, to make sure everything I wrote was bang up-to-date. The format of most of these entries is simple to follow: a brief account of the history of the winery, the people behind their wines and a short discussion of the most important wines produced. It was never my intention to provide a complete list of all wines produced.

While writing this book no specific tastings were conducted, although I taste about two thousand Greek wines per year, with copious tasting notes on the vast majority. I intentionally have not included any tasting notes, at least on specific vintages, that would render this book out of date in a matter of months. However, I loved writing about the style of many wines, their personality and the philosophy and vision of their makers. I have not supplied ratings, either for producers or for wines. It is a most vulgar thing to do to people, and to things that have a soul, if you ask me … I am sure you can read between the lines and see which wines I would buy for myself. But I also hope I can help you discover wines that I might not adore – but you will.

1

THRACE

Up in the east of the mainland, bordering Turkey and Bulgaria, Thrace is one of the most geographically remote regions of Greece. Books discussing the wine production of Greece do not usually devote a separate chapter to Thrace, normally including it with Macedonia. This underlines the small scale of production and the low importance of viticulture in the eyes of the local community. Bellas winery in Soufli in the prefecture of Evros, established as recently as 1994, can lay claim to being one of the first producers in Thrace to make, bottle, and sell wine beyond the local market.

It is too early to try and define a specific style of wine produced in Thrace. There is only a handful of wineries in the region, most of which are relatively recently established, and their modus operandi can vary hugely. In the 1970s, the few wines produced were either very light reds and rosés, lacking fruit, extract and structure, or dilute, non-aromatic and slightly coarse whites. Nowadays, the character of a wine is more likely to display the ability or approach of the winemaker than any notion of a ‘Thracean terroir’. What modern wines do have in common is a freshness of fruit that is usually not found in the warmer regions of Greece such as Crete or the Peloponnese. Nevertheless, the lack of a regional typicity has not been an obstacle for the best producers, who are crafting some exciting and most promising wines.

Producers

Anatolikos Vineyards

www.anatolikoswinery.gr; [e-mail]

Anatolikos (‘the one who comes from the east’) Vineyards was established by the brothers Sakis and Marios Nikolaidis in 2005, with a clear focus on indigenous varieties and hard work in the vineyard.

The most interesting part of the Anatolikos range must be the wines made from Mavroudi. To a certain extent, they redefine Mavroudi. At the top of the range there is Fine Mavroudi, coming from a vineyard that yields as low as 30 hectolitres per hectare. The wine also includes Cabernet Sauvignon (10 per cent) and is aged in barriques for eighteen months but these elements are difficult to spot when tasting the wine. The first vintage of this wine was 2012 so it is hard to comment on the ageing ability but it seems that it will keep fresh for at least a decade. The MV Mavroudi has 20 per cent Merlot and 20 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and is an easier introduction to the wines of Anatolikos.

Fine Assyrtiko, with 20 per cent Malagousia, is oak fermented with indigenous yeast and is broad and expressive. The same blend, with a bit more Malagousia, is also vinified as an orange wine, with more than 140 days of skin contact in amphora. Sulphites are not added during the maceration but small amounts are used prior to bottling. Finally, the sweet Pollios is made from sun-dried Mavroudi, Assyrtiko and Muscat to produce the modern wine closest to what the ancient Thrace vineyards would have been making millennia ago.

Kikones Domaine

www.kikones.com; [e-mail]

Kikones, named after the ancient tribe of Thrace, was established by the Tassou family after Apostolos Tassou decided to split from Tsantalis on the Maronia project. His two children, Melina and Vassilis are the driving forces behind the estate. Elegance, low level extraction and precision are the Kikones hallmarks.

The benchmark wine of the estate is Limnio, arguably the best current example of the variety. It makes one wonder why there is no more Limnio like this on the market. Close to that in quality is Maron, a steel-fermented Malagousia with all the typicity of the grape, together with the grace of Melina’s touch. The rest of the range includes a partly oaked Chardonnay, a Sangiovese, a Cabernet Sauvignon–Merlot blend and, the most impressive, Kikones Syrah. All Kikones wines are produced in small quantities, usually between 4,000 and 7,000 bottles, and deserve to be highly sought after.

Tsantali Maronia Vineyards

www.tsantali.com; [e-mail]

The establishment of Maronia Vineyards by Tsantali was a classic Tsantali move. Wines from Maronia and Ismaros were extremely successful in ancient times, and this solid past was a perfect match for Evangelos Tsantalis’ plans to develop modern wines destined to compete in foreign markets. Initially, the focus of the Tsantalis Maronia venture was the production of varietal wines, with a large percentage of them aged in oak. The focus was on international grape varieties, mainly Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah and Grenache Rouge, together with some plantings of Malvasia, Roditis and Limnio. In 2007 this also became the first vineyard in Greece where precision viticulture was practised. Currently, harvested grapes are transported in small crates to the main Tsantali winery in Aghios Pavlos, Halkidiki.

The wine range from Maronia has changed a lot in the last decade, in styles, blends, names and varietals. The core wine of Maronia is the Mavroudi, which is barrel aged, with a quarter of new oak. This may be one of the finest-value red wines coming from Greece. The Kanenas range is not associated with the Maronia Vineyards on a marketing level but it originated here. The white Kanenas is a fresh Muscat of Alexandria–Chardonnay blend, while the rosé and the red are Mavroudi with Syrah. Wines are easy drinking and good value.

Ktima Vourvoukeli

www.ktima-vourvoukeli.gr; [e-mail]

Ktima Vourvoukeli was one of the first wine producers to be established in Avdira, with the first bottlings in 2001. Founder Nikos Vourvoukelis sadly passed away in 2014. However, his two sons, Odysseas and Giorgos, are determined to progress the estate to the next level.

Fruit is sourced mostly from owned vineyards that are about as close as one could get to the sea. The organically cultivated vineyards are predominantly planted with Greek varieties, plus Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot and Cinsault. Assyrtiko was brought in from Santorini and a Roditis clone came from the Peloponnese (rather than the nearer vineyards of Macedonia). Cuttings from Zoumiatiko and Pamidi have been painstakingly gathered from old vineyards in the region and sent to Italy for nursery grafting.

The philosophy behind the winery is evident in the most remarkable part of the vineyards – a small section that constitutes a local viticultural archive. Vourvoukelis originally planted about 100 vines from local but unidentified varieties that he found in old vineyards planted long before cuttings from other parts of Greece were introduced on a large scale.

Two brand names are used: the upmarket Lagara (meaning ‘pure liquid’) and Avdiros, which is simpler in style. Both ranges are blends, with the reds being juicy, soft and charming. However, the two varietal labels are the best Vourvoukelis wines: a medium bodied Assyrtiko and an excellent, American-oak-aged Limnio.

2

MACEDONIA

Many Greeks consider Macedonia the Tuscany of Greece. Most of the trends start here before being diffused to the rest of Greece. Examples abound, from Greek musicians to restaurants. This stands true, more or less, for wine as well. From the initiation of the Wine Roads of Northern Greece, to the Thessaloniki Wine Competition, to the Sauvignon Blanc–Assyrtiko blends, the Greek wine industry owes much to the Macedonians.

In this predominantly red wine region, the most important traditional grape is Xinomavro. Macedonia has a noteworthy group of native varieties, but most are only found in isolated spots. Macedonian wines lack the heat and Mediterranean character of those from a number of regions further south and certain areas like Amynteo in Florina make wine with a distinctly ‘cool-climate’ feel to them. Whites from international varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc, are leaner, fresher and more lifted than examples found in, say, Central Greece.

The producers of Macedonia tend to be both sound and innovative, even adventurous. The Union of Wine Producers of Northern Greece’s Vineyards has been active over the years, organizing events and tastings as well as the nation’s only International Wine Competition. The Wine Roads of Northern Greece project, encompassing not only Macedonia but Thessaly, Thrace, and Epirus, has been successful in developing wine tourism.

WESTERN MACEDONIA – FLORINA

Florina is in northwestern Macedonia, near the borders with Albania and North Macedonia. Amynteo, in eastern Florina, is the prefecture’s one PDO, awarded in 1972.

The appellation is devoted to Xinomavro and it expresses the grape in far more ways than other Xinomavro PDOs in Macedonia. PDO wines can be red or rosé. The locals make some excellent blancs de noirs from Xinomavro, but since these have been left out of the PDO framework, they have to be traded as Florina PGIs. These vins gris can blend depth with freshness, while keeping the true aromatic qualities of Xinomavro surprisingly intact. Most PDO reds are dry.

Amynteo Xinomavro compares with Naoussa Xinomavro to the east in the same way that Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir compares with Côte de Nuits. Amynteo is usually lighter, not as tannic, but more floral. Good growers can add ripeness and concentration to their fruit, creating a style close to Naoussa, but without the same levels of power and firmness.

Amynteo is the only PDO in Greece where rosé is important, and one of the few that produces significant quantities of sparkling wines. Most sparkling wines are made with the Charmat method but traditionally-made sparkling Xinomavros are on the rise.

Producers

Ktima Alpha

www.alpha-estate.com; [e-mail]

This leading estate of Greece has impeccable vineyards and an immaculate winery. The 120 hectares of vineyards are split in numerous parcels and planted with more than fifteen grape varieties. Immense care has been taken to match variety, soil and trellis system. This is also the first drip-irrigated vineyard in Greece. Co-owner Makis Mavridis is not fond of organic viticulture and prefers sustainable farming, paying close attention to all that happens in the vineyard. He is a difficult man to argue against.

The winery is the logical extension of the vine-growing philosophy, from optical shorting, to small patch pressing and vinifying, to an immense barrel cellar. Top quality new oak is a major part of the style and Mavridis’ partner, Angelos Iatridis, unashamedly advocates riper, bigger styles of wine.

The main labels are the Ktima white, a Sauvignon Blanc aged in stainless steel, and the Ktima red, a blend of Syrah with 20 per cent each of Merlot and Xinomavro. It is the label that started this very successful blend, the SMX. In terms of volume, Alpha is also the leading Malagousia producer in Greece.

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