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Santorini | by T. Kartali and P. Katsatou #issue 14

The breathtaking views from the caldera and the legendary sunsets as seen from the island have made Santorini one of the most famous destinations in the world. The island, however, is also one of the most important wine regions in greece, claiming a unique oenological ecosphere which dates back to ancient times. The island’s leading variety, Assyrtiko, has gained worldwide recognition, producing wines with a strong mineral character attributable to Santorini’s own unique volcanic soil.

Oia 

Santorini’s winemaking history stretches back 3000 years, making it one of the oldest wine producing areas in the world. What’s more, thanks to that same special volcanic soil, the vineyards here have never been affected by phylloxera. Top notch wineries produce a number of excellent wines which have found their way onto the lists of leading sommeliers around the world, making Santorini Assyrtiko a recognizable brand in the international wine market. The story of the island’s success begins with the arrival of the Boutaris family in the 1980s, which changed the commercial landscape and made Santorini wines known to domestic and foreign markets, followed by the pioneering oenological efforts of Paris Sigalas. Since then, the island’s reputation has attracted a number of winemakers from mainland greece who wish to take up the challenge of producing wine in the country’s most famous wine region. The combination of its reputation as a leading tourist destination and its unique wines has led to a boom in wine tourism on the island. Most of the island wineries offer high end wine tasting experiences, an inviting alternative to spending yet another day on the beach.

ESTATE ARGYROS

Here on the other side of the island, there are no dramatic views, only vineyards, symbols of the triumph of life over the widespread death once caused by the volcano. Surrounded by the privately owned vineyard, the estate’s winery is a modern building designed to remind the visitor of the traditional “canava” structures of Santorini. The estate, established by George Argyros in 1903, was passed down through the generations. Today, it is run by Matthew Argyros, the fourth generation of winemakers in his family. The Estate produces a series of wines – all from indigenous varieties – which they create by combining traditional and modern winemaking techniques.

Episkopi Gonia, Thira, 847 00 +30 2286 031 489 [email protected] estateargyros.com 

Open daily 10:00–20:00 Accommodates groups, up to 25 people

AVANTIS WINES CELLAR DOORS

The most recent addition to the list of Santorini wineries open to visitors is Avantis Wines Cellar doors. Apostolos Moudrichas, a well- known producer from mainland Greece, landed on the island in 2012. He began by collaborating with George Gavalas, one of Santorini’s most noted winemakers, and soon acquired a traditional cellar, a “canava” where he stored the big wooden barrels used for his winemaking. This year, he opened the doors of his new winery, an old open air cinema which was transformed to include those elements common to traditional wine cellars of the island. Here the visitor can enjoy wine tastings accompanied by food from a small menu based on Santorini’s traditional products. The winery produces five labels: two whites, Dolphins and Afoures, based on Assyritiko; two reds, red Wave and Saint Nicholas, based on Mandilari and Mavrotragano; and one rosé, Grace, made from Mandilari. The winery does not own its own vineyard; instead, all the grapes are sourced from different growers across the island.

Fira, 847 00
+30 22860 23140 [email protected] avantissantorini.com

Open daily 11:00–21:00 Accommodates groups Private tours available

Boutari Winery

A pioneer in many ways, Boutaris landed on the island of Santorini in the 1980s, when the now famous Assyrtiko variety was practically unknown. His state-of-the-art winery, distinguished by Designcrave Magazine as one of the top 10 architectural wonders of the wine world, was the first to open its doors to visitors in 1989. upon his arrival, Boutaris changed the practice of late harvesting and began vinifying less ripe grapes, causing an uproar among the traditional winemakers. Since then, the Boutari Winery has been consistently producing high-quality Santorini wines, including Assyrtiko, Nychteri and the traditional Vinsanto, a dessert wine, aged for 12 years in the barrel.

Megalochori, 847 00 • +30 22860 81011 [email protected] • boutariwinerysantorini.gr Open daily 10:00–19:00 • Accommodates groups Lots of information online

Gavalas Winery

This is a small family owned winery, one of the oldest on the island. Vagelis gavalas represents the fifth generation of a family of winemakers and, together with his father George, continues the Gavalas tradition of winemaking, using the age old method of stomping the grapes for the production of their signature wine, Vinsanto. This wine ferments and ages for six years in 100-year-old barrels made from oak imported from Russia back when the wine export trade to that country was flourishing. The charming courtyard where the wine tastings are held is next to the cellar and the old “patitiri,” where the stomping used to take place. here, visitors can also take a look at an antique press and the wicker baskets used for carrying the grapes so as to get a better idea of the traditional winemaking processes of the island.

Megalochori, 847 00 • +30 22860 82552 [email protected] • gavalaswines.gr Open daily 10:00–20:00, last call at 19:00 Accommodates small groups, up to 10 people Tours only by appointment

Gaia Wines

Housed in an industrial stone building which dates from the beginning of the 20th century and was once a tomato canning factory, Gaia Winery is nonetheless equipped with all the current technological equipment necessary for modern winemaking. A charming area in front of this impressive structure serves as the tasting area, so that wine lovers can sample different selections outdoors by the water. This is a truly marvelous setting for tasting Thalassitis, the winery’s best-selling label.

Exo Gonia, 847 00 • +30 22860 34186 [email protected] • gaiawines.gr
Open daily 10:00–18:00 • Lots of information online

Hatzidakis Winery

This winery boasts a 12-meter-long wine storage cellar (or “canava” as it is called in the local dialect), carved into the volcanic rock that forms the island’s soil, where all the winery’s barrels are kept. The rest of the winery was built in 2004 as an addition to this old canava, which wasn’t large enough for the 130,000 bottles that are currently produced annually. Of this output, 50% is exported to markets around the world. The winery’s founder, Haridimos Hatzidakis, who passed away two years ago, was considered one of the most charismatic winemakers in greece. Today the business is run by his family.

Pyrgos Callistis, 847 00 • +30 69700 13556 [email protected] • hatzidakiswines.gr Open daily except Sunday 10:30–16:00 • Accommodates small groups, up to 15 people • Bigger groups need to book a tour before 10:00 or after 17:30

Santo Wines

Situated right on the rim of the breathtaking caldera, Santo Wines offers its visitors a unique experience. An impressive modern building welcomes those who are interested not only in tasting the wines but also in trying the island’s local delicacies, served along with the wines or available for purchase in the winery’s deli shop. The winery was built in 1992 to house the Union of Santorini Cooperatives, whose products are marketed under the name Santo. The building itself resembles the island’s traditional stone benches. Sur- rounded by breathtaking views of the deep blue sea and the volcano, the visitor can enjoy a selection of the cooperative’s wines.

Pyrgos, 847 01 • +30 22860 28058 [email protected] • santowines.gr Open daily 10:00–19:00 • Accommodates groups Private tours available

Domaine Sigalas

The name of Paris Sigalas has become synonymous with Santorini winemaking. Sigalas has dedicated his life to protecting the historical vineyards of Santorini and to saving indigenous varieties from extinction. He has been instrumental in transforming Santorini Assyrtiko into a worldwide brand and has never stopped experimenting and exploring the tremendous possibilities that both Assyr- tiko and Mavrotragano, the island’s precious red variety offer. The Sigalas winery, hidden away on the plain of Oia, offers its visitors a unique winetasting experience that includes a degustation menu prepared on the spot, based in part on fresh vegetables produced on the domain, in the winery’s award-winning restaurant, where the visitor can enjoy magical views of the sunset. Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko is the winery’s most popular label.

Baxes, 847 02 • +30 2286 071 644 [email protected] • sigalas-wine.com

Canava Chryssou

Yiannis Tselepos, a renowned wine producer from the region of Nemea, began his activities in Santorini in 2013 in collaboration with the Chryssos family, local producers who owned vineyards and a canava in the area of Pyrgos. In contrast to the trend for turning abandoned traditional canavas into hotels, Tselepos invested in creating a small winery with the goal of producing highquality wines.

Pyrgos & Emporio • +30 22710 544 440 tselepos.gr • Does not offer wine tours

Mikra Thira

The challenge of winemaking in Santorini’s unique terroir could not have left one of greece’s leading producers unmoved. Vagelis Gerovasiliou, a wellknown winemaker from northern greece, decided on a bold strategy, acquiring land not on Santorini itself but on the small island across from Oia called Thirasia. This year, a small amount of Assyrtiko (1000 bottles) was produced from the two vineyards he has here and was bottled under the label Terassea. Another wine, called Santorini and made from indigenous grapes, was also released to the market this year. looking ahead, Gerovasiliou has plans to build a winery on Thirasia.

+30 22860 717 44 • facebook.com/mikrathira/

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Generation Z takes over Nemea | by T. Kartali & P. Katsatou #issue 14

Photography by Yiorgos Kaplanidis

They are part of the demographic that, among other things, grew up taking the internet for granted. They talk and write using a language all their own, causing us older folk to regard them with admiration and a touch of wonder.

This particular group of young people, however, have one other thing in common; They have common roots, share the same home region, and have all grown up in and around wineries and vineyards. Wine has always been a part of their life, and they all decided to take on what their parents had built so painstakingly, and to keep pushing forward with it. Oenologists, communications officers, hr executives and marketing directors, many with a background of studies abroad  they are living proof that winemaking isn’t a simple undertaking. It’s a complex, collective profession that combines the knowledge of people from a range of specialties. These young professionals all agree that such collaborative knowledge is a necessary ingredient for success; They also agree that, in order to compete in the international market, Nemea is a brand that will need the combined efforts of a number of people dedicated to realizing their vision. This particular group became close when they participated in the Great Days of Nemea event and realized they all had the same goal in mind: to introduce their wines to the world. In the course of our interview, we were pleased to discover a new generation lucky and gifted enough to build upon the experiences of their elders, imbuing the wine world with fresh aromas and, above all, to speak in wine terms, with substance.

Dimitris Skouras

Dimitris Skouras

Dimitris Skouras’ family history could have been a daunting burden. After all, when your father is George Skouras, one of Greece’s most successful winemakers and an extremely active member of the winemaking community, your life is unlikely to be simple. However, Dimitris seems to have a clear view of where he’s heading, and has only the nicest things to say about his father and their working relationship. “It really is a good partnership,” dimitris explains, ”mainly because we both like to talk things through. We’ll discuss everything, what we like, what we don’t, and often we’ll find a happy medium. Sometimes his experience is invaluable, other times a more youthful perspective is needed. I have only ever bottled one wine on my own, an Assyrtiko made exclusively for exportation to America, but I did lend a hand in producing all of last year’s wines. There’s nothing I want to change, and if there were, it would only be minor details.” The family’s winery is open to visitors, and produces about 800,000 bottles a year. Once dimitris’ sister finishes her marketing studies, she will take up a position in the family business as well. dimitris already has an impressive resume considering his age, and gained experience by working at large wineries. “Until my junior year in high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I continued my French studies and went to France to study oenology. I studied viticulture and oenology at bTS, a school that focuses on practical learning, which helped me immensely. I did my Master’s in Montpellier, while taking every opportunity to gain handson experience. I worked the vintages and vineyards of some of the biggest wineries, among them la Fleur Petrus. I acquired practical experience by working at Sigalas in Santorini, at gentilini in Cephalonia and in the Napa Valley in California.” He delayed his return to greece, he says, as much as possible because he wanted to collect as many experiences as he could. his ultimate goal is to be involved in every aspect of winemaking, from production and wine tastings to traveling abroad to promote his family labels. “I don’t believe Nemea is the Tuscany of greece,” dimitris says, ”but I do think greece will finally gain recognition, and within the next few years. There are so many people abroad who are passionate about greece. The visiting tourist won’t remember the local wine or the fried squid; they’ll remember that they enjoyed that meal at a taverna by the water’s edge under the sun and the blue sky; that is the Greek experience we should be selling.”

Athena Lafazani

Athina Lafazani 

The Lafazanis family has been in the wine business in Greece for 73 years, since 1946, when Vasilis Lafazanis came over from Asia Minor and settled in Piraeus. both his sons started working with wine from a young age. Initially, the winery was established in Magoula – this property now belongs to Athena’s uncle – but in 1993, Athena’s father transferred his operations to Nemea. He did this because of his great love for the Agiorgitiko variety, a feeling he’d had since his university days studying chemistry. In moving to Nemea, he became one of the first non-locals to involve himself in the area’s winemaking. Over the following years, the vineyard grew to 200 acres, and production shifted towards the distillation of spirits, which now makes up a large part of the company’s output. “My brother and I,” says Athena, ”are the third generation of winemakers. My father used to do everything on his own, so he’s been through all the stages of production. My parents have done a lot and I appreciate it, but it’s my generation’s responsibility to take the next step, which primarily involves increasing our prominence abroad. I got into the business five years ago when I graduated from the Athens University of Economics and Business, and I’ve taken on the responsibility for the company’s administration and marketing.” Athena deals with sales and distribution, but her main focus is on their brand image abroad. Nestor Wines was a recent addition to the company, increasing production to 1.2 million bottles a year, and the company currently exports to Europe, the united States and Australia. despite these exports however, there is a feeling that Greek wine is not properly marketed abroad.“I don’t know if it’s the wine itself or the Greek mentality, because I see this in the food industry as well,” argues Athena. “I believe it has to do with our inability to properly grasp the idea that we do something well enough to export it. Isn’t that the same problem we have with our tourism industry? I also believe we lack unity. We need to be promoting greece, and not greek wine. That’s the only way we’ll succeed. There’s little point going abroad to separately promote the Lafazanis Winery or the Skouras Estate  we need to promote greek wine and greek varieties. It’s good that we’re showcasing Assyrtiko, but if that’s the only variety we take abroad, it won’t be enough; the market will get saturated. We need to market Agiorgitiko as well, particularly since Nemea is greece’s largest wine production region,” she says.

Andriani Tselepou

Andriani Tselepou

Andriani, who studied in greece and london, is involved in the communications and marketing activities for her family’s winemaking business. But since it’s always a good idea in such roles to be informed about as many areas as possible, she works in production, too. Her calm demeanor not quite concealing her enthusiastic nature, Andriani’s eyes light up when she says that her brother is in New Zealand at the moment and that she’s jealous, before going on to speak of her decision to join the family business. “My father’s very lively personality made me hesitate a bit before my decision to enter the winemaking business,” Andriana says. ”But since I started working with him this past year, my impression of him has changed. I realize that my father gave us and continues to give us plenty of room for selfexpression. Nonetheless, it’s a fact that this business is the result of my father’s vision, and it’s very important for me to have him close by and be able to ask for his advice. The difference I see between my generation and the previous one is that mine has become more extroverted, particularly because we use new media technologies as work tools. both my brother and I aim to promote the wine tourism industry. We have great faith in it, and believe that it can contribute to the survival of a business.” In recent years, Tselepos Winery has seen further development, teaming up with Amphora, a Chinese investment company, to build a bioclimatic winery facility that will be open to the public. “What’s really important,” Andriani says, ”is that all of us from Nemea go abroad united, because Nemea is a very strong brand. I truly believe that, and we have platforms to get that message out. Social media plays a huge part in branding and marketing; Customers can get a clear idea of the products they’re buying, and we have a great tool that allows us to stay in contact with them, especially if they are abroad. In this way, we can communicate directly with them. Although our father still has no idea how social media works.”

Vasiliki Palivou

Vasiliki Palivou

Vasiliki Palivou has definitely inherited her father’s energy and enthusiasm. It’s because they’re so much alike, she says, that they disagree with each other so often and push each other’s buttons, but it’s also the reason why they love each other so much. However, it’s their common vision that makes them such ex- cellent business partners. “Pretty much all the families in Nemea,” Vasiliki says, ”are involved with wine, one way or another. Our parents got into the business in 1995, bottling wine. My father was a vine grower; he believes wine is created in the vineyard. Gradually, our business grew and we opened our winery to the public. In 1999, my father had told my mother that one day people would pay to visit our winery, and she’d all but laughed in his face. Two years later, we were getting twenty thousand visitors annually. We believe wholeheartedly in wine tourism.” Wine is in Palivou’s blood. ”Basically, my sister and I grew up in the winery. Since we lived there, we were always helping out with the work  the only difference is that now we’re following a schedule.” Vasiliki began studying business administration but soon switched her educational focus. She went to Athens to study interior design and then returned to Nemea to take on several responsibilities at the winery. She handles office administration, communication, and accounting, and is also responsible for the winery’s wine tourism, which is her favourite thing about the job. In her opinion, Nemea could become the #1 wine tourism destination in Greece because of its proximity to Athens, but work needs to be done.“In addition to an archaeological museum and an ancient stadium, the Nemea region boasts 13 villages, each one interesting in its own way. Having, on top of that, a number of wineries open to the public makes it an ideal region for wine tourism. However, it lacks much of the necessary infrastructure, such as hotels and restaurants, needed to develop and maintain such an industry. We need to convince the locals that Agiorgitiko is a brand that could radically improve and benefit the entire region. We have, for instance, 400 coffee houses which, if turned into rooms to let, could accommodate tourists. I think my generation is well aware of the infrastructure problem and I believe that, with the experi- ence and the guidance of our elders, we can turn things around.”

Sotiris Aivalis

Sotiris Aivalis

Sotiris’ father, in addition to being passionate about the vineyard, is also very knowledgeable about it, and before long the Aivalis winery became a reality. Until 2012, Christos did everything at the winery by himself, but things are different today. Sotiris studied oenology in Burgundy, and then went on to participate in seminars in Dijon. In 2013, Sotiris took on the family business, leaving his father to focus on the communications side of the business, for which he has a natural gift. Sotiris will never forget the first wine he bottled. ”We went out to the vineyard really early one morning, picked off a single grape and squeezed it. The juice was so dense that it dyed the rocks on the ground. That’s how the 2014 vintage was born, with the deux dieux 2016 following shortly after. It might seem that things have changed since my studies in burgundy, what with all the new pathways it’s opened up for me. But it’s not all change: I’m in absolute agreement with my father’s philosophy that, to make a big red wine, you must really work the vine, and that’s what I am trying to do.”Every year the Aivalis winery produces about 50,000 bottles and it is Sotiris’ goal to use his wines to showcase the various terroirs. “Let’s not forget that we have 13 generations of French winemakers to contend with,” he says, adding that he thinks it will be a long time before Greece is finally able to erase the ”Greek Moussaka” image from people’s minds and make them take the nation’s cuisine and its wines seriously.

 

INFO

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
AND MUSEUM OF NEMEA
Visit the archaeological site of Ancient Nemea, including the Temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium and the site’s wonderful museum.

ANCIENT MYCENAE (25 km*)
Tour the ruins of the greatest city of the Mycenaean civilization, which played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture.

ANCIENT CORINTH /ACROCORINTH
(31 km*)
Corinth was an important city in ancient greece, and it also played a major role in the missionary work of the Apostle Paul; he lived and preached here for 18 months.

EPIDAURUS THEATER (68 km*)
This is one of the most extensive sacred sanctu- aries in ancient greece. The temples, athletics facilities, theatre, baths, and other structures were built in an elevated valley surrounded by mountains.

STYMPHALIA (28 km*)
Visit lake Stymphalia and the Environmental Museum of Stymphalia.

NAFPLIO (40 km*)
Discover Palamidi Castle, the Fortress of Bourtzi and the National Gallery of Nafplion.

CORINTH CANAL (42 km*)
Admire this great achievement of human technology and engineering and take in some amazing views.

Wine and Food

BEST LOCAL FOOD / INGREDIENTS: • Extra virgin olive oil
• Kalamata olives
• Lemons and oranges

• Raisins, currants and vinegar
• Eggplants (especially Tsakoniki),

tomatoes
• Roosters and rabbits
• Orange-flavored sausages • Kagianas omelet (with tomatoes and cured pork) • Artichokes

A SELECTION OF NEMEA WINES TO TRY:

• Aivalis, Nemea
• Gaia Estate, Nemea
• Skouras Grand Cuvee Nemea

• Mitravelas Estate Agiorgitiko, Nemea • Tselepos ‘Driopi’ Classic, Nemea
• Palivou Estate Terra Leone Ammos

Reserve, Nemea
• Semeli Reserve, Nemea
• Cavino Nemea Reserve, Nemea
• Nemeion Estate ‘Hgemon’ Sovereign

Grande reserve, Nemea
• Lantides Nemea
• Papaioannou Terroir, Nemea • Lafkiotis Agionymo, Nemea

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Apostolos Thymiopoulos | by Penelope Katsatou #issue 14

Photography by Yiorgos Kaplanidis 

The philosophy of winemaker Apostolos Thymiopoulos is simple; Ιt is Xinomavro, Xinomavro, and a bit more Xinomavro. On this point, he tells me, he is unwavering. “Why should I do something different with our land? have we already drowned the world in Xinomavro that we need to change to something else?” he asks, leaving little room for debate. Undoubtedly talented – his actions have proven this – the oenologist from Naoussa is a multifaceted man.

Apostolos Thymiopoulos in the vineyards 

A believer in biodynamics, with a strong business approach to his work, Thymiopoulos is clearly passionate about what he does, which explains his popularity abroad. It also explains his wines; complex, abundantly fragrant, with finesse and plenty of what people are calling “the Naoussa new school“ element, which means you no longer need to wait decades before enjoying a wine. If, however, you did choose to wait, you would surely be rewarded. Going straight from his studies in oenology (“I only applied to a single university, that’s how determined I was to go there“) to his successful release of “Earth and Sky,“ Thymiopoulos’ journey is reminiscent of george Skouras and his first wine, “Mega Oenos.“ When I tell him this, Thymiopoulos smiles, flattered by such a comparison. He is a fan of Skouras, though slightly more obsessed with the vineyards.

A colorful stone wall welcomes visitors to Thymiopoulos Vineyards in Naoussa, showcasing the variety of rocks in the surrounding terroir, with the rocks’ colors ranging from dark grey to almost red and brown, bringing clay to mind. “Apart from the vineyards that were already owned by the family, I also bought some land. Trilofos and Fyteia, our highest elevation vineyards (at 550 meters above sea level), came later. Today, we have 29 different vineyards; 340 acres in total, all of them organically certified. Some of our partners are also certified, so as to cover needs for the foreign market. In fact, some of our partners are even greater fans of organic certification than we are. My father also cultivated organically, though he was never certified. because I still employ this method, with even greater dedication, the result is purely the progeny of earth and sky; after all, that’s the name of my label, one that I came up with when I was a student. We use whatever the land gives us; we don’t play around with machinery, or yeasts, or anything. I am resolute when it comes to that.“

Thymiopoulos’ Xinomavro wine is dissimilar to other Xinomavro wines from the region. His goal, he says, is to capture and bottle the fragrant memories of the land where he grew up. Being an oenologist, he knows how to boost aromas and to combine anthocyanins with tannins to create the bright color that has become his wine’s trademark. The winery produces 500,000 bottles, of which 400,000 are Naoussa PDO. And although the facilities and the vineyards are not yet open to the public, if oenophiles happen to be in the area, they’ll be welcome, upon appointment.

What is Xinomavro to you?

Xinomavro is a great challenge. It’s sour, acrid, watery, difficult to produce. It’s a difficult variety, which is what compels us to want to succeed in its production. It is the greek variety that challenges all other varieties worldwide. My attitude is that you have to forget what you know. Forget protocols and vinification – each year takes you in a different direction, and you have to go with the flow. I never work by the book. books tell you when it’s time to add sulfur, but if it’s sunny out, why bother with that? Biodynamic cultivation is a twofold process. On the one hand, marketing drives sales; on the other hand, your heart drives production. Then there’s homeodynamics, to make plants strong against weathering, similar to how homeopathy works for humans. After all, it’s easier to work biodynamically in Greece because of the climate. Biodynamic products are our weapon, and should be our forte. Instead, they make up a very small percentage of the market, something like five to seven percent, at best. did the Northern Italians plant different varieties than Barolo be- cause barolo is tough and tannic? No. So why should I plant something different? That would be an act of defeat, in my opinion.

What do you say to those who claim your low prices are not on a par with the high quality of your wine?

I try to make wine attractive to the world. I want people to get to know my wine; Why should I increase the prices? To buy a helicopter? We have more expensive wines in the making, from different vineyards. The quality analyses of our vinifications are very encouraging; However, for now, we’re happy with our prices. In any case, if we were to increase prices, we’d have the taxman on our back.

How did the addition of Santorini vineyards come about?

I was there in 2008-2009, helping out my friend Haridimos Hatzidakis with his harvest, and then ended up going back there regularly ever since. I miss Haridimos, as do others; he was a visionary. He wasn’t in it for the money. He never spoke about money. he wasn’t an in- vestor like so many are in this business; He was an oenologist. A family friend had given us space in his winery to create Akrotéra. Unfortunately, after Haridimos’ death, things changed. We’ve just bought land in Santorini and are preparing to build. We have many partners there. For me, Santorini is a big challenge.

Will you be creating a new label?

That depends. The harvest is what dictates how work will proceed. There’s no set recipe for success. This place and the products it yields are so unique that it does a lot of the work for you. As long as you pay attention to its needs, the land will give you its best. The land is so powerful that it would be hard not to produce a good wine.

Which wines from other vineyards caught your attention?

I try to keep up with everything, especial- ly my international competition, because I think of Greek winemakers not as competitors but as colleagues. I greatly admire flawless natural wines, such as those wines from Jura that manage to elude oenological laws and retain that intense oxidation without losing their flavor.

Before my visit to the vineyard in Naoussa, I enjoyed a very interesting vertical wine-tasting event, hosted by Apostolos Thymiopoulos and gregory Michailos, at Mr. Vertigo in Athens.

Earth and Sky

2017 Released just before Easter 2019, this wine comes from an excellent year. Compared to the 2015 vintage, fans will notice a difference in flavor, thanks to the addition of stalks. There are intense notes of strawberry, pomegranate and sundried tomato, as well as a hint of lavender. Its extractability was increased for better ageing. The color is strong, and it has quite intense tannins which, despite the wine’s youth, do not deter the drinker. It’s worth buying a bottle and forgetting about it in the cellar for a while.

2016 This is a deep red, full of red fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, tomato and spices, and hinting at the presence of vegetable notes. Its strength, and what sets this apart from other wines we tried, is its balance. It’s an impressive Xinomavro with very good tannins and acidity, high alcohol rate, and very fullbodied. It will easily survive the ageing period, but if you don’t want to wait that long, it won’t, as its creator so colorfully puts it, “make your jaw drop with tannins.”

2008 Despite its age, it retains its vibrant color. This is a traditional Xinomavro, but with unmistakable references to Nebbiolo. Its robust aromas, far from diminished, are of strawberry jam, tomato, and forest fruits, spices and vanilla. It delivers a very intense taste to the mouth, with excellently rounded tannins and the ideal acidity. It still has at least another decade of ageing ahead. To some, the leftover trace of the barrel might taste rustic, whereas to others, it provides a perfectly harmonized flavour.

2006 This was a particularly wet year, which is evident in the wine, says Thymiopoulos. It has an exceptional clarity of aromas, and has slightly less of the ”barrel” about it compared to the 2008 vintage. It’s still intensely fruity, smelling of raspberry, wild strawberry, sundried tomato, cedar and spices, and has, despite its age, strong tannins. It’s beautifully rounded, with the appropriate acidity and a very long aftertaste.

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Greek Wine and Seafood | by N. Loukakis, Senior lecturer WSPC #issue 14

Illustration by Menelaos kouroudis

Greek culinary culture is flourishing, thanks to very talented chefs who have combined modern techniques of cooking with traditional recipes and ingredients.

There are outstanding artists at work in kitchens all around greece, but the delight that Greek cuisine brings isn’t based on the skill of the chefs as much as it is on the pure soulful enjoyment of the food itself. Enjoying food is part of the festive approach that Greeks have towards life. Food is part of our social life, our daily entertainment, and our culinary culture goes far beyond the food itself. The atmosphere that surrounds the dining table is festive as well, and the aim of all such informal gastronomic events is to help everybody to connect with each other (”Phones down please!”). A perfect example of this is the weekly Sunday lunch, at which family and friends gather together to share food, wine, stories, songs and sometimes even a few dance moves. In most culinary cultures, this is called a ”sharing“ approach to food; in Greece, we simply call it ”family-style” dining. This difference in itself is an important distinction with deep connections to culture and tradition.

The stars of the Greek table are always the fresh items, and there’s nothing that says ”fresh” like seafood does. Greece is surrounded by the sea and boasts a plethora of islands and end- less kilometers of shoreline providing nearly limitless access to these maritime treasures. Meat, too, is crucial to greek cuisine, but its relative scarcity is an important part of its appeal, and the sense of sacrifice that accompanies the provision of fresh meat makes dishes such as Easter lamb or goat even more special.

The climate plays a crucial role in the creation of Greece’s gastronomic culture. For eight months of the year, we eat outside, under a hot sun or a warm star-lit sky. The bounty of the sea is perfect for such weather; it’s low in fat, easier to digest and pairs perfectly with a refreshing glass of chilled white wine. The sea provides a wide variety of foodstuffs with different textures, flavors and intensities that can be prepared using many different cooking methods. Greek white varietals offer a great diversity of styles to match the broad range of seafood options. Here, you’ll find some of our suggestions.

SAVATIANO is a variety that is grown mostly in the region of Attica, although it is cultivated in other areas around greece as well. It is a dry wine, light to mediumbodied, with medium acidity and fruity aromas. Small panfried red mullet is a good pairing with this variety, as both they have a delicate fragrance.

RETSINA is traditionally made from Savatiano, but today it’s made using other varieties as well. The new style of retsina allows the wine to express a fruitier flavor and often has raisin notes that give it more length. grilled sardines sprinkled with sea salt flakes are fantastic with this wine.

RODITIS  from the mountainous region of Egialia at North-West coast of Peloponnese produces a dry medium-bodied wine, with crisp acidity, and a Sauvignon blanc-like character; It’s herbaceous, lemony and fruity. Small fish from the picarel family, including atherina (smelts), marida (whitebait) and gavros (anchovies) fried simply in olive oil, can make Japanese seafood tempura and Portuguese peixe frito blush.

ROBOLA from Cephalonia island produces a dry wine, with sharp acidity, minerality and citrus flavors, which pairs with raw clams, oysters and other shellfish. The citrus character complements salty tastes and the flavor of the sea itself.

VILANA from the island of Crete produces a wine which is dry, soft, medium bodied and with delicate flavors that pairs perfectly with grilled or fried shrimp. The soft textures and delicate flavors of both elements creates a good match.

MOSCHOFILERO from Mantinia delivers a more fragrant white wine, with crisp acidity, citrus and flowery flavors with a medium body. The next time you have some nice crispy fried calamari, instead of squeezing lemon over it, try a sip of this refreshing wine. You’ll remember us forever.

MALAGOUSIA can be found across Greece. It’s a very fashionable variety that offers a diversity of wine styles. In general, however, it produces a dry wine, with medium acidity and expressive fruity and flowery flavors and a medium body. Delicate medium-sized fish such as sea bass (preferably sautéed) marries well with the body and flavor of this variety.

VIDIANO, mainly from Crete, offers us a more concentrated wine, closer to a Viognier. It often comes with a touch of oak that adds more creaminess to the texture. A complex wine with medium acidity, it goes very well with the richer flavors of crayfish or lobster.

ASSYRTIKO from Santorini is probably one of most structured wines, without needing the use of oak, in the world. The very definition of a dry wine, it has a high acidity that is hard to find in such a hot climate. The unique mineral character of Assyrtiko is balanced by the lack of primary fruit to the nose. Large grilled large fish, such as sea bream, offer the richness that pairs best with this unique variety.

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Marmita Skiathos | Photography by Yiorgos Kaplanidis # issue 14

Marmita opened in 2013 on the island of Skiathos, serving real Greek food in an idyllic setting. They specialize in contemporary greek cuisine and rely on the use of fresh local ingredients combined with innovative takes on traditional recipes to create a delicious menu full of flavor. Their aim is to take you on a journey through the authentic flavors of Greek cuisine.

Panos Stamoulis (right) and his team.

The unique setting provides the atmosphere as the food takes center stage and other factors, including the music, the lighting, and the flowers, combine to create comfort, intimacy and even romance. Real authentic cooking is what makes the difference. The restaurant provides good, honest food. Fresh ingredients, in season and grown locally or in the region, and healthy recipes are crucial to the way they understand cooking and run their kitchen. Everything they do is created and presented in an elegant way.The menu has a unique and appealing identity. It allows the dishes to speak for themselves: they are simple, tasty, light and healthy. Marmita’s wine list is based mainly on greek producers and indigenous varieties. With more than 70 wines from all over Greece, they try to offer some of the best Greek wines from different regions, appellations, terroirs and winemaking traditions. The wine list also includes organic and vegan options. The recipes below are for two dishes that the restaurant makes with local seasonal ingredients.

Magiatiko (Amberjack) fillet with celery root pure

Ingredients (per person):

  • Fillet of amberjack 220 g
  • Olive oil 5 ml
  • butter 5 g

CELERY ROOT PUREE

  • Celery root 200 g
  • Olive oil 10 ml
  • butter 10 g
  • lemon juice 5 ml
  • Coconut milk 120 ml
  • Fresh thyme 2-3 sprigs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Beets 1
  • Pearl onions 2

Preparation

CELERY ROOT PUREE

In a deep pan over low heat, add the oil and the butter and then the diced celery root and the fresh thyme. Wait until the roots start to change color and get softer. Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and, when the roots are soft, remove from the heat, place in a mixer and blend until smooth. Add lemon, and mix again.

BEETS
Put the beets in the oven for 50 minutes in 180o C. Peel and slice, sauté in a pan with some olive oil at high heat, add white vinegar and wine, and cook off.

PEARL ONIONS
Put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 80°C after marinating them in white wine for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator in a covered bowl.

AMBERJACK FILLET
Put olive oil and butter in a pan at high heat, add the fish and cook for 10 minutes on each side. Remove from stove top and finish cooking in the oven for 6 minutes at 180°C.

SERVING
Add olive oil and salt flakes.

Wine pairing

GAIA SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO WIlD FERMENT 2017, GAIA WINES
Citrus notes combined with the floral aromas of the acacia wood and the vanilla of the oak result in a wine with a highly complex aromatic profile. Minerality and well-balanced acidity give depth and longevity.

Kritama (Rock Samphire) salad

Ingredients:

  • Rock samphire 150 g
  • Marinated onion s 20 g
  • Tomato cherries 30 g
  • Aged Anthotyro cheese 30 g
  • Olive oil 25 ml
  • Vinegar 5 ml
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Pinch of oregano

Preparation

To marinate the onions, slice them and put in a bowl with red wine vinegar. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Blanch the Kritama, or samphire, for two minutes in boiling water. After straining off the water, put the samphire in a bowl with some ice to preserve its intense green color. Cut the tomato cherries in half and slice the cheese thinly. Mix in all the ingredients, including the marinated onions, and serve in a salad bowl.

Wine pairing

GOLD 2017, PETRAKOPOULOS WINES

Bright golden color with a clear aspect that mesmerizes. Full of flowers, ripe peaches and apricots, with notes of wet leaves, this wine revitalizes you with its acidity, which balances perfectly with the full body, and it ends in a lemon flavored aftertaste.

 

marmitaskiathos.com

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Kamal Kouiri | by Thalia Kartali # issue 14

It was a glass of Assyrtiko from Santorini that first caught Kamal Kouiri s attention, making him realize that Greece was not only about sun, sea and fun on the beach. Almost 20 years later, in his current position as wine director at Molyvos, an upscale greek restaurant in midtown New york, kouiri has become a true ambassador of Greek wine.

Kamal Kouiri in Molyvos restaurant

Although kamal kouiri can’t remember the name of that first wine, the freshness, acidity and minerality so characteristic of Santorini Assyrtiko made such an impression that he decided to start digging deeper in the complex world of indigenous Greek varieties. For the past 20 years, he has kept a close eye on the revolution taking place in the greek wine world, so that today he can offer more than 750 selections to diners who come to the restaurant eager to try all his latest discoveries. “Everybody associates Greece with wonderful weather and beautiful beaches,“ Kouiri says. “Of course it has those, but when I started traveling inland, I discovered a whole new world. going through regions such as the Peloponnese, Epirus, and Thessaly, and visiting areas like Naoussa, I discovered a mosaic of vineyards and of different terroirs, and I saw a passion in those people. For me, the only thing lacking back then was stability in the wines, but greek winemakers have come a long way, investing in the vineyard and in technology. The philosophy was there, and the materials have been there for thousands of years.”

Are people beginning to ask for Greek wine? Two years ago, I conducted an interesting experiment with the wine list, putting on 70% Greek wines and the remaining 30% from famous wine regions of the world. Still, 93% of our sales were greek wines. People saw their value. If you want to buy a bottle of Sancerre, for example, you know it’s going to cost you but, if you can get something similar, a good terroir driven wine with good acidity for 30% less, why not go for it? I want to showcase as many wines as I can so people will understand that greece can do a lot more than one or two wines. In our restaurant, we offer 60 choices by the glass, presenting all appellations. Our list has now gone to 100% greek wines.

Molyvos restaurant in midtown NY

Do non-greek restaurants in NY ever include greek wines in their lists?

Of course they do, with Santorini Assyrtiko being the most popular. You can also find a little bit of Xinomavro (a red variety from northern Greece) and Robola (Cephalonia’s white variety). It makes sense to have those wines on the list; they relate to the terroir. Having said that, Santorini Assyrtiko is still leading the game and will continue to do so.

Which variety should we be keeping an eye out for?

The grape I’m excited about is Vidiano. It will be the grape we’ll be talking about in the future. It’s the grape of Crete, and has a great Cinderella story. I really enjoy Vidiano; It gives you different dimensions at different stages of the wine. I’ve tried different styles and I love it.

Do you think there’s a trend towards natural wines in greece right now?

There are some amazing natural wines in greece. What I always say is that it’s possible they were making natural wines in greece before anybody else did, without even knowing that they were making them. This is actually my objective this year, to understand the “natural wine“ state of mind in Greece. There are some amazing producers, including Tatsis in goumenissa, Sklavos in Cephalonia and karatzas in drama.

If you had one piece of advice to Greek wine makers, what would that be?

Be yourselves in your terroir, don’t try to be somebody else. You need to be yourselves, don’t be copycats, be true to your tradition, to your terroir and to your heritage, and then we will have a greater diversity of wines. You need to protect your identity.

What to do you think are the weaknesses of greece as a wine-producing country?

Marketing has always been the Achilles’ heel for Greece. Good marketing is what has always been missing. Another problem is the production of low quality, cheap bulk wine. Once, I had a guest who had just come back from Greece, where he had only been served large carafes of bad quality bulk wine. I offered him a bottle of Greek wine and he couldn’t believe it was greek. I said to him “It’s your fault; you should have asked for a bottle of wine.” It does happen in Greece that you lose track; You’re having a good time on the beach, and you don’t think about asking for good wine. But that’s a pity. There are so many beautiful tavernas serving excellent food in magical spots, but they need to sell good quality wine, too. People should start asking for it.

Where do you see Greek wine ten years from now?

I think it will continue to get bigger. I believe there are two main reasons for this: first, Greek wines are good value for money. These are unique wines, from varieties that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Production is still small, so I think a good marketing strategy, targeting the right people, will help greek wine grow. Second, the Mediterranean diet is becoming more and more popular. This will help greek products in general and greek wines in particular. There’s a trend for Mediterranean restaurants because people are looking for seafood and fresh vegetables, and this is what greece is all about. And greek wines pair perfectly with this cuisine. You can put 10 dishes on the table and one wine that pairs with all of them; this is the wonder of greek cuisine!

molyvos.com

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Vassaltis Vineyards | by T. Kartali #14

Photos by Yiorgos Kaplanidis

The ingredients were all there: a family vineyard, a unique terroir, two talented oenologists who became his partners and, most importantly, the desire to leave his own footprint on an island already famous for its unique white wines. When you add to that a background in economics and a strong will to succeed, it’s easy to understand how the young entrepreneur Yiannis Valambous came to add his name to the list of renowned wine producers on the island of Santorini. At only 35, he’s also the youngest among them. He belongs to that new generation of Greek wine producers who believe that greece, and Santorini in particular, can produce world class wines.

Yiannis Valambous holding his wine Plethora 

Arriving on the island almost 10 years ago to take up the vineyards his late father had left him, Valambous managed to build his own winery, a state-of-the-art facility which today produces 10 labels, but he didn’t do it alone. Valambous is working in consultation with Ilias rousakis, an oenologist who has worked with one of the most well-known Santorini producers, Paris Sigalas, and with yiannis Papaeconomou, a traveling oenologist with winemaking experience gained in famous wine regions around the world. “It hasn’t been easy,” Valambous says, “having to overcome the obstacles of Greek bureaucracy, especially during the height of the economic crisis.” As for details regarding his output, Valambous is forthcoming: “About 30% of the production comes from the privately owned vineyard, the biggest part of which has been replanted in the last seven years.” The rest of the grapes, he explains, come from rented vineyards managed by his team along with fruit sourced from different growers. The varieties planted in Valambous’ vineyard are the traditional varieties of Santorini, mainly Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri.

It all started in 2012. Having arrived fresh from London where he had completed his master’s degree and had worked briefly in finance before deciding to make a complete uturn in his career, Valambous proceeded to sell the grapes produced in the family vineyard to other producers, following his father’s business model. “That year we sold all of our production but, instead of being happy, I felt an extreme sense of emptiness inside me. It was at that moment that I turned to my partner, Ilias roussakis, an oenologist with vast expe- rience of the Santorini terroir, and asked him if he’d be willing to start producing our own wine instead of selling our grapes to others. There was no hesitation in his answer, and this is what set it all off.” The building of the new winery began in 2014, and was completed a year and a half later. It was baptized Vassaltis (“Basalt“) Vineyards, taking its name from the volcanic rock formed by the cooling of lava. Great emphasis was given to the architectural design of the building, which now sits on the coastal road to Oia, in the area of Vourvoulos. “We tried to combine modern elements with the traditional architecture of Santorini, making the winery an efficient production unit while still creating an inviting space for our visitors.” The winery officially opened its doors in 2016, and today organizes wine tastings based on four different flights, where the visitor has the opportunity to experience a deeper understanding of the potential of Santorini’s unique terroir.

Vassaltis produces between 55,000 and 60,000 bottles annually, far from its production potential of 100,000. The rising cost of grapes on the island is one of the biggest problems Valambous has to face, a concern shared by the majority of the island’s wine producers. Santorini’s overall vineyard holdings have shrunk considerably during the last few decades, due to the boom in tourism and, some say, a series of decisions by the Greek state which were meant to protect the wine industry, but which, according to many producers, have led to its further decline.

The arrival on the island of a number of well-known winemakers from mainland Greece seems to have created a further strain on the limited grape production, pushing prices upwards and increasing the competition amongst the wineries. “When I started out, the price was one euro a kilo. Now it’s four, and it’s rising,” says Valambous, stressing that a continued rise in prices will end up having a negative effect on Santorini wines sales, “especially in greece where consumers are not accustomed to paying higher prices for a bottle of wine.”

On the other hand, he argues that Santorini is a unique terroir, producing singular wines, and it must be recognized as such: “Being such a unique terroir, of course it’s inevitable that it will attract more and more producers who wish to experiment with the Santorini Assyrtiko. Competition is good for all, as long as everything is done in the right way.”

Valambous certainly seems to have found the right way for himself. What is the secret to this young man’s success? “Well, for me,“ he says, “the most important thing is to recognize your mistakes and learn from them. Having said that, I believe that what really helped us was good timing; I think Santorini was ready for something new.” Valambous seems to have it all very clear in his mind. he recognizes that coming from a totally different background, he will never become a winemaker himself, lacking the knowledge and the knowhow. So, instead he leaves the winemaking to the rest of the team, Ilias Rousakis and Yiannis Papaeconomou, while he takes care of the finances, the sales and the marketing of the wines. “You need to know where you stand. let an oenologist take care of the finances and an economist make the wine, and you have the recipe for disaster,” he says, laughing.

VASSAlTIS WINES

The wines produced by Vassaltis do not try to follow any kind of new trends. On the contrary, they are produced with immense respect for the history of the island’s wine culture, and all of them reflect the island’s unique volcanic terroir.

 

 

Nasitis A pleasant and easy-drinking blend of Santorini’s three white varieties which combines the aromatic character of Aidani and Athiri with the minerality and acidity of Assyrtiko.

Santorini The winery’s best seller. This is an Assyrtiko with a strong mineral character, full body, high acidity and a very long aftertaste.

Santorini barrel An aromatic and complex wine which ages for 5 months in oak barrel and for another 6 months in stainless steel tanks. It spends another 7 months in the bottle before it is released to the market.

Gramina This label comes from the winery’s best vineyard which is vinified separately and has been carefully picked in order to produce a wine which emphasizes the typicity and the best expression of Assyrtiko. It ages for 12 months in stainless steel tank.

Plethora A very special wine which aims to revive Santorini’s tradition of producing wine from overly mature grapes, fermenting and ageing it in old barrels and then keeping it in the bottle for another two years before releasing it on the market. This wine has a very limited production run.

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Dimitris and Evripidis Katsaros | by P. Katsatou | #14

Photos by Yiorgos Kaplanidis

Did Dimitris Katsaros get things backwards, or was he just ahead of his time? Back in the 1980s, people in greece usually gave up their vineyards to pursue a better life in the city, whereas he, an accomplished medical practitioner, felt the urge to throw himself instead into a struggle against the soil. His determination, love and hard work validated the opinion expressed by a journalist during a wine tasting: “Although not an ophthalmologist, the doctor has opened many winemakers’ eyes to the true essence of winemaking.”

Evripidis & Dimitris Katsaros

Today, his son Evripidis follows in his admirable footsteps; Having completed his studies in France, Evripidis is now in charge of Katsaros Estate, whose bottles still bear their trademark wildflower on the label. As for Dimitris, the winery’s founder speaks with pride of his son and says: “I’m merely a helper now.“ Katsaros Estate is located in the village of Krania on the slopes of Mt Olympus, at an elevation of 800 meters, with magnificent views upward towards the mountain of the gods and down towards the sea. There, on the lower flanks of Olympus, stand the stone houses of Krania, looking almost as if they had climbed up this far and were resting. There are numerous accounts of this location dating from ancient and Byzantine Greece through to the modern era that praise the local vines, seeming to suggest that the vineyards of Krania have always been there. In 1978, ENT surgeon Dimitris Katsaros was hiking in the area on a brief escape from the fast pace of city life, and came across this beautiful place.

“I was visiting the area with a friend,“ Katsaros explains. “The view was breathtaking: we could see all the way to Mt Athos. Within the space of a week, I had purchased the property and a year later we moved into the house, which didn’t even have proper shutters. We used it as a holiday cottage. In the morning, I’d work in the city of Larissa and in the afternoon I would come back here. One thing led to another and I ended up becoming involved with wine. I realized that the small amount we were producing was costing us way too much and so I decided, on a whim really, to produce slightly more. I started with Cabernet in the beginning, since we didn’t really know how to experiment back then.“  In an attempt to revive the area’s rich wine tradition, and with the invaluable help of his wife Stella, Katsaros decided to experiment with different grape varieties. Their first wine was produced in 1987; In 1989, the full production run of 300 bottles was released. These facts are being told to me at the winery, which I’ve reached after a four-and-a-half- hour journey. here, I find a warm and welcoming lunchtime table awaiting me and am greeted by Stella katsaros’ delicious pies and the four wines produced in the Estate. I join the family at the table and together we share food, wine and stories. This is when Dimitris Katsaros starts reminiscing about his early days in winemaking.

“As an ENT doctor, as you can imagine, I already felt a connection to wine, since the organs involved in wine tasting – the mouth, the nose and the ear – are the same as the ones involved in my medical practice.“ My baffled look elicits a clarification “The ear is connected to that clinking sound you hear when someone’s making a toast,“ he says with a laugh. He recounts how he came to meet the greek winemaker Vangelis Gerovassiliou, the person who, he says, helped him more than anyone: “I called him up and said: ‘I’m a doctor from Larissa, I make my own wine, and I’d like to show it to you.’ Instead of hanging up, he suggested we met at Thessaloniki. So I packed my samples and headed north. years later, he confessed to me that he’d thought: ‘A doctor who makes wine in the valley? What sort of wine could that be?’ “The odds were against me, but he must have been intrigued by me, since not only did he meet me, he also ended up supporting me more than anyone else. He wasted no time in coming over to the vineyard, bringing along his oenologists, and that was the beginning of a relationship that’s always been based on mutual appreciation. He never feared Katsaros might make a name for himself, he was always by my side and he never accepted any sort of material remuneration.”

Father and son 

When katsaros started working at the winery, he continued his medical practice but stopped performing surgery, knowing it would be impossible for him to give his full attention and focus to both his chosen professions. He says that, in those early years, he remembers rushing to the fields of Krania at one o’clock in the night to water the vines, after someone had called him to say that the temperature had reached 28 degrees Celsius. He grabbed the sprinklers and took care of the vineyards himself. After a while, the locals at the village kafeneio (coffee-house) began staring at him and saying things like: ‘What is the doctor trying to prove?’ At that time, the villagers of Krania were, for the most part, busy selling their vineyards which, due to their small size, could not easily be made profitable; The doctor, through considerable effort, managed to acquire 25 acres of land in total. “In all those years, working at his practice in the morning and in the vineyards in the afternoon, not once did he complain to me about being tired,” his wife Stella says. “Despite the fact that we were missing out on many exciting conferences and trips, he never even mentioned them to me; he always dedicated his free time to the estate and to his work.“ She pauses for a moment, then adds, with a smile, “Not to mention that he has never properly thanked me in public.“

Dimitris’ comment on this is laconic and rather cryptic, but he, too, is smiling as he says: “All that glitters is not gold.“ Their son Evripidis has been in charge of the family business since 2007. Having grown up in the vineyards, and after concluding his studies in General Biology at the University of Bordeaux and in Oenology at the university of Burgundy, he now continues the family tradition, equipped not only with the passion he has inherited from his father, but also with the knowledge he has acquired at these universities. It’s certainly no coincidence that a vivid presence of France is also a characteristic of his wines.

As he shows me around, he speaks passionately of his work: “We’re now at the winery’s vertical unit, at the foothills of southeastern Olympus. Our vineyard is 100% privately owned – we don’t purchase anything – and it has received organic certification since 1998. Most of the vine plots have a southeastern orientation, while the high elevation helps us achieve a particularly fine quality. The sea breeze and the winds are highly beneficial to the grapes, especially during the rainy season, as they help reduce humidity. Harvesting usually takes place in late August and in September; however, over the past years, things have changed due to global warming.“

The walls of the winery are decorated with murals depicting scenes from the grape harvest and from the biblical “Wedding at Cana.“ Each year, a new wildflower native to Mt Olympus is displayed on the wines’ label; this has, over time, become a classic characteristic of the winery.

Chardonnay wines remain in the barrel for five months. One third of the barrels are new, one-third were used the year before and the remaining third come from earlier vintages. As for the red wines, half of the barrels are new and the other half are last year’s barrels. This is a winery with a solid reputation, open to visitors, where only 50,000 bottles per year are produced out of 25 acres. Out of this, about 40% is exported, with much of it going to the US and to Quebec, Canada.

Do you intend to increase your production?

E. K.: Not by means of acquiring more land. however, what we would like to do is to focus on smaller pieces of land that would ultimately provide us with an even higher quality and more recognizable product  something which is, of course, not easy to do. We’d also like to extend our facilities, but I’m not talking about huge buildings or anything like that.

Why would a foreign customer opt for a greek Chardonnay?

E. K.: The truth is that, at first, people are rather sceptical, but once they’ve tasted our wine, things change. given their price range, our wines are competitive on a global level. In Burgundy, Chardonnays of this quality would come in at a totally different price. You visited Conterno yourself recently and you must have noticed that their Chardonnays, too, cost four times more. have a look at the glass you’re holding right now, and judge for yourselves: is their quality actually four times better than the wine you’re having? On the other hand, it’s extremely unlikely that someone in a restaurant abroad would go ahead and order a greek Chardonnay, without the sommelier having first introduced it accordingly.

The new generation, equipped with studies and experience acquired in France, comes back home to apply all this expertise to the very vineyard that the previous generation built with such love, hard work and devotion. Did this cause any friction?

D. K.: There’s never been any rivalry between us whatsoever, because I quickly came to terms with the fact that my son is way better than I am and that, thanks to him, things will improve dramatically that he will help our work a great deal. but Evripidis as well respected my own contribution and my own take on the work that we do. Another thing is that we never went after any prizes; we always did what we liked.

Early on in your career, you decided to produce wine in accordance with organic standards. Did this choice have to do with the fact that, as a doctor, you were aware of the health hazards associated with crop dusting?

D. K.: Actually, this is something that happened without me realizing it. I used sulfur exclusively in any case, so someone said: ‘Since you only use sulfur, why not get your cultivation officially certified?’ I didn’t want to use any artificial substances. But I was also lucky to have started with Cabernet, because nature protected me from the rainy season, which at the time used to begin later on, after I’d harvested my grapes. In fact, this is the very reason why I then came to choose Chardonnay  for its resilience in comparison to Greek grape varieties.

Is there a winemaker or a wine label that you particularly like?

D. K.: My favourite among our own “children” is Estate Katsaros Red. It’s different from the rest; its density fills your mouth, its after- taste lasts and lasts… The longer the wine sits in the glass, the better it becomes: its aromas change and seduce you. This is the wine that really makes us stand out. As far as other wine producers are concerned, many good ones have entered the market recently, but I keep forgetting their names. Apart from Gerovassiliou, I have long admired Tselepos, Paraskevopoulos, and Katogi Averoff as well.

E. K.: I’m fond of Kokkinomylos and Avlotopi by Tselepos, Gaia Estate, and of the white wines by Antonopoulos, including Adoli Gis. I also like Sigalas from Santorini, with his plain label. The Xinomavro by Karydas and Dalamaras are good, and, as far as Cretan wine goes, my favourite ones are Dafnios by Douloufakis and Sitia by Economou. I also really like Zakynthino and Mavrodaphne by Sklavos. Paparoussis makes a top quality rosé wine called Petite Fleur.

Our conversation on wines came to an end the instant Stella Katsaros’ milk pie appeared on the table.

THE WINES OF THE ESTATE

Estate Katsaros red 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, average age of vines: 16 years .Long extraction in stainless steel tanks and maturation in small (228-liter) French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months. Bottled unfiltered. Deep red color. Abundant and intense nose of gooseberry, sour cherry and black cherry, with notes of ink and butter. Thick and velvety mouth with excellent structure and tannins. Long aftertaste and long length.

Estate katsaros Chardonnay 100% Chardonnay, average age of vines: 15 years. Fermentation in small French oak barrels and maturation on the lees for a period of five to six months. Light fining and filtering before bottling. Once bottled, it ages for three months before being released. Yellow-blond bright color with light green shades. Intense and complex aromas of yellow fruit, citrus fruit and wax, with notes of smoke and vanilla. Cool mouth with good acidity and volume. long aftertaste and long length.

Estate katsaros Xinomavro 100% Xinomavro. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks and maturation in small (225-liter) French oak barrels for 10 months. Once bottled, it ages for at least one year before being released. Red, medium-intensity color and vivid aromas of red fruit and sundried tomato, with hints of herbs and olive. Acidity and tannins balance the fruit. Fruity aftertaste.

Estate katsaros Merlot 100% Merlot Fermentation and long extraction in stainless steel tanks of controlled temperature. Maturation in small (228-liter) French oak barrels for 10 to 16 months. Once bottled, it ages for at least a year and a half before being released. Red-black color and vivid aromas of red fruit, marmalade and cedar. Notes of spices and milky hints. rich mouth with density and excellent structure. Velvety tannins and ageability. Long aftertaste.

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Υπερασπιζόμενος το…ποτήρι της ΕΚΜΑ* | Κων. Λαζαράκης, MW #13

Το τελευταίο μιας μεγάλης σειράς άρθρων, για το πάντρεμα κρασιού και φαγητού, το πόσο αυτό υπάρχει, αν είναι προσωπικό ή αντικειμενικό, αλλά και το πόσο προωθεί το να ευχαριστηθούμε ένα πιάτο φαγητό με ένα κρασί δίπλα. Είδαμε πως οι προσωπικές προτιμήσεις είναι ό,τι πιο σημαντικό. Το να απαιτούμε το κάθε κρασί να συνδυάζεται με το κατάλληλο πιάτο δυσκολεύει ένα ήδη πολύπλοκο προϊόν και το αποξενώνει από τον απλό καταναλωτή. Στη συνέχεια είδαμε πως ίσως υπάρχουν συνδυασμοί κρασιού και φαγητού που μας οδηγούν στη νιρβάνα ή, καλύτερα, στον Παράδεισο, αφού η νιρβάνα είναι υποκειμενική, ενώ ο Παράδεισος όχι. Όμως, είναι δύσκολο να φτάσουμε αυτούς, αφού ο τρόπος που τρώμε τις περισσότερες φορές είναι εντελώς διαφορετικός από αυτόν που απαιτεί η άσκηση αυτή. Τέλος, είδαμε πως ένα γεύμα είναι πολύ πιο «υγιές» όταν ακολουθούμε τον παραδοσιακό ελληνικό τρόπο, με τα πιάτα στη μέση, από ό,τι τη γαλλική προσέγγιση, που ο κάθε συνδαιτυμόνας έχει μπροστά του ένα πιάτο.

Πριν από μήνες, βρεθήκαμε για τέσσερις ημέρες μια μεγάλη παρέα στην Καλαμάτα, με άτομα θησαυρούς για εμένα, που με ξέρουν πριν γίνω Master of Wine και δεν έχουν καμία σχέση με το κρασί, επαγγελματική ή φιλική. Όμως, εγώ είχα γεμίσει το αυτοκίνητο με εξήντα φιάλες, πολλές από τις οποίες άγγιζαν τον χαρακτηρισμό «μεγάλο κρασί». (Μου αρέσει πολύ να μοιράζομαι καλές φιάλες με άτομα που δεν είναι του χώρου και «δεν ξέρουν από κρασί». Είχα πιει αρκετά Grand Cru Classé με τη γιαγιά μου.) Αποφασίστηκε μια μέρα να φάμε σε καφενείο. Η καρδούλα μου χοροπήδησε όταν άκουσα για «γρν», από την άλλη το μυαλό μου προβληματίστηκε. Ο προβληματισμός έφυγε όταν «την έπεσα» στην Καλαματιανή οικοδέσποινα και συμφώνησε να πάρουμε τα καλά της ποτήρια, εξαιρετικά και κρυστάλλινα, στο καφενείο, για να χαρούμε τα κρασιά. Το αποτέλεσμα στο τέλος της ημέρας όσον αφορά το body count των ποτηριών θα έκανε τον Georg Riedel να μας απονείμει άνετα αστεροπουλάδα**. Γιατί όμως; Είναι απλό. Αυτά τα ποτήρια δεν είναι φτιαγμένα για να στέκονται σε τραπέζια σαν τα δικά μας. Στέκονται ανάμεσά μας. Όταν τρώμε, θέλουμε να δίνουμε πιάτα ο ένας στον άλλον, να σηκωνόμαστε για να σερβίρουμε τον απέναντι, θέλουμε να αγγιζόμαστε.

Η εναέρια κυκλοφορία πάνω από το τραπέζι είναι επιβαρυμένη, γιατί δεν γνωρίζουμε κανέναν καλύτερο τρόπο να περάσουμε ζεστά και να ταΐσουμε τις καρδιές μας. Άρα, οι πρόγονοί μας, που κατέληξαν στα κοντά, μικρά ποτήρια, επέλεξαν σοφά. Τα κολονάτα ποτήρια είναι τέλεια για να τρως μόνο από το ένα πιάτο που έχεις μπροστά σου. Είναι μια μοναχική εμπειρία έτσι κι αλλιώς. Γιατί να στήσουμε τα ποτήρια σαν να στήνουμε ένα τείχος; Απέναντι στα μουσταρδοπότηρα έχουμε ένα βαρβάτο state of denial, στην προσπάθεια να ξεπεράσουμε ένα παρελθόν που θέλουμε να ξεχάσουμε. Όμως, είτε το θέλουμε είτε όχι, δεν είναι παρελθόν. Υπάρχουν ανάμεσά μας. Και όχι μόνο στην Ελλάδα. Αρκετοί μάχιμοι γευσιγνώστες, ικανοί για απαλλοτριωτικές ενέργειες σε ταβέρνες της γειτονιάς, που έχουν επισκεφθεί το San Sebastian, για να φάνε στα τριάστερα, έχουν περάσει υπέροχες στιγμές τρώγοντας Pintxos και πίνοντας όμορφα κρασιά από πανομοιότυπα ποτήρια. Υπάρχουν αυτά τα ποτήρια και σε διαφημίσεις για την περιοχή! Το έχω τσεκάρει, να το τσεκάρετε και εσείς.

Μη με παρεξηγείτε. Θεωρώ αδιαπραγμάτευτο πως ένα κορυφαίο ποτήρι είναι όργανο ακριβείας που επιτρέπει στο κρασί να αναπτύξει όλο του τον χαρακτήρα. Όπως και τα Moon Audio είναι απόλυτα όργανα για να ακούσεις μουσική. Όμως, πάντα δίνουμε με τον γιο μου λεφτά στη λατέρνα της γειτονιάς και έχω περάσει υπέροχα σε παραλίες ακούγοντας μουσική από ραδιοφωνάκι. Και η εικόνα τού να κατεβάσει κάποιος τα Moon Audio ηχεία του στην παραλία μού φέρνει μόνο αναγούλα. Συμπαθάτε με. Όμως, είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετικά για το κρασί τα ποτήρια που χρησιμοποιούμε όλοι οι οινολάτρες; Ο λόγος στον Michael Moosbrugger, του Schloss Gobelsburg, έναν από τους καλύτερους οινολόγους της Αυστρίας, πατρίδας των Riedel και των Zalto, και ένα από τα πιο λαμπερά μυαλά που κοσμούν το παγκόσμιο οινικό γίγνεσθαι:

«Τα ποτήρια όπου πίνουμε κρασί σήμερα δεν έχουν καμία σχέση με ό,τι είχαμε πριν από λίγες δεκαετίες. Παλιότερα δεν μπορούσαν να πετύχουν τόσο κομψά ποτήρια; Αυτό είναι ψέμα, μια και οι υαλουργοί περασμένων αιώνων δημιούργησαν αριστουργήματα που δεν μπορούμε να επαναλάβουμε. Ο λόγος είναι ότι τα πράγματα που ζητάμε από το κρασί είναι διαφορετικά. Τώρα είμαστε sniffers (μυριστές), ενώ παλιά ήμασταν drinkers (πότες). Αν ακούγαμε γνώστες του περασμένου αιώνα να μιλούν για terroir ή ποιότητα σε ένα κρασί, θα μιλούσαν μόνο για την αίσθηση που αφήνει στο στόμα και στον λάρυγγα. Ποτέ για τα αρώματα. Μπορεί να πει κανείς πως απλώς δεν ήξεραν. Εγώ λέω πως οι επιπτώσεις αυτών των αλλαγών στο πώς οινοποιούμε είναι τεράστιες. Παλιά ο οινολόγος ήταν ο cellar master, ο αφέντης που οδηγούσε τα κρασιά εκεί που του επέτρεπε το ταλέντο του. Τώρα, από το αμπέλι ακόμα, είμαστε οι σκλάβοι των αρωμάτων». Αν τα βρείτε, αξίζει να δοκιμάσετε τα κρασιά του Michael. Ίσως όμως όχι μόνο από το ποτήρι που θα περιμένατε.

wspc.gr

* Γνωστό και ως μουσταρδοπότηρο

** Παράσημο των αλεξιπτωτιστών

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LOIRE | του Γρηγόρη Μιχαήλου, DIP WSET #13

Ταξίδι στην καρδιά της Γαλλίας

Κλασικό κάστρο μέσα στον Αμπελώνα.

Τυλιγμένος σφιχτά με το κασκόλ μου και έχοντας κατεβάσει τον σκούφο μου μέχρι τα αυτιά, βγήκα από τον κεντρικό σιδηροδρομικό σταθμό της Angers, έτοιμος να αντιμετωπίσω το τσουχτερό κρύο, για το οποίο όμως ήμουν καλά προετοιμασμένος. Άλλωστε ο Γιάννης, που είχε ταξιδέψει ξανά τέτοια εποχή στον Λίγηρα, με είχε προειδοποιήσει ξεκάθαρα για το τι θα αντιμετώπιζα Φλεβάρη μήνα στην καρδιά αυτού του βορινού αμπελώνα της Γαλλίας, σχεδόν στα όρια της αμπελοκαλλιέργειας της Ευρώπης. Η χαρά μου ήταν απερίγραπτη… Επέστρεφα μέσα στο καταχείμωνο στον αγαπημένο μου Λίγηρα, έτοιμος να γεμίσω εικόνες από αμπέλια, η ομορφιά των οποίων κάλλιστα θα μπορούσε να συγκριθεί με πίνακες ζωγραφικής, και μοναδικά κάστρα, που μοιάζουν λες και έχουν βγει από τα πιο όμορφα παραμύθια. Μια σπουδαία οινική περιοχή που παράγει ασταμάτητα κρασί για αιώνες, δίχως όμως να διαθέτει ίχνος από τον ελιτισμό των σπουδαίων Bordeaux ή των κορυφαίων εκφράσεων της Βουργουνδίας.

Σκεφτόμουν τα λόγια του Bernard Baudry, παραγωγού του Chinon AC, ίσως της σημαντικότερης ερυθρής ονομασίας προέλευσης του Λίγηρα, σχετικά με την αντίληψη του Γάλλου καταναλωτή για τα κρασιά της περιοχής του. Οι Παριζιάνοι λατρεύουν τα κρασιά Chinon και συχνά θα τα επιλέξουν για να συνοδεύσουν το φαγητό τους στα κουκλίστικα μπιστρό της πρωτεύουσας, μερικές εκατοντάδες χιλιόμετρα μακριά. Ποτέ όμως δεν θα περίμεναν να πληρώσουν ένα premium αντίτιμο γι’ αυτά. «It’s just a petit Vin de Loire» στο μυαλό τους και αντίστοιχα petite περιμένουν να είναι και η τιμή του. Αυτή είναι και η μεγαλύτερη πρόκληση που έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν οι προσανατολισμένοι στην ποιότητα παραγωγοί του Λίγηρα όσον αφορά το perception των κρασιών τους. Λίγες στιγμές αργότερα, έβγαζε από το κελάρι του με ευλάβεια μια φιάλh προερχόμενη από το σπουδαιότερο αμπελοτόπι του, το La Croix Boissée, σε μια αμφιθεατρική πλαγιά με τα αμπέλια φυτεμένα πάνω στον χαρακτηριστικό λευκό ασβεστόλιθο (tuffeau), εσοδείας 1997. Με την ίδια ευκολία που ένα Chinon μπορεί να σερβίρεται by the glass για να ξεδιψάσει τους Παριζιάνους κατά τη διάρκεια του μεσημεριανού γεύματος, μπορεί και να παλαιώσει για μία 20ετία, προσφέροντας σπάνια επίπεδα απόλαυσης και μεγαλείου στον τυχερό που θα έχει την τύχη να το δοκιμάσει. Διάφορες τέτοιες σκέψεις περνούσαν από το μυαλό μου περπατώντας με γοργό βήμα προς το κατάλυμα που θα με φιλοξενούσε και το οποίο ευτυχώς δεν απείχε πολύ μακριά από την έξοδο του σταθμού. Αυτή ήταν για μένα η πραγματική μαγεία του Λίγηρα… Από το εξωτικό Jasnieres μέχρι το παραμυθένιο Chinon και από το αριστοκρατικό Vouvray μέχρι το μικροσκοπικό Reuilly και το μυθικό Sancerre, σε εκείνο το πρώτο μου ταξίδι είχα δοκιμάσει κρασιά, είχα συναντήσει ανθρώπους και είχα περπατήσει σε αμπέλια την «ομορφιά» των οποίων δεν έβρισκα λόγια να περιγράψω. Ένα μοναδικό «σκηνικό» που δεν είχα βιώσει σε καμιά άλλη περιοχή του πλανήτη. Και επιπλέον, μια περιοχή στην οποία ακόμα συναντάς παθιασμένους vignerons και όχι super 1stars παραγωγούς ή απρόσωπους πολυεθνικούς κολοσσούς.

Saumur Chateau

Η κοιλάδα του Λίγηρα

«Σαν βγεις στον πηγαιμό για την Ιθάκη, να εύχεσαι να ’ναι μακρύς ο δρόμος»…

Και τα συνολικά 629 μίλια του μεγαλύτερου ποταμού της Γαλλίας κάνουν την ατελείωτη διαδρομή ανάμεσα στους αμπελώνες του μια αξεπέραστη εμπειρία. Από τις ακτές του Ατλαντικού μέχρι και την περιοχή των Κεντρικών Αμπελώνων (Upper Loire), που αποτελούν και το ακριβές γεωγραφικό κέντρο ολόκληρης της Γαλλίας, θα συναντήσετε μια σχεδόν ενιαία αλυσίδα σπουδαίων οινικών περιοχών με έναν πλουραλισμό διαφορετικών στιλ κρασιών, που όμοιό του δεν θα βρείτε πουθενά αλλού στον πλανήτη. Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre, Vouvray, Chinon, Savennieres, Coteaux du Layon, αλλά και Muscadet, Reuilly, Jasnieres, Saumur Champigny, Bourgueil, Montlouis-sur-Loire, αποτελούν τη χαρά της ανακάλυψης για κάθε οινόφιλο. Στον Λίγηρα θα έρθετε «αντιμέτωποι» με μυριάδες ποικιλίες και στιλ κρασιών. Τα λευκά, λόγω της δροσιάς του κλίματος, έχουν την πρωτοκαθεδρία, με την περιοχή να παράγει περισσότερο λευκό κρασί από οποιονδήποτε άλλο αμπελώνα της Γαλλίας. Ενώ στα αφρώδη μόνο η Καμπανία με τις φημισμένες της Σαμπάνιες καταφέρνει να ξεπεράσει τον Λίγηρα σε παραγωγή. Εδώ σίγουρα θα ερωτευτείτε ξανά το Sauvignon Blanc. Στο κλασικό του «σπίτι», στην περιοχή των ονομαστών Κεντρικών Αμπελώνων, προβάλλει την ορυκτή του διάσταση, με αυστηρές, φίνες γραμμές και αιθέρια φυτικότητα, ικανή να απογειώσει τη θεϊκή γεύση των τοπικών κατσικίσιων τυριών. Μια εμπειρία πραγματικά «to die for», όταν βρεθείτε στο μικροσκοπικό χωριό Chavignol με τις δεκαπέντε οικογένειες μόνιμων κατοίκων. Αν αναρωτιέστε για την τοπική οικονομία του Chavignol, οι δεκατέσσερις οικογένειες ζουν παράγοντας το πιο φημισμένο κατσικίσιο τυρί του Λίγηρα, το Crottin de Chavignol, και η μία που απομένει δημιουργεί συναρπαστικά κρασιά ονομασίας προέλευσης Sancerre. Η πραγματική όμως ποικιλία-σταρ του Λίγηρα είναι το Chenin Blanc. Σαφέστατα αδικημένο σε επίπεδο αναγνωρισιμότητας και αποδοχής, με τον ιδιαίτερο χαρακτήρα του που φέρνει μνήμες από ανανά, τσάι βοτάνων, τζίντζερ, μέλι, λουλούδια και νοτισμένο άχυρο ή έστω βρεγμένο μαλλί, αν προτιμάτε, παράγει μερικά από τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά και «κοφτερά» λευκά κρασιά του πλανήτη. Από τα συνήθως ξηρά έως το κόκαλο, οξειδωτικά –συχνά πυκνά– Savennieres μέχρι και τα πληθωρικά γλυκά Quarts de Chaume, ποιότητας grand cru, στην απέναντι όχθη του ποταμού δεν θαυμάζεις μόνο την ποικιλομορφία του στιλ μέσα σε μόλις λίγα χιλιόμετρα. Είναι η χειρουργικής ακρίβειας οξύτητα, κοφτερή σαν νυστέρι, που διαπερνά τον ουρανίσκο σου, χαρίζοντας συγκλονιστικά επίπεδα ισορροπίας στα γλυκά κρασιά, και βοηθάει ακόμα και τα ξηρά Chenin Blanc ενός προηγούμενου αιώνα να φτάσουν χωρίς ίχνος κόπωσης στο ποτήρι μετά από 20++ χρόνια αναμονής στο κελάρι.

«Ο Λίγηρας δεν κάνει για κόκκινα κρασιά…» Θα μπορούσα να συμφωνήσω απόλυτα, αν προτιμούσα να πίνω νεοκοσμίτικες βόμβες φρούτου, υπερσυμπύκνωσης και πληθωρικότητας… Αλλάξτε λοιπόν ρότα προς άλλη γη και άλλα μέρη, εκτός κι αν το άκουσμα λέξεων όπως κομψότητα, αιθέριος χαρακτήρας, φρεσκάδα και φινέτσα κάνουν την καρδιά σας να σκιρτά. Στις οριακές κλιματικές συνθήκες του Λίγηρα το Cabernet Franc πραγματικά απογειώνεται, πάλλεται από φρεσκάδα, ξεχειλίζει από αρώματα κόκκινων κερασιών και φραμπουάζ, πάντα όμως σε μια ευγενή κόντρα με γήινες και φυτικές νότες, που θυμίζουν πράσινη πιπεριά, φαρμακευτικά βότανα, αλλά και αρώματα ταμπάκο και καπνού. Αν αναζητάτε κρασί για εκείνο το πατέ αγριογούρουνου που τσεκάρατε τελευταία φορά στο delicatessen της γειτονιάς σας και αναρωτηθήκατε πόσο νόστιμο μπορεί να είναι, μην ψάξετε παραπέρα… Τα τρία αυτά «αριστουργήματα» δεν μπορούν, ωστόσο, να ολοκληρώσουν ένα παραμύθι που ξεδιπλώνεται σε πάνω από 480 χιλιόμετρα αμπελώνων, αλλά να αφηγηθούν μόνο ένα μικρό μέρος μιας υπέροχης ιστορίας. Melon de Bourgogne, Pineau d’Aunis,Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Cabernet Sauvignon, Orbois και αρκετές ακόμα ποικιλίες έρχονται να συμπληρώσουν το περίτεχνο «ψηφιδωτό» της σπουδαίας αυτής υπόθεσης που λέγεται Λίγηρας. Ωστόσο, σε όλες αυτές τις ποικιλίες, σε όλα αυτά τα κρασιά, θα συναντήσετε πάντα έναν κοινό παρονομαστή: ξεχειλίζουν από πάθος, αγάπη, ενέργεια και εντάσεις. Έχουν ζωή μέσα τους, έχουν χαρακτήρα…

Αμπελώνας στην περιοχή του Λίγηρα.

Η διαδρομή στο όνειρο

«Να εύχεσαι να ’ναι μακρύς ο δρόμος.
Πολλά τα καλοκαιρινά πρωιά να είναι που με τι ευχαρίστησι, με τι χαρά, θα μπαίνεις σε λιμένας πρωτοειδωμένους».

Προσπαθώ να θυμηθώ πώς ένιωσα όταν μετά από αρκετά χιλιόμετρα διαδρομής στη γαλλική εξοχή πρωτοαντίκρισα τα αμπέλια του Chinon, που αποτέλεσε τον πρώτο σταθμό εκείνης της διαδρομής… Από την πλαγιά του La Croix Boissée αγνάντευα τον παραπόταμο (Vienne) στο βάθος και άκουγα τις ιστορίες του Matthieu, γιου του Bernard Baudry, για την επιστροφή του στο Chinon μετά από περιήγηση σε φημισμένες οινικές περιοχές του πλανήτη. Με το χέρι μου θρυμμάτισα τον εύθρυπτο ασβεστόλιθο (tuffeau) από τον οποίο έχουν χτιστεί τα σπουδαία κάστρα του Λίγηρα και μπήκα στα σκαμμένα στο tuffeau σκοτεινά κελάρια με τις σταθερά ψυχρές θερμοκρασίες. Οι Baudry είναι οι μάγοι του terroir στο Chinon, διαθέτοντας αμπελοτόπια σε διαφορετικά εδάφη (στην πεδιάδα, στην πλαγιά και στο υψίπεδο πάνω από την πλαγιά), τα οποία καλλιεργούν οργανικά και αναδεικνύουν με single vineyard οινοποιήσεις. Στα χέρια τους το Cabernet Franc έχει πολλά διαφορετικά πρόσωπα. Άλλες φορές βελούδινο και κομψό, όπως στο Le Clos Guillot, άλλοτε δομημένο και γεμάτο, όπως στο Les Croix Boissée, άλλες φορές πιο άγριο και σφιχτό, όπως στο αγαπημένο μου Les Grezeaux. Αν δεν πιστεύετε στο terroir, ήρθε η ώρα να αλλάξετε θεό…

Τα κρασιά Chinon του Bernard Boudry και οι διαφορές τους ανάλογα με το έδαφος.

Ταξιδεύουμε ανατολικά προς το Vouvray και το οινοποιείο Champalou, για να συναντήσουμε την Catherine Champalou, τη Γαλλίδα μαμά που πάντα ήθελες να έχεις. Σικάτη, υπέρκομψη, γλυκύτατη, χαμογελαστή, με ντροπαλά αγγλικά και ερωτεύσιμη γαλλική προφορά. Η Catherine κουβαλάει μια σπουδαία ιστορία και, παρά το γεγονός ότι προέρχεται από οικογένεια οινοποιών, βρήκε την αντίδραση του πατέρα της στην απόφασή της να ασχοληθεί με το αμπέλι. Παρέα με τον σύζυγό της Didier αποφάσισαν να πάρουν μόνοι τους το ρίσκο, χτυπώντας την πόρτα του τραπεζίτη, χρόνια πριν, για να πάρουν δάνειο και να ξεκινήσουν δειλά δειλά το δικό τους οινοποιείο. Από τα 200+ πλέον στρέμματα αμπελώνων παράγουν ξηρά, ημίξηρα, γλυκά και αφρώδη Chenin Blanc με κομψότητα και ισορροπία. Το Le Portail είναι ένα παχύ, βαρελάτο, ώριμο Vouvray με μια απίθανα εξισορροπιστική οξύτητα, που χαρίζει φοβερό lift και φίνες γραμμές στο κρασί και σου δίνει την αίσθηση ότι δύσκολα θα το ακουμπήσει ο χρόνος. Ένα σπάνιο φαινόμενο για την περιοχή, η οποία, παρά τη γειτνίασή της με τα κορυφαία δάση δρυός της Γαλλίας, όπως το Nevers, το Alliers και το Troncais, σπάνια χρησιμοποιεί βαρέλι στα ανεξίτηλα στον χρόνο κρασιά της.

Domaine de Reuilly

Αλλάζοντας «γειτονιά» και περνώντας από την Touraine στους Κεντρικούς Αμπελώνες, το μικροσκοπικό Reuilly είναι ένα από τα καλά κρυμμένα μυστικά δίπλα στα φημισμένα Sancerre και Pouilly Fumé. Τα πλούσια σε απολιθώματα εδάφη του θυμίζουν το Chablis, χαρίζοντας χαρακτηριστική ορυκτότητα στα λευκά Sauvignon Blanc. Στο Reuilly το πάθος του denis Jamain τραβάει όλη την περιοχή από την αφάνεια… Μια φορά κι έναν καιρό ήταν το «Sancerre των φτωχών», όχι όμως πια, χάρη στην εξωστρέφεια και στο ταλέντο του Denis, που έχει φτάσει μέχρι και τη Χαβάη για να πουλήσει τα εξαιρετικά Sauvignon του. Το ροζέ Reuilly που παράγει από Pinot Gris είναι σπανιότατο και νοστιμότερο από οποιαδήποτε Προβηγκία θα δοκιμάσετε, ενώ από το ιδιόκτητο δάσος του παππού του στις παρυφές της πόλης του Reuilly φτιάχνει τα βαρέλια που χρησιμοποιεί σε ορισμένα κρασιά του. Δεν θυμάμαι να έχω ακούσει ποτέ κάτι περισσότερο cool από το να έχεις στην ιδιοκτησία σου ένα δάσος δρυός.

Denis + Annes

Η τελευταία μέρα του ταξιδιού ήταν όλη αφιερωμένη στο Sancerre. Ένα απίθανο σκηνικό θεαματικών αμπελώνων σε διαδοχικούς λόφους, με κάποιες κλίσεις να κόβουν την ανάσα. Ξεκινώντας τη μέρα από το Henri Bourgeois και περπατώντας την ανηφόρα για το εντυπωσιακό ισοβαρικό οινοποιείο, η «καταραμένη πλαγιά» στα δεξιά (Les Monts Damnés) είναι αδύνατον να μην αιχμαλωτίσει τη ματιά σου, με την κλίση της να δημιουργεί σχεδόν ίλιγγο. Τα Sancerre του Bourgeois από τη συγκεκριμένη πλαγιά ανήκουν σε άλλη «πίστα», με χαρακτηριστικά ώριμο τροπικό φρούτο, αφού τα σταφύλια του Sauvignon Blanc «ψήνονται» λόγω της έντονης κλίσης, χαρίζοντας επιπλέον εντάσεις, δομή και το χαρακτηριστικό αποτύπωμα της ορυκτότητας, των πλούσιων σε θαλάσσια απολιθώματα ασβεστολιθικών εδαφών.

Η επόμενη στάση είναι στο μικροσκοπικό Sury-en-Vaux, ένα από τα χωριά της ονομασίας προέλευσης Sancerre, ήταν μια επιστροφή στον χρόνο. Ο Sebastien Riffault, ίσως ο πιο ιδιόρρυθμος και ιδιοσυγκρασιακός παραγωγός του Sancerre, σε κάνει να ξεχάσεις ό,τι είχες ακούσει μέχρι τώρα για τα κρασιά της περιοχής. Εκπρόσωπος της παλιάς σχολής, ο Sebastien ξεκαθάρισε από την αρχή ότι φτιάχνει κρασιά όπως ακριβώς ο παππούς του στην ίδια γη, 50 χρόνια πριν. Κρασιά φυσικής οινοποίησης, χωρίς καμιά παρέμβαση στο οινοποιείο, με γηγενείς ζύμες, χωρίς θειώδη και εφαρμόζοντας βιοδυναμική καλλιέργεια στο αμπέλι, από σταφύλια προσβεβλημένα σε μεγάλο ποσοστό από βοτρύτη, λόγω αργοπορημένου τρύγου. Τα κρασιά του Sebastien είναι γροθιά στο στομάχι, ένας καινούργιος κόσμος που απλώνεται μπροστά σου με αρώματα και γεύσεις που δύσκολα θέλεις να βάλεις ανάμεσα σε λέξεις. Λίγες εκατοντάδες μέτρα πιο μακριά, στην άλλη πλευρά του χωριού, ο Vincent Gaudry υπήρξε ίσως ο πιο αινιγματικός, σχεδόν μεταφυσικός παραγωγός που έχω συναντήσει. Επίσης σπουδαίος εκπρόσωπος της βιοδυναμικής καλλιέργειας και ένα από τα πιο ανερχόμενα ονόματα του Sancerre, παράγει κρασιά που εξαφανίζονται αστραπιαία παρά τις δυσθεώρητες τιμές τους, σχεδόν πριν ακόμα κυκλοφορήσουν. Ο Vincent έδωσε μια σπουδαία «παράσταση», δεν απάντησε σε καμιά ερώτηση, υποστήριξε ότι δεν ακολουθεί καμιά συγκεκριμένη συνταγή, παρά μόνο εμπιστεύεται το ένστικτό του και αφουγκράζεται τις ανάγκες των κρασιών του. Και όμως, η ιδέα τού να αφήνεις τη φύση ελεύθερη να εκφραστεί, παρακολουθώντας διακριτικά και νιώθοντας αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι της, ήταν ίσως ό,τι πιο σπουδαίο άκουσα σε αυτό το ταξίδι. Όσο για τα κρασιά του; Μάλλον ό,τι καλύτερο έφερε στο διάβα μου ο Λίγηρας… g