10 things you should know about Greek wine

By Leah A. Zeldes
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Louie Alexakis, owner of Avli Estiatorio in Winnetka (Photo ©Leah A. Zeldes)

Louie Alexakis, owner of Avli Estiatorio in Winnetka (Photo by Leah A. Zeldes)

Greek wines are Louie Alexakis’ passion. The enthusiastic owner of the new Avli Estiatorio in Winnetka says Greece is rising on the world’s vinicultural stage.

At Avli, Alexakis pairs a menu of contemporary Greek cuisine with an all-Greek wine list that goes far beyond the roditis and retsina most people think of when it comes to Greek varieties. Avli’s extensive list includes more than two dozen wines by the glass as well as specially imported bottles not available elsewhere. (And a retail license so diners can take home what they like.)

While the best way to enhance your knowledge of these little known and underrated wines is to go to Avli and drink some, Alexakis offers these hints.

  1. The history of winemaking in Greece goes back millennia. The Phoencians likely first brought wine to Crete. Archeological evidence suggests that early wines were fortified to travel and keep better.

  2. Modern Greek winemaking has undergone a complete makeover. During the last 25 years, the industry has invested heavily in new technology and techniques. Today, many producers employ Bordeaux-trained winemakers.

  3. Greek wines are undervalued. Prices are much lower than those of other European wines of comparable quality.

  4. There are more Greek wines than you think. While perhaps five or six bottlers are well known in the U.S., Greece has more than 60 producers. Boutari is one of the largest and best known Greek vintners, owning many estate vineyards throughout Greece, with a family history of winemaking going back to 1879. Skouras and Gai’a are among the newer producers earning acclaim.

  5. Many of the best Greek wines come from islands. Top producers include:

    • Paros, the main grower of Monemvasia (which may have been the original Madeira grape), has some of the oldest vines in Greece (where many vineyards fell prey to hard times in the 1900s).
    • Cephalonia’s mountainous vineyards produce the unique robola, a white with fruity and mineral aspects.
    • Santorini is known for bone-dry white assyrtiko and athiri, an ancient varietal often used for sweet wines. (Vin santos means “from Santorini.” This Italian dessert wine originated 700 years ago when the Ecumenical Council of Greece went to Italy. Santorini still produces excellent sweet wines.)

  6. Higher altitudes also produce some of Greece’s better wines. For example, Makedonia, whose viticultural history goes back 5,000 years.

  7. Greece grows hundreds of grape cultivars. Along with scores of indigenous grape types, Greek vineyards have, since the 1970s, grown European varietals that take on a unique character due to the country’s distinctive terroir. Often, these are used in blends with native grapes.

  8. Greek wine is not quaffing wine. Most varieties are at their best paired with food.

  9. Roditis doesn’t have to be pink. In the U.S., people expect roditis to be a rose, but in Greece it’s often a white wine. The grapes are white or a very delicate pink. This wine is well known because most of Greek wine regions produce it.

  10. Retsina isn’t all bad. Pine-flavored retsina may be the most notorious Greek wine. The wine comes from Attica, an area near Athens known for coniferous trees, and pine resin was originally added as a preservative to these very potent wines. Traditionally, it’s an acquired taste, but producers such as Gaia are now making retsinas with lighter, more balanced flavors.

Watch for a Greek wine dinner at Avli sometime this fall or winter.

September 14, 2009 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Restaurants, Suburbs | 6 comments
6 comments on 10 things you should know about Greek wine
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