It’s been a good few years since I’ve featured a line-up of Greek wines, so when I received a small selection of them from Wines of Greece, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to taste through these fascinating examples of what is being produced there today.

A combination of terrific indigenous grape varieties, a patchwork of unique terroirs, a new generation of young winemakers not afraid to do things their way, reasonable pricing, and a wonderful balance of both traditional and cutting-edge winemaking make Greek wines an extremely attractive option these days.

As you can witness below, I rated almost all of these “Very good” or above, and as you can see, they are all extremely accessibly priced for the quality contained within.

 

2023 Oenops Alpa White (Assyrtiko/Malagousia/Vidiano), Drama, Macedonia, Greece – Nicholas Pearce Wines $22.95 (750ml glass bottle)

This well-crafted white blend from Drama, Macedonia exhibits an impressively complex nose of grapefruit, spring nettles, wet stone/flint, and an extremely pleasant herbal edge. Upon warming up in the glass one will find some ripe honeydew melon also. On the palate, there’s a lot of ripe pear accompanied with crisp malic acid, a nice lees-influenced texture, and a lovely weight on the mid-palate. There’s a lengthy minerally finish here too. This one is calling out for some grilled octopus with herbs, salt, and a squirt of lemon. This is really rather delicious.

 

NV Kechris Kechribari Retsina (Roditis), Greece (Alcohol 11.5% Residual Sugar 3 g/l) LCBO $9.95 (500ml glass bottle)

While I can respect the history and tradition around the Retsina style, given the choice, I rarely drink more than a thimble-full of the stuff for pleasure. All of that being said, this producer has been at the forefront of bring Retsina into the 21st Century, bringing freshness and vitality to a wine style that only a decade ago was falling off the cliff of vinous irrelevance. I’ll tell upfront that although pine-resin is certainly to the fore here, it’s certainly way more reserved than many other examples, and even more reserved as this self-same wine 15 years back. While, for some, it may be an acquired taste or something that needs to be enjoy in situ, in the right context, beside the sea in Greece, this is a great value wine what ever way one looks at it.

 

2022 Mega Spileo “Cuvee III” Red Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon/Mavrodaphne/Agiorgitiko) PGI Achaia, Peloponne, Greece – Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits – LCBO Vintages $21.95 (750ml glass bottle)

Over the last decade I’ve warmed to the idea of blending international grape varieties with more native ones. Not everyone gets it right, but this bottling from Mega Spileo is certainly on the correct trajectory. I’d recommend this for anyone with a penchant for less-expensive Californian reds, as it’s not a great leap from those wines to what we have here. The oak is pretty dominant, and there’s a fair bit of residual sugar, but all in all the wine shows well, and I can see it being quite a crowd pleaser. The bouquet is all about blackberries, the Cab really stands out here, with mocha, toffee, licorice, and vanillin wood spice all dialled up to 11+. Personally, I’d prefer the fruit without all that oak framing, but I can see why they made those particular winemaking decisions for more mass-appeal. Tannins are subject to more management than previous vintages I have experienced. Drinks well all by itself.

3.5 apples out of 5

 

2022 Wine Art Idisma Drios Assyrtiko, Drama, Macedonia, Greece – Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits $28.95 (750ml glass bottle)
Being a lover of (almost) all things Assyrtiko, I really enjoyed this wine. On the nose one will find lime/lemon, white peach with a slightly underripe greenness, and rock herbs (thyme/rosemary/oregano). As the glass warms one may find aromatics of roughly-hewn just-underripe pineapple in the mix. In the mouth there is a sweet attack, but this is a decidedly dry wine that feels extremely elegant on the palate. It is rich and round on the mid palate and the extended finish is a delicious saline/licorice mix. Good stuff.

2021 Thymiopoulos Vineyards “Young Vines” Xinomavro, Naoussa, Greece (Alcohol 13.5% Residual Sugar 3 g/l) Victory Wine & SpiritsLCBO Vintages $19.95 (750ml glass bottle) 
Whilst the Xinomavro grape, much like Nebbiolo, can often be rather challenging in its youth, this 2021 young vines bottling proves that this isn’t always the case. It’s pretty, but reserved, on the nose with red berry fruits, red cherry, hibiscus, tomato-leaf, and a real herbal edge. The palate brings more red fruits, with cranberries and tart raspberries coming to the fore. I found that this one really benefitted from an extended time in the glass. It’s great to see this grape without a hint of oak influence. I’d serve this with a tomato-based pasta sauce or more traditional pizza toppings. Most enjoyable.

 

2021 Domaine Lazaridis Amethystos Red (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Agiorgitiko) Drama, Macedonia (Alcohol 14.5% Residual Sugar 3 g/l) LCBO Vintages $29.95 (750ml glass bottle)
I’ve tasted this contemporary international/Greek blend of varieties many time over the years, but in this vintage it appears that the Cabernet is most forward in the mix. It’s a very attractive wine with aromatics of ripe red and black berry fruits augmented with nuances of black pepper, cassis, and woodspice. Interestingly enough, the palate plays like a counterpoint to the bouquet, as it tastes quite old school, with chalky, dusty, grippy tannins and quite serious length. This medium-full bodied wine is showing particularly well in this 2021 vintage. Try with grilled lamb skewers.

 

2022 Artemis Karamolegos “Terra Nerra” Assyrtiko, Cyclades, Greece (Alcohol 13% Residual Sugar 2 g/l) LCBO Destination Collection $33.50 (750ml glass bottle)
My favourite of the bunch here, an Assyrtiko that’s really at a different level. The nose is talcum powder, citrus, and Golden Delicious apple. As befits a wine from the volcanic soils of Cyclades, there a very certain pumice-like minerality present throughout the palate here, from the crisp, fresh attack, through the textured and weighty mid-palate, through to the deliciously extended finish. I’m thinking about grilled razor-clams, scallops, and calamari with this. What a match!

 

2023 Ktima Pavlies “Therma White” (Assyrtiko/Sauvignon Blanc) Drama, Macedonia – Intravino – LCBO Vintages $22.95 (750ml glass bottle)
I found this very modern white blend most intriguing, as it’s not too often I taste Assyrtiko with a little Sauvignon Blanc. Now, in blends, a little bit of Sauvignon can often go a long way, but here it didn’t take away from the Assyrtiko, just adding a touch of freshness and boxwood-like aromatics. The slightly reductive nose displayed some lovely lanolin and beeswax, while in the mouth there was very slight spritz accompanying a crisp and yet rich palate. The appealing spritz extends into the lengthy saline finish. I’d love this with some simply prepared grilled white ocean fish. A great price for this quality also.
3.5 apples out of 5
(All wines are rated out of a possible five apples)
All wines were provided to GFR by Wines Of Greece.
For more information, check out the Wines of Greece website or the New Wines of Greece YouTube channel.