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by Amy
Wislocki
Decanter Magazine
Yiannis
Boutaris calls it the 'retsina stigma', the widespread negative
perception of Greek wine. Now he and his son Michaelides are among
those bringing the wines of northern Greece to acclaim. AMY WISLOCKI
explores the region
The brown
bears of the Balkans and the wines of Greece have both benefited
from the energy, vision and passion of Yiannis Boutaris. In 1993,
Boutaris founded Arkturos, a sanctuary dedicated to the conservation
of the brown bear. The reserve now houses 13 bears and 21 wolves
and, as a result, Greece has one of the most important bear populations
in Europe. His boost to the wines of his country has been equally
welcome, and necessary. Viewed by many as leader of the Greek wine
industry, Boutaris split from his brother - and the huge Boutari
corporation - in 1996 and set up a new venture with his son Mihalis,
who studied at Davis and is tipped by many to be the great new hope
for Greek wine. The wines resulting from their efforts, produced
under the umbrella of The General Wine Company, are a good illustration
of the quality, energy and confidence that can be found now in wineries
across the mountainous region. 'We've got the climate and the winemakers;
now we just need the markets,' says Yiannis.
Like many
other producers, Boutaris recognises that the Greekness of the wines
is both a help and a hindrance. Limited
production and the absence of mechanical harvesting mean that these
wines will never compete on price with the wines of the New World,
and must sell themselves by their unusual indigenous grape varieties.
But the image of Greek wine abroad means that the industry must
first establish its quality credentials with its interpretations
of the familiar international grapes. 'We want to sell good wine
that just happens to be Greek. The Greekness shouldn't be the identifier,'
he continues. 'We use the international grapes as passports, but
these should be there primarily to complement our native grapes.'
He is
frustrated by the entrenched cynicism with which the wines of his
country are usually approached. 'Bad Italian wine is considered
better than a good Greek wine. We call it the retsina stigma, and
I don't know if this will ever pass.' Try the wines produced by
the rising stars of this mountainous region, and it's hard to imagine
that these producers will have much difficulty in getting the message
across. There's still a great deal of bad wine made in Macedonia,
make no mistake, but the good is very good indeed. This was clear
to Oddbins buyer Steve Daniel when he visited the region three years
ago and scooped the cream; the high-street chain now has one of
the strongest Greek portfolios in the UK, with some 40 wines, and
Daniel is a fervent believer that the wines are getting better every
year.
'These
wines offer consumers something different; they're like French or
Italian wine, but with more fruit and warmth. We're not expecting
them to take on Chile or Argentina - most of the producers are boutique
wineries and aren't going for the mass market. They don't want to
take on the world, simply to get a presence and to show the world
that Greek wine can be excellent. The best producers have a buoyant
domestic market and could sell everything at home easily, but they
want international recognition.'The efforts of Yiannis and Mihalis
Boutaris mean that the winemaking region of Macedonia is very much
the centre of attention. Some 500 miles north of Athens, the Balkan
influence is marked up here - the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia
lies just over the mountains. With a continental climate and frequent
rainfall, this northerly area has extreme heat in the summer and
often bitterly cold winters.
The grapes
that fare best in this harsh climate produce wines with crisp acidity.
The main focus is on red wine, usually made from the Xinomavro grape.
To earn an appellation in the mainly red producing region of Naoussa,
the wine must be 100% Xinomavro; to the east in Goumenissa, this
can be softened with Negoska, which lowers Xinomavro's natural tannins
and acidity when vinified together. Xinomavro is a wine lover's
wine, rather than an easy drinking crowd pleaser. With a low colour
and flavours of game and sun-dried tomatoes, the grape is often
compared with Nebbiolo in its youth, largely due to the high tannin
and acidity. The wine improves with barrel ageing, and has the potential
to age for between five and twelve years - with time, it takes on
a more Burgundian character, with Pinot Noir soft fruit flavours.
Red wines generally work better than the rosés made from Xinomavro.'Macedonia
is the Piedmont of Greece,' says Daniel. 'It's even similar scenically.
We're seeing a stylistic change now as the best producers get to
grips with Xinomavro and learn how to soften it slightly and get
the grapes ripe without losing the character. Don't forget that
it's only in the 1990s that the Piedmontese grasped how to harness
and tame Barbaresco and Barolo.' White wines of note are also emerging
from the region, sometimes from Chardonnay but usually from aromatic
grape varieties - these work best, adding intense flavours to the
streak of acidity always present. Alongside international grapes
such as Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer, the native grape Roditis
is widely grown. This is the grape of retsina when grown elsewhere
in Greece, on the plains. When grown at altitude in Macedonia, however,
Roditis really comes into its own and the resulting wines display
concentrated aromatic, fruity flavours.
Though
most producers in the region are small, with limited production,
there are a handful of large companies dominating the landscape.
Kostas Lazaridis is one of only two Greek wineries to be publicly
listed, and produces the most expensive Greek wine on sale in the
UK. Amethystos Cava costs £15 and yet is classified as a table wine
under Greek wine law since it is made from Cabernet Sauvignon. With
only around 10,000 bottles produced annually, the wine is made from
old vines, aged in oak for 18 months and then in bottle for two
years. The 1997 vintage, just released, is delicious (see above).
The other listed company, and former home of Yiannis, is Boutaris,
founded in 1879. With wineries across Greece, this mammoth operation
bottles many of its wines at its Stenimachos premises. The wines,
varietally labelled, are easy drinking, mostly unexciting and aimed
at the mass market. The best are the whites made from aromatic varieties.
Equally
large is Tsantalis, a huge, high-profile négociant which led the
Greek market for 10 years before deciding to buy vineyards and start
growing grapes itself. It now controls about 1,500ha in northern
Greece, and owns around 200ha. Though volume driven, the wines Tsantalis
produces are of a high standard and represent good value for money.
The range focuses on native grapes and includes a new-wave retsina.
Much smaller
in size is The General Wine Company, the company formed by Yiannis
and Mihalis Boutaris. The father and son produce outstanding wines
at two wineries in northern Greece - reds at Kyr-Yianni and whites
at Vergoritis. The 28ha planted at Kyr-Yianni is mostly Xinomavro,
with a little Merlot and Syrah. The Merlot is used to give the Xinomavro
a more 'feminine' side, in the words of Mihalis. The wine is aged
in barrel for 12-24 months. 'We also bottle age the wine for six
to 12 months,' he says, 'as the Greeks aren't ready to buy to lay
down.' Further east, beside the vast expanse of water that is Lake
Vergoritis, a PortaKabin stands as HQ at the father and son's latest
venture. 'Good materials and equipment are more important than a
glamorous winery,' shrugs Yiannis. 'I hate glamorous wineries.'
This cold part of the region lies at 700m altitude and has sandy,
silt soil. Yiannis Boutaris explains that they are looking for an
expression of terroir, and typically, here, this means spicy. Traditionally
a red wine area, the Boutaris have introduced Roditis, Chardonnay,
Sauvignon and Gewurztraminer. The wines being produced here are
excellent.
Another
small producer making waves in Macedonia is Gerovassilou, based
near Thessaloniki airport. Production is limited here as plantings
amount to 30ha and no grapes are bought in. The yields are very
low for Greece at just 40 hectolitres per hectare (rather than the
usual 60-80). Too warm here for Xinomavro, the reds are made from
Syrah and Merlot. The whites are excellent, with an emphasis on
Malagousia. A 100% Viognier barrel sample also showed huge promise.
As you'd
expect in a region of mostly small producers, there are many excellent
wines being made that are nearly impossible to get hold of. One
such wine is Chisohoou's 1998 Special Cuvée, one of the best Xinomavro
and Merlot blends made in northern Greece; but only 7,000 bottles
are produced annually and Germany is the only export market. Another
excellent winery is Aidarinis in Goumenissa. The vineyards are just
5ha, and the winery sells 80% of its wine unbottled. What it does
bottle, though, is extremely good, both the red (Xinomavro and Negoska)
and Roditis/Sauvignon Blanc blend. None of the 30,000 bottles produced
annually are yet exported. If you're ever in Macedonia.
2000
Tsantalis Xinomavro
Fresh, appealing style - a good beginner's Xinomavro. Red fruit
and slightly leathery flavours. Fairly sweet tannins, well balanced
with acidity. Lean. N/A UK
2000
Boutari Moschofilero
Very pale. Lean, green, grapefruity and melon aromas; slightly perfumed.
Aromatic, fresh with bold lemon flavours. Good length.
2000
Kostas Lazaridis Chateau Julia Assyrtiko
Pale gold, with a peachy hue. Rich, spicy nose. Rich palate with
a silky mouthfeel. Spice and apple on palate; dry with lively acidity.
£6.45
2000
Tsantalis Athiri
A pale unoaked wine, almost clear. Light, crisp fruity aromas of
apples, slight lemon, with a floral edge. Crisp and tangy with good
acidity. Fresh and fragrant. N/A UK
2000
Vergoritis Grypas Samaropetra
75% oak-aged Roditis, with Gewurz and Sauvignon making up the rest.
Elegant and fragrant nose. Rose petals and spice follow to palate,
which also has broader spicy, fat notes. Lively acidity and zingy
crispness. N/A UK
1997
Kostas Lazaridis Amethystos Cava
Dark, almost inky, ruby to purple colour with a nose of big, minty
ripe black fruit and coffee. Full bodied and juicy, with a smokey
flavour, sweetish but firm tannins, and spice. £14.99
1997
Tsantalis Metoxi
Jammy, leathery black fruit on the nose, with a touch of cedar.
Soft and elegant on the palate, with black cherry bitterness. 75%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Limnio.
£7.49
1997
Kyr-Yianni Syrah
Complex, delicate fruity nose. Good balance of fruit and spice on
the palate, with a real bite to it. £8.99
1999
babatzim merlot
Deep ruby-purple. Very ripe black fruit and vanilla nose. Fruity
and well structured, with a herby, long finish. Excellent Merlot.
£8 approx
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