Winemaking in Greece goes back thousands of years. But although Greek wines were little more than a footnote for much of the 20th century — largely defined by an era of cheap, overly resinated Retsinas — Greece may be enjoying a golden age of wine, thanks to modern techniques, vastly improved production, and an emphasis on artisanal winemaking.
If you haven’t dipped into Greece recently, you’re missing out on some memorable wines made from a range of indigenous grapes not seen elsewhere.
From north to south, including the islands, Greece is a wine-producing country, and it’s a shame that the wines don’t get more attention in stores and in restaurants — except, of course, those that specialize in Greek food.
Molyvos, a top Greek restaurant in New York, for example, boasts around 750 choices on its all-Greek wine list. By contrast Eleven Madison Park, one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants, has a mere four Greek wines, all of them white, on its 230-page wine list. Most others have a smattering of Greek wines at best.
But instead of a Pinot Noir from California or Burgundy, why not try a Xinamavro with a few years of age? If you like fresh white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, Assyrtiko and Moschofilero are worth considering. And that only scratches the surface.
So why isn’t there more buzz about Greek wines among Americans? I put the question to Kamal Kouiri, the longtime wine director and a managing partner in Molyvos.
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