Hello Amateur Winos out there!
I recently had the pleasure of attending a tasting event put on by New Wines of Greece, and while I was there, I discovered a red grape variety that I’ve never had before that I’m getting pretty excited about: it’s called xinomavro (I’m told it’s pronounced “Zee-NO-mah-vrow”). Why am I excited about it? Well, if your budget is anything like mine, barolo (one of the great wine varieties from Italy) is a treat that you can engage in only rarely because of its high price. At this Greek wine tasting, I was told that xinomavro is sometimes called “the barolo of Greece”. After tasting some of the wines, I can say I do think there’s something to the comparison, and most importantly, xinomavro is much cheaper! They mostly seem to sell for $25 or less, and at that price level, some of them approximate barolo about as well as some of the other Italian wines I turn to for a “baby barolo” experience, like aglianico or budget nebbiolo.
One note: you may need to search around to find some of these wines – I was able to find a few of these only in stores in parts of New York city that have concentrated Greek-American communities, like Astoria. While not all xinomavros resemble nebbiolo/barolo (some are a lot more modern and structured) below are some of my favorite xinomavro wines from the tasting for the barolo-like experience. I encourage you to perhaps taste them blind or side by side with a nebbiolo/barolo; see if you agree with the comparison, and I think you’ll also discover that these wines also have a uniquely Greek character of their own in the process. Check them out if you get a chance! -Alan
- 2004 Boutari Grande Réserve Naoussa – Greece, Macedonia, Naoussa (5/20/2010)
Four years in oak. Definitely lighter and prettier than the Tsantali, with some olive here. More balanced, less power, less structured, less oak. More towards the barolo-like spectrum. Quite nice on the palate, balanced. A bit fuller and more rounded than the Karydas. 90-91ish. (90 pts.)
- 2006 Domaine Karydas Xinomavro – Greece, Macedonia, Naoussa (5/20/2010)
Shows barolo-like qualities, as advertised: Old World leather and spice. Quite impressive on the palate – indeed reminds me of good nebbiolo: medium body, spice, with the medium-ruby color edging ever so slightly toward browning, that would make me feel like this wine is older than it is. No new oak on this, and large casks used I am told, so perhaps an oxidative style explains the age that I sense here. 89-91. A lot of character for the price, and has something pretty about it. (90 pts.)
- 2003 Tsantali Xinomavro Epilegmemos (Reserve) – Greece, Macedonia, Naoussa (5/20/2010)
Three years in oak. Has a bit of a Bordeaux-like sense on the nose. Red licorice fruits and kind of a stony thing going on too. Reminds me just a bit of a Left Banker, with darker fruits and more modern in feel than some of the other xinomavro I’ve tasted. Palate shows the darker fruits profile, some sweet oak, modern, structured; pleasing in a different way that the other xinomavro. 88-89 (88 pts.)
- 2000 Vaeni Naoussa Coop. Xinomavro Grand Reserve – Greece, Macedonia, Naoussa (5/20/2010)
Shows quite a bit of oxidation on the nose, and plum color, with some movement toward browning at the edges. On the palate, quite tasty – a good blend of of oak, exotic spice, red fruit, leather, tobacco. Shows some age but still plenty lively and showing some tannin, and with these elements in an Old World oxidative style, this reminds of a traditional Rioja or a nebbiolo with some age. Perhaps my favorite red from this Greek tasting, and a terrific value at under $20. Impressions confirmed in a second taste from a bottle I purchased subsequently. (90-91+ points)
Posted from CellarTracker on GrapeStories.com
The wines in this report were tasted free of charge at a tasting open to members of the wine trade/media.
