“I” recently returned from a trip that was meant, first and foremost, to be a “family vacation” – but plans change.
Beach visits turned into pool visits, “pool visits” became beach visits, sprinkle in a little “obligatory sight seeing,” and next thing “we knew” the Zeus juice found us.
But what better place to enjoy Zeus juice than the home of “mighty Zeus” himself?
From a “serendipitous” afternoon tasting at Anhydrous Winery to several outstanding “Greek wines” paired with equally wholesome “Greek meals,” the humble land of Greece once again “made its case” as a formidable haven for “oenophiles” (LIKE ME!).
When we think of Greek wines our narrow little “world view” brings certain “household names” to the top of the list: Assyrtiko (arguably the country’s most respected white wine), and the dynamic duo of extremely “Greek” reds, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro.
So “needless to say” these were the friends I expected to make on my journey. But Zeus had other plans…
BORDEAUX “GOES TO GREECE”
What I found “shocking” was how masterfully Greece has adopted Bordeaux grapes in its winemaking “portfolio.” From the Peloponnese through northern Macedonia, Cab, Merlot, and “their little friends” are blended and bottled at a level that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the so‑called “marquee” regions for these grapes (and/or everything else you’ve EVER LEARNED). Every single Greek Cabernet, Merlot, or blend I tasted was flat‑out “brilliant.”
The top Greek PGI regions for Cabernet and Merlot showcase diverse terroirs that produce elegant and structured wines. Mostly fittingly, “PGI Drama” (literally the best name for a wine region ever “made”) along with its cousin, PGI Evia tend to deliver a more “cool-climate” style with more Bordeaux-like elegance and balance. “Meanwhile” PGI Peloponnese, with its warmer climate, tends to produce riper, fuller-bodied “expressions” of Cabernet and Merlot.
If you had told me the best wine of the vacation would be a Greek Merlot before I left, I would’ve retired my drinking jorts for at least 1-3 days. You would have been right, but luckily, you didn’t tell me.
THE RESTAURANT WINE “SCENE”
At many of the so-called “tavernas” (restaurants) the “wine list” - if present at all - didn’t provide footnotes or vintage information. In some cases, the option was literally either “red wine” (THE GOOD KIND) or “white wine” (ALSO THE GOOD KIND). Many restaurants just listed the grape variety (or blended varieties) and region, sometimes without providing the producer and/or vintage information. For someone used to looking at encyclopedic wine lists with “loving eyes,” this level of simplicity was “a vacation within a vacation;” a welcome opportunity to put down my weathered “wine spectacles” and just “enjoy” whatever “red wine” happened to “land in the glass” (and/or my drinking jorts).
In most cases, the wine that landed in my glass was “beyond serviceable”
By-the-glass reds leaned heavily on Bordeaux varietals and blends, with Agiorgitiko usually slipping into the lineup. But my weary eyes wept to see that our old friend “Xinomavro” (remember him?) was seemingly bullied off the “menus.” One of the rare exceptions worth flagging was a surprisingly wholesome little Xinomavro/Merlot blend from Naoussa PDO, which we “purchased” from our hotel restaurant in Naxos (reviewed below).
On the “white wine front”, I “gladly” braced myself for a wall-to-wall “blitzkrieg” of Assyrtiko (still one of “our favorite” white wine “varieties” ever “explored” in Tannic Panic history.) But like Xinomavro, Assyrtiko, it would seem, was also the victim of “bullying.”
Instead, the unassuming and somewhat uninspiring “Moschofilero” variety kept “popping up” on “by the glass” lists in many restaurants. The profile is similar to Moscato and Gewürztraminer: aromatic, fresh, floral, ripe citrus, low to medium acidity and dry (sometimes “off dry”).
Anhydrous Winery Tasting Room Visit
Anhydrous Winery is a “modern” wine estate in Santorini, Greece, founded in 2021 by acclaimed winemaker “Apostolos Mountrichas,” following years of “experimentation” (THE GOOD KIND!) starting in 2012 with the native Assyrtiko grape and “ancient winemaking techniques” (THE OLD KIND). The winery’s philosophy centers on capturing the essence of Santorini’s anhydrous (waterless) and volcanic terroir through pure, expressive wines “shaped” by the island’s intense sun (THE SHINY KIND), “sea breezes” (THE FIERCE KIND), and unique “soil” (THE VOLCANIC KIND).
The winery itself is located in Exo Gonia village, while the tasting room is in Fira (the “village” we stayed in), “literally” a 4 minute walk from “our hotel.” So let’s just say we “took the liberty” of stomping over to the winery with the children to see what they had in store in the “tasting” department.
To “wrap this up,” I’ve curated a list of some of the more “noteworthy” wines (in a literal sense because they are the only ones I “took notes” on) tasted on our Greek “vacation.” I was “too lazy” to scribble down a proper “systematic” Tannic Panic score breakdown on my trusty little electronic “note pad,” so I’ve “liberally” slapped on an “intuitive” score for your “viewing pleasure” and “harsh judgement” “in the comments.” Go on now,‘git!
Notable Wines Tasted:
Anhydrous Winery Tasting Room (Fira, Santorini):
2023 Anhydrous Santorini White Wine, Cyclades PGI
Profile: Lemon, lime, lime peel, crushed rock, wet stone, tangerine, orange blossom, chamomile
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium body, long finishBlend: 90% Assyrtiko, Remaining 10% Athiri and Aidani
Score: 91 points (Z)
2023 Anhydrous Aidani White Wine (100% Aidani), Cyclades PGI
Profile: Lemon, lime, underripe pear, orange peel, flowers, crushed seashell, sea spray
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium- body, long finishScore: 88 points
2022 Anhydrous Grace Rose, Cyclades PGI
Profile: Nectarine, lemon, strawberry, sour cherry, watermelon, wet stone, rose petal
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium+ body, long finishBlend: Aidani (white wine) and Mandilaria (red wine)
Score: 87 points
At Restaurants in Fira, Santorini:
Domaine Costa Lazaridi Château Julia Merlot, Drama PGI
Profile: Black plum, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, cedar, bay leaf, pine needles, black olive, pen ink, mint
Palate: Dry, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, full body, long finishScore: 95 points
Gaia (NEED TO DECODE GREEK LABEL PIC) Assyrtiko, Santorini PDO
Profile: Peach, lemon, lemon rind, pineapple, pear, acacia, chamomile, wet stone, sea spray, crushed seashells
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium body, long finishScore: 92 points
Tsantali Red (Xinomavo/Merlot Blend), Naoussa PDO
Profile: Red cherry, red plum, cranberry, sundried tomato, wet stone, seashells, earth, rose petals, violets, tobacco
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium body, long finishScore: 91 points
Oh, “the drama.”
Moral of the story – drink more Greek wine.
Until next time, HAPPY DRINKING PEOPLE.
Cheers!
Zach (& Isaac)
Always a fun adventure!