Bon Vivant: (n) a person having cultivated, refined, and sociable tastes especially with respect to food and drink.

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It’s all Greek to me

Posted in: Bang for Your Buck, Bon Vivant, DC events, Drink Well, Entertaining, Foodie, Seasonal Sips, Wine 101, Wine Facts, Wine Pairing, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews, Wine Tasting, Wineries and Vineyards

After spending an amazing summer studying in Greece and returning there for travel over the years, I’ve developed quite an affinity for Greek wines.  The food and wine are such a tremendous part of the rich culture. I adore cooking and serving Greek food and wine for clients and friends alike!

Many are skeptics, having had a bad bout with the notorious pine resin-y retsina, but most leave converts.

I was so pleased to be invited to a blind tasting recently by two Greek brothers who run a wine import and distribution business here in DC. We blind tasted 22 Xinomavros and enjoyed a generous spread of authentic Greek food at Mourayo in DuPont Circle.

Jason and Nasos Papanikolao.  "You captured us perfectly!  He is always out front and I am always in the background drinking wine!" - Jason

Jason and Nasos Papanikolao. “You captured us perfectly! He is always out front and I am always in the background drinking wine!” – Jason

The hard to pronounce varietal is an oft over-looked, but a delicious and bold red wine perfect for pairing with lamb and summertime grilling season! It has deep, dark fruit flavor profiles and a nice earthy balance.  This wine is often best decanted before service.  If you like big, tannic, full bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, give this Greek stand out a try for a fraction of the cost!

blind wine tasting

One of my favorite things about Greek wine- and Xinomavro in particular- is the outstanding value.  Below is one of my favorite wines for the money.  It showed well at the tasting against pricier bottles, but is delicious at around $20/bottle!  For a big, bold wine to pair with red meats, that’s a steal!

greek wine and txaziki

This bottle is a go to when enjoying lamb and delicious homemade tzaziki.

Do you ever enjoy Greek Wines?

(Yamas!)

 

 

(4) Comments

  1. I went to the Xinomavro tasting at Iron Gate on Thursday, and there were some truly fantastic wines there. They paired beautifully with the cheese and hummus. It’s definitely going to be a grape I will start searching for.

    • Alleigh, It’s one of my favorites as well- sorry to miss you at the Iron Gate, I heard it was a great event!

  2. I was supposed to go to Greece this fall, but life got in the way! This is a great reminder of why I want to visit and just how interesting the wines from this region are.

    • I know several people there right now and their pictures are a great reminder, indeed! It’s one of my very favorite travel destinations and an unsung hero in the wine world (IMHO;)!

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