On
the 4th and Final Day of Unit 6 of the Intensive Sommelier Training at the
International Culinary Center we studied Greece and Eastern Europe. Unit 7
covers Beer, Sake & Spirits, Unit 8 covers Program Management and Unit 9
covers Food & Wine Pairing. After Unit 9 we will have one meet for Review
and then we will take the Certified Sommelier Exam on March 26th
which will entail a written exam, a blind tasting of 2 wines (red and white)
and a service exam in a mock restaurant in which we will have to serve either a
table wine, decant a wine or do a sparkling wine service while answering
questions about aperitifs, food and wine pairing, cocktails and so forth.
Since
this blog focuses on the exploration of wine around the world and not the
subjects of these other unit this will be the final review on the Intensive
Sommelier Training at the International Culinary Center. However, I will
continue to post review of wines from around the world and after March 26th
I’ll post an overall review on the experience of going through the Intensive
Sommelier Training and taking the Certified Sommelier Exam.
In
the review I’ll cover the basics of Greece and Eastern Europe, the class learning
objectives and then provide a review of the wines we tasted in class.
Greece
Our
word for the study of winemaking “enology” comes from two Greek words οἶνος (oinos) and λόγος (logos). The alternative
word, viniculture, is from the Latin.
Greece is one of the oldest wine growing countries in the world, some estimate
over 6,000 years old, though not one of the most prominent today. The ancient
Greeks spread winemaking throughout Europe including Italy, Portugal and
southern France. Greek wines, especially the sweet wines, were the some of the
most valued during the time of the Roman Empire all the way through the Middle
Ages.
However,
when Europe began to modernize their winemaking in the 1800s Greece lagged
behind as they continued to produce lesser quality, oxidized wines that the
locals had become accustomed to without keeping in mind the vales of the global
market. However a new generation of winemakers is striving to redefine Greek
wine.
Greek Grape Varieties
Greece
has over 300 indigenous grape varietals. Some of the most important white grape
varieties are as follows:
 |
| Santorini Assyrtiko Grape Vine |
Assyrtiko (pronounced A
seer' tee ko) was first cultivated on the island of Santorini and is one of
Greece’s most important multi-purpose white grape varieties. It has the ability
to maintain its acidity as it ripens and it yields a bone-dry white wine with
citrus aromas mixed with an earthy, minerality. It is also blended with the aromatic
Aidani and Athiri grapes for the production of the unique, naturally sweet
wines called Vinsanto, which should not be confused with the Italian straw-wine
by the same name.
Moschofilero (pronounced Mos
ko fee' le ro) is a distinct aromatic
grape within the AOC region of Mantinia, in the Peloponnese. Moschofilero
grapes have a gray colored skin (like Pinot Gris) and produce a wine that is a blanc de gris. It has floral aroma of
roses, violets and spices with a natural high acidity.
Rhoditis (pronounced Ro
dee' tees) is a rosé colored
grape with light fragrant aromas that is very popular in Attica, Macedonia,
Thessaly and Peloponnese where it is cultivated for the production of AOC Patra
wines. It produces the best results when cultivated with low yields on
mountainous slopes.
Savatino (pronounced Sa va tya no')
is the predominant grape in the region of
Attica where is it is well-suited to dry summer weather. It produces elegant,
well-balanced white wines with an aroma of citrus fruits and flowers.
Athiri (pronounced Ah
ee tha' nee) is a white wine variety
primarily found in the Cyclades Islands. It produces wines aromatic white wines
with medium alcoholic content and acidity and is often blended with grapes
having a high alcoholic content and acidity such as Assyrtiko.
Some
of the most important Greek red grape varieties are as follows:
Agiorginko (pronounced Ah
yor yee' ti ko) means “St.
George’s” and is one of the most noble of the Greek red grapes. It is primarily
grown in the Nemea AOC region in the Peloponnese. It produces wines with soft
tannins and balanced acidity and can be used in a various of styles different
styles of wine including aromatic rosé wines, fresh aromatic reds to
extraordinary aged reds.
Xinomavro (pronounced Ksee
no' ma vro) means “acid-black” and is the
predominant grape variety in Macedonia. They are known being highly structured
wines with excellent aging potential and in many ways they are Nebbiolo-like.
Mandilaria (pronounced Mahn
dee lar ya') is also known as Amorgiano
and is primarily found on the islands of Rhodes and Crete. Mandelaria is often
blended with other grapes such as Monemvassia in Paros, Kotsifali in Crete or
as a single variety on the island of Rhodes.
Retsina
One
of the most well-known (and enjoyed by locals) ancient wines in Greece is Retsina (Ρετσίνα), which has been made for at least 2000 years. It has a flavor
that is reminiscent to pine scented furniture polish. This style of wine was
developed due to a necessary means of preserving the wine from becoming
oxidized in amphorae, before the invention of impermeable glass bottles. In
ancient times they sealed the wine vessels with Aleppo Pine resin that helped
keep air out, while at the same time infusing the wine with resin aroma. The
Romans began to use barrels in the 3rd century AD, removing any oenological
necessity for resin, but the Greeks had become accustomed to the pine flavor in
their wine.
 |
| Savatiano Grapes |
Today,
the white wine Retsina is still produced from Savatiano grapes. Although modern barrels have eliminated the
necessity of pine resin as a sealant, the Greek culture has become accustom to
the flavor so they add it to the wine. Retsina is a Traditional
Appellation protected by the EU (as a PGI), and is rarely encountered outside
of Greece and it cannot be labeled with a vintage designation.
Although
we did not taste Retsina in class, I have tasted it twice and the only way I
can imagine that it might be somewhat palatable to a non-Greek is if you drank
it while simultaneously eating Greek olives and goat cheese.
Greek Wine Laws
In
1969 – 1971 Greece implemented wine laws and established most of the country’s
appellations. Then in the 1980s they were refined and modeled after the
French AOC system as overseen by the Greek Wine Institute in order to conform
to EU standards.
There
are two levels of PDO (“Protected Designation of Origin”) quality wine:
Greek Wine Quality Designations
In Descending Order
|
Appellation
of Superior Quality
Οίνοι
Ονομασίας Προελεύσεως Ανωτέρας Ποιότητος
|
|
Controlled
Appellation of Origin (AOC/OPE)
Οίνοι
Ονομασίας Προελεύσεως Eλεγχόμενης
|
Traditional
sweet wines
|
PGI
(“Protected Geographical Indication”)
|
Includes
the Traditional Appellations (Ονομασία κατά Παράδοση) of Retsina and Verdea,
an oxidative white wine produced on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian
Sea, and integrates the wines of Greece’s former “vin de pays”
category, Topikos Inos (Τοπικοί Οίνοι.)
|
“Varietal”
Wines
|
Wines
that carry a vintage and variety on the label.
|
“Table”
Wines
|
Cannot
carry a vintage and variety on the label
|
While
“Reserve” in California has no legal status, Greece also has two additional
label designations with specific requirements for ageing:
Reserve PDO Wines of Greece
|
Reserve
Επιλεγμένος
|
Minimum
1 year of aging for white wines, with at least 6 months in barrel and 3
months in bottle. Minimum 2 years of aging for red wines, with at least 1
year in barrel and 6 months in bottle.
|
Grand Reserve
Ειδικά Επιλεγμένος
|
Minimum
2 year aging period for white wines, including at least 1 year in barrel and
6 months in bottle, and a minimum 4 year aging period for red wines,
including at least 18 months in barrel and 18 months in bottle.
|
The
PGI zones are divided into regional, district, and area levels: PGI regions are
equivalent to the major regions of Greece, such as Peloponnese and Crete,
whereas PGI areas are so small they may only include a single estate. PGI
districts correspond to the peripheral units of Greece, a form of political state
that replaced prefectures during administrative reform in 2010.
Greece
also has a wine designated as “Cava” which is a table wine and should not be
confused with the sparkling wine of Spain. “Cava” is a Greek term that was used to refer to “high end” table
wine. The
requirements are as follows:
Cava Designations
|
White and Rosé Cava
|
6
months in oak prior to bottling
|
Red Cava
|
At
least 1 year in barrel
|
Palaiomenos se vareli
|
Indicates
Cava, Reserve, or Grand Reserve oak aging beyond the required minimums.
|
Greek Wine Regions
The
Greek wine producing regions are scattered throughout the Mediterranean between
the mainland regions and shores of Turkey on the seemingly countless islands. In
general, Greece experiences a Mediterranean climate. The mainland includes the
regions of Macedonia, Epirus, Peloponnese, Thessalia, Thrace, and Central Greece (Sterea Ellada). Macedonia (sometimes spelled Makedonia)
is warmer as it experiences a continental climate and it is one of the oldest which
makes up the northern Greek mainland while central Greece covers the southern
portion. Peloponnese is a large
peninsula that extends out form the mainland into the Mediterranean and it
includes the important wine regions of Nemea
PDO (red wines from Agiortiko), Mantinia
PDO (dry white wines from Moschofilero), Patras
PDO (dry white wines from Roditis) and Mavodaphne
PDO (sweet red Vin Doux Naturel from
Mavrodaphne and Korinthiaki grapes).
The
Greek islands are broadly categorized into the Aegean and Ionian
Islands and include important regions such as Rhodes (whites wines from Athiri and red wines from Mandilaria), Santorini (white wines from Assyrtiko,
plus Aidani and Athiri
) and Muscat of
Samos PDO (sweet whites from Moschato Aspro also known as Muscat Blanc à
Petits Grains). Crete is the
largest Greek island and accounts for roughly 20% of Greece’s wine
production. It includes important appellations
as the Dafnes PDO (Red wines from
Liatiko), the Archanes PDO (dry reds
from Kotsifali and Mandilaria) the Peza
PDO (dry white wines from Vilana and red wines from Kotsifali and
Mandilaria) and the Sitia PDO (red
wines from Liatiko and white wines from Vilana).
Eastern Europe
The
major focus of Day 4 of Unit 6 was on Greece and we more-or-less did a “fly
over” of Eastern Europe but we skipped some countries that are discussed in our
text books such as Russia, Cyprus, and Croatia. Currently, the following
nations are not major players in the Word of Wine so I won’t go into great
detail on any of them.
Slovenia
Slovenia
is the wealthiest part of former Yugoslavia. It joined EU in 2004 and although
not widely known around the world it is among the top in quality of wine
producing Balkan countries. It borders Friuli in Italy to the west, Austria
to the north, and Croatia to the south. There are three wine regions located
in the country, the best is
Primorska, followed by Podravje and Posavje.
Slovenia is mostly known for dessert wines similar to those found in Austria.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
has a history of winemaking that dates back more than 3,000 years. However,
wine production went into decline due Turkish control and implementation of
Muslim law until the late 19th century. Beginning in the 1970’s, a strong export
market was established and for a period of time they became 4th
largest exporter of wine. However, in 1985 anti-alcohol reforms were launched.
Then in 1990 the Communist regime fell and wine production began to change
faced with new challenges.
Bulgaria
is located between Romania to the north and Greece and Turkey to the south. The
climate of the region is warm and dry influenced by the Black Sea to the east
and the Aegean to the south. This provides long ripening periods for creating
full bodied fruity red wines throughout the country. There are 5 wine regions
in Bulgaria - Danubian Plain, Thracian Lowlands (which are recognized
by the EU), Black Sea Region, and Struma River Valley.
Bulgaria
has 2 quality Levels of wine: The DGO
(Declared Geographic Origin / Vino ot Deklariran Geografski)
and Controliran, a Controlled appellation
within a DGO area, considered superior quality
level.
Much
of the wine production in Bulgaria is focused on international varieties such
as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Native red grapes include Gamza (Kadarka), Mavrud and Melnik. Indigenous
white grapes such as Rkatsiteli and Dimiat, but they have been steadily
losing plantings in favor of more marketable varieties.
Romania
Romania
is the 5th largest wine producing European country. It had a
significant planting program in the 1960’s under communist rule then after the
fall of communism in 1989 it saw a rise in hybrid plantings in the early
1990’s. But with minimal foreign investment it has struggled to find success in
the export market.
Romania
has a Continental Climate with the Carpathian Mountains in center of country,
the Black Sea to the south-east and the Danube River to the south. It has 7
wine regions: Moldova, Muntenia-Oltenia, Banat, Crişana-Maramureş, Dobrogea,
Danube Terraces, and Transylvania. There are 4 DOC regions of note:
Murfatlar DOC – Located within Dobrogea.
Cotnari DOC – Known for its sweet
wines, located within Moldova.
Dealu Mare DOC – This region has potential
for Pinot Noir within Muntenia-Oltenia.
Tarnave DOC – Located within
Transylvania, it is one of the coolest regions.
Romania
has a high number of indigenous grape varieties. The red grapes include Feteascâ Neagrâ, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Pinot Noir. But plantings of white grape varieties exceed red
grapes; the leading are Feteascâ Albâ,
Feteascâ Regalâ, Riesling Italico
(Welschriesling) and Chardonnay.
Lebanon
Lebanon
has a history of over 6,000 years of grape cultivation. In fact, some theorize
that it was the source of the vitis vinifera for Egypt, Italy and Greece. After the departure from Turkish Ottoman
Empire (which lasted from the late 13th century to 1923) wine
production was revived and France had a major influence on its wine
industry.
They then suffered a 15-year Civil War that ended in 1990. Today there are 2
wine producers of note, Gaston Hochar
and Chateau Musar, and over 37,000
acres (15,000 hectares)
under vine all located within one wine district: the Bekaa Valley. The vineyards are planted
to both French and indigenous varieties. The red grapes varieties include
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cinsault, and Carignan. White grapes include Obaideh, Merwah
and Chardonnay.
Israel
Israel
has an ancient history of winemaking that dates back at least to around 1400
BC. Although it’s a relatively small country (about
5% of the size of California), its north-to-south configuration offers a
variety of altitudes and topographic changes, resulting in numerous
microclimates and subzones. Although winemaking and viticultural practices were modernized in
the late 19th century,
with Carmel Winery pioneering dry table wine style in the 1960s, Kosher wines
dominated the market until the 1980s. Then in the 1990s Israeli winemakers were
winners in an International wine competition that brought recognition to the
potential of the Israeli wine industry. Today there are over 140 wineries in
operation. The majority of them are kosher, but there are
numerous non-kosher selections, produced primarily by smaller boutique, or
garagiste, wineries. However, most of these non-kosher selections have limited
availability or are not currently imported into the United States.
Israel
has a Mediterranean climate with hot, humid summers and cold rainy winters.
Most of the vineyards have limestone and marl based soils. There are 5 major
wine regions - Galilee (north), the Judean Hills (which surrounds
Jerusalem), and the Negev (southern
area, desert), Shimshon (or Samson) and Shomron (Samaria).
Sadly most if not all of the indigenous varieties were removed during Islamist
rule prior to 1948, so today French and other international varieties dominate
plantings.
What Makes a Wine Kosher?
There
are few differences between a kosher and non-kosher wine. The techniques used
during production are almost identical but there are just some guidelines to be
observed in order to achieve kosher status. The most significant difference is
that a kosher wine can only be handled by Sabbath observant Jews at all points
of the winemaking process, from harvesting the grapes through fermentation and
bottling. However, it’s not necessary for a head winemaker at a kosher winery
to be Jewish. Many are not, and they rely on their staff to handle the
materials and equipment. All ingredients must be certified kosher. Most wine
ingredients are already kosher, but certain items, like unauthorized yeasts and
animal-based fining additives such as gelatin or isinglass are prohibited.
Kosher tools and storage facilities must be observed, meaning that no
designated kosher equipment may be used for the production of non-kosher wine.
All production must also be overseen by a mashgiach,
who supervises the kosher status of the winery. If a kosher wine is handled by
a non-Jew, the wine will lose its kosher status unless it is also mevushal. The term, literally translated
as “cooked” or “boiled,” refers to a kosher wine that has been heated to a high
temperature to preserve its kosher status, even if handled by a nonobservant
Jew. But even for these “cooked” wines, recent innovations in flash
pasteurization have greatly reduced the damage that the heating process
traditionally inflicted on the sensory profile of these wines. This means that
the raisiny, rubbery or stewed fruit flavors that may have been previously
encountered in mevushal selections
are far less common today.
Learning Objectives of Unit 6
– Day 4: Greece and Eastern Europe
At
the beginning of class lectures a list of learning objectives is provided to
the students. By the end of the class, the students should have a certain
degree of understanding from their own reading and the lectures and be able to
provide the answers to a list of questions. The Learning Objectives for Unit 6
- Day 4 along with the answers are as follows.
By
the end of class, students should be able to answer the following questions:
(1) Name
2 important red PDOs, the grapes of that region and location in Greece
Answer: Xinomavro, Agiortkio
(2) Name
1 important white PDO, the grapes of that region and location in Greece
Answer: Assyrtkio
(3) Which Italian region borders Primorska in Slovenia
Answer: Fruili
(4) Identify
the country of origin for wines produced from the Danubian Plain region
Answer: Bulgaria
(5) Name
the indigenous red grape of Romania showing potential in the world market
Answer: Fetească
(6) Name
the country where Chateau Musar is producing wines
Answer: Lebanon
(7)
Describe the attributes of any wines tasted today
Answer: See below
The Wines
On
the 4th day of Unit 6, we tasted the following wine from Greece and Lebanon:
1. 2012 Domaine Skouras, Moscofilero, Greece
This
is a clear white wine, pale straw in color with moderate rim variation and low
viscosity. On the nose it is clean with moderate and youthful aromas of
mandarin orange, ripe white grapefruit, melon rind, Myer lemon, lime and a
floral bouquet of rose water. On the palate it has flavors of grapefruit, very
sharp and tart lemon and a salty minerality. It is dry with crisp medium+
acidity, it has medium alcohol and body and a medium + length finish. This wine
sells for about $16 per bottle.
2. 2011 Boutari, Assyrtiko, Santorini, Greece
This
is a clear white wine, star-bright, brass in color at the core with low
concentration to a watery rim with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean
with subtle and youthful but somewhat oxidative with aromas of bruised apple, apple
cider, apricot preserves, caramelized pear and a hint of honey. On the palate
it has additional flavors of bitter almonds, chalk and a lingering nuttiness.
It is dry with crisp medium+ acidity, it has medium alcohol and body and a
medium length finish. This wine sells for about $22 per bottle.
3. 2011 Tselepos, Moscofilero, Mantinia, Greece
This
is a clear white wine, star-bright, straw in color at the core with low
concentration to a watery rim with low viscosity. On the nose it is clean with
subtle aromas of lemons, peach, dried apricots, lemon blossoms and a hint of
tarragon. On the palate it is tart and very sharp with flavors of apricots and
peach with a chalky minerality and a touch of sea salt. It is dry with HIGH
acidity, it has medium alcohol and body and a medium+ length finish. This wine
sells for about $17 per bottle.
4. 2004 Chateau Musar Blanc, Bekka Valley,
Lebanon
This
is a clear white wine, day-bright, brass-gold in color at the core with low
concentration to a watery rim with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean
with moderate aromas of bubble gum from a pack of baseball trading cards, brown
bananas, hints of tropical fruit, custard and just a touch of rose bush. It has
flavors of cotton candy, cinnamon and all spice with a touch of cinnamon and
clove. It is dry with medium+ acidity, it has medium alcohol and body and a
long finish. This wine sells for about $21 per bottle.
5. 2009 Tselepos, Agiorgitiko, Nemea, Greece
This
is an opaque red wine, day-bright, ruby in color at the core to pink with moderate
concentration to a touch of orange at rim with medium+ viscosity. On the nose
it is clean with subtle aromas of dried cherries, cranberry, roses, a hint of
black pepper, mushrooms and decaying soil. It has flavors of dried
blackberries, cranberries, and black pepper. It is dry with medium+ tannins, medium+
acidity, it has medium+ alcohol and body and a moderately complex, medium length
finish. This wine sells for about $22 per bottle.
6. 2010 Domaine Karydas Xinomavro, Naoussa,
Greece
 |
| (This label is from the 2007, not the 2010) |
This
is a clear red wine, day-bright, ruby in color at the core to garnet at rim
with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean with subtle aromas of medicinal
cherries, dried cherries, violets, green stems, sage, tarragon, dried red
flowers, dense tart and mushrooms. It has flavors of sour cherries, tar, hints
of black pepper and chalk. It is dry with HIGH tannins, medium+ acidity, it has
medium+ alcohol and body and a moderately complex, medium length finish. This
wine is very Nebbiolo-like. This wine sells for about $26 per bottle.
7. 2009 Kir-Yianni, Xinomavro, Ramnista,
Naoussa, Greece
This
is a clear red wine, day-bright, ruby in color at the core to garnet at rim
with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean with subtle aromas of cherries,
stewed and dried plums, cola, dense tar and mushrooms. It has flavors of dried
cherries, tar, hints of black pepper and chalk. It is dry with HIGH tannins, medium+
acidity, it has medium+ alcohol and body and a moderately complex, medium
length finish. This wine is also very Nebbiolo-like but with more ripe fruit.
This wine sells for about $22 per bottle.
8. 2004 Chateau Musar, Bekka Valley, Lebanon
This
is a clear red wine, day-bright, ruby in color at the core to garnet at rim
with a touch of orange and medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is clean with
subtle aromas of cassis, cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, blackberries and a
hint of raisins. It has flavors of dried cherries, leather, tobacco, dried
leaves, and a hint of chalk. It is dry with medium+ tannins, medium acidity, it
has medium+ alcohol and medium body, it is moderately complex with medium
length finish. This wine sells for about $37 per bottle.
9. 2001 Chateau Musar, Bekka Valley, Lebanon
This
is a clear red wine, day-bright, garnet in color at the core to orange and
brown at rim, day bright, with medium+ viscosity. On the nose it is “clean”
with moderate aromas of poopy-diapers (Brettanomyces), stewed plums, tobacco,
burnt toffee, black licorice, roasted peppers, leather, roasted nuts, dried
leaves, dried meat and paprika. It has flavors of dried cherries, leather,
tobacco, dried leaves, and a hint of chalk. It is dry with medium+ tannins,
medium acidity, it has medium+ alcohol and medium body, it is highly complex
with medium length finish. This wine sells for about $38 per bottle.
