What I have been doing all this time

Time flies

This is what my dear grandmother used to tell me when we were chatting in the garden holding a glass of wine. She used to say:

Time goes by so quickly as a leaking faucet

And that’s exactly what happened to me… I started my new job last October and then my WSET Level 3 course and the days went by with lots of studying, walks, laughter or moody Sundays.

Basically I was studying on planes, occasionally with the company of a random Barbie doll

When in Greece, I tasted the most delicious Moschofilero ever

Nikolas Repanis is producing in Peloponnese this marvellous wine at 11.5% alc with white blossom and fresh lemons aromas. Refreshing minereality and a long finish complete my idea of the Golden Angel
Another wine I had in Greece was the The tear of the Pine, a Retsina

Oh, don’t give me this “Ewww” face, don’t be judgemental! Have you tried Retsina lately? Well if you actually did and you didn’t like it, you haven’t tried this one. Made from 100% Assyrtiko and is fermented in oak barrels and stays in contact with its lees for a short time. Although Retsina is most commonly made from Savvatiano or Roditis, Kechris chose to use the noble Assyrtiko grape, in order to achieve the delicacy of the new Retsina style. I’ve heard many English colleagues saying how much they enjoyed Retsina during their holidays in Greece but when they had it in the English country they were disappointed. It’s because I myself can’t find a decent Retsina in the UK! I will come back to Retsina in a next post.

When back to London, I had Japanese wine for the first time and I was thrilled! Even though that the Japanese started drinking wine only in the 90′s because of research on the benefits of red wine for the heart, they have started producing great white wine.

That’s the Soryu Koshu 2010; green apples, blossom and juicy citrus on the palate.
That will be all for now!

Next post will be on Xinomavro; have you ever tried it? Any favourites? Looking forward to your thoughts.

Ta Ta!

Winemaker: Vasilis Georgiou Part 2

Young Winemakers and Wine professionals of Greece

          Many wine-journalists suggest that Greece’s point of difference is the amount of its indigenous varieties and that in order to differentiate itself in the wine world, winemakers should focus on them. On the other hand, others claim that we should also cultivate international varieties, in order to keep up with the world’s competition. What is your point of view regarding this subject?

At this point, I think we ought to focus on our indigenous varieties since they give us a competitive advantage. Other than that, we must monitor closely what the current trends in the wine market are and try to offer an alternative but similar approach to that trend thus creating a market for our wines. That’s why we came up with Simia Stixis (punctuation points) which is a triad of a white, a rose and a red all aiming for a very fresh and easy to drink style just as the current market demands. Therefore it is dangerous to focus solely on indigenous varieties without keeping in mind what the consumer really demands.

Which Greek variety and which international are your favorites and why? Please, explain your affiliation and say a few words about the variety itself. Do you grow them in the estate you are working for? 

Admittedly, I am a loyal fan of Xinomavro. Especially Xinomavro from Naousa. Over the years, I have seen this variety’s potential is limitless and the fact that the region of Naousa and its different teroirs give different expressions to the wines of xinomavro make it even more intriguing. Boutaris has worked with Xinomavro closely for so many years and I’m proud to pick up from there to continue such a huge tradition. In terms of winemaking, you need to be very patient and show “respect” to Xinomavro since overmaceration can bring out very rough wines. Soon you will have a chance to taste a great xinomavro from Naousa that we have been working on. From the international varieties I would pick Sauvignon Blanc, which is always a challenge to get those fresh cut grass, capsicum notes to make it great.

Old vintages of Xinomavro Boutari

Do you organize activities in the Estate you work for? If, yes, please specify and comment on their impact on the sales and communication. If not, what are your plans for the future?

Anyone can visit our wineries and learn about the history of the first winery that bottled wine in Greece. Wine tasting is also offered by appointment.

A little something About You.

I have always kept some time free to enjoy sailing. Being so close to the sea creates a soothing feeling which all Greeks have in their heart.

 Last but not least, do you export in the UK? If yes, who is your importer or distributor? If not, would you be interested in doing so?

Yes we export in the UK through our distributor 

KATSOURIS BROTHERS LTD-CYPRESSA HOUSE

100 QUEENSBURY ROAD

WEMBLEY, HA0 1QG, MIDDLESEX

U.K

You can learn more about Boutari wines if you:
1. Visit their webpage http://www.boutari.gr/en/main.php
2. Follow them on Twitter https://twitter.com/boutari
3. Join them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/boutariwines

Winemaker: Stamatis Mylonas Part 2

Young Winemakers and Wine professionals of Greece

 

Stamatis Mylonas

 In case you missed Part 1, please click here.

In a vineyard including vines, that are counting 100 years, Stamatis is producing wines that have a clear Greek heritage but are also modern and sophisticated.

This is the second part of the interview. In a future post, tasting notes of Mylonas Winery wines will be included.

 

Do you organize activities in the Estate you work for? If, yes, please specify and comment on their impact on the sales and communication. If not, what are your plans for the future?

We try to organize activities in our estate or to participate in more general activities concerning wine. We hope will be more active in the future when our winery will be completed.

In my opinion, it is extremely important for every winery  to give the opportunity to people to “get to know” their wines and vines.  In addition, I believe that the personal contact with the consumer, is the best advertisement one can obtain. We try to be in touch with the consumer and give them the opportunity to visit the winery and get fascinated by wine. A personal contact and a fine wine have a positive result both in communication and  in sales afterwards .

Beautiful scenery

Assyrtiko vines

A little something About You:

My wife always says that I can’t think of anything else but wine!!! I enjoy spending my free time with her, my two small children and with good friends. Traveling around the world is something I really love to do, meeting new people, exploring new traditions and food.  I always enjoy a nice movie that relaxes me at home. I also wish I had time to swim a bit more.

Last but not least, do you export in the UK? If yes, who is your importer or distributor? If not, would you be interested in doing so?

We do export in the UK. I consider UK market to be one of the most difficult. Our wines are imported by Yamas Wines (www.yamaswines.uk) and Just Great Wine (www.justgreatwine.co.uk)

Mylonas' wine selection

If you wish to know more about Stamatis and Mylonas winery then use the following information: 
Mylonas Winery : Keratea Attica, 19001, Greece 
Tel. +302299068156
 Fax +302299068256

You can also like their page on Facebook!

À bientôt

Winemaker: Stamatis Mylonas Part 1

Young Winemakers and Wine professionals of Greece

 

 Stamatis Mylonas

 

  Stamatis is one more winemaker, who I haven't met in person, yet I feel that I have understood quite well his norms and values in the cellar and the vineyard. His winery is located in Keratea, Greece and in its 12 hectares several Greek and international varieties are planted: Assyrtiko, Savatiano, Malagousia, Agiorgitiko, Mandilaria, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The vineyard practises ensure low yields and high quality grapes. Stamatis, his wife and their two children are the soul and spirit of this almost one century old winery.

 

When was the first time you realised that you are a dedicated wine lover and decided that your future would be associated with the wine industry? Which factors played the most crucial role to this decision?

I don’t remember myself being anything else than a wine lover! I was “born and raised” this way, I started walking and talking in this vineyard and this winery. My grandfather and my father were winemakers, as well. I’ve always considered this procedure to be magical; from the planting and cultivation of the vines till the wine making process and the ageing of our wines. The feeling of being creative is the most important one and this is what keeps giving me the strength to go on despite the exhausting long hours of work. I am glad that my two brothers and I follow the footsteps of our family.

  Tell me about your background in the wine world, including harvests, studies, projects or qualifications. 

As I mentioned I was raised in our family winery, so I guess that I have been in plenty of  harvests in my 35 years of age. Although, I have done the last 10 harvests as the Head Oenologist. Moreover, I have a Bachelors' degree in Chemistry with a specialisation in Oenology. I was also very lucky to have studied under the valuable guidance of Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, the only Greek Master of Wine in the Greek department of WSET School until the Diploma Level. I feel that this is something really significant in my until now career.

Being part of the new wave of Greek Wine Industry generation, which 3 things you would change in the industry, including vineyard management, oenological techniques, communication, marketing e.t.c.?

In the Greek wineries, I believe that we have gained the expertise and we also have the technological equipment needed to make fine wines. In my opinion, what is missing  is a new revolutionary generation of winemakers, like the one of the  Oenologists in the 90s. Of course, producing premium Greek wines is not enough if you can’t sell them. At this point there are the other top two milestones. Communication strategies and Marketing techniques, especially in the International Market, are the two areas that need a lot of work. 

Stamatis sampling wine from the tank

       Many wine-journalists suggest that Greece’s point of difference is the amount of its indigenous varieties and that in order to differentiate itself in the wine world, winemakers should focus on them. On the other hand, others claim that we should also cultivate international varieties, in order to keep up with the world’s competition. What is your point of view regarding this subject?

I reckon that the answer is somewhere in-between, the presence of Greek and international varieties is necessary. Sure, the indigenous varieties give us a unique advantage in foreign markets. On the other hand, Greek premium wines made from International varieties could assist with the recognition of the quality of the Greek vineyards in an  international level.

Which Greek variety and which international are your favourites and why? Please, explain your affiliation and say a few words about the variety itself. Do you grow them in the estate you are working for? 

      My two favourite grape varieties are Assyrtiko and Savatiano. I appreciate Assyrtiko's uniqueness and adaptability in different soils and climates, with the most reputable the one of Santorini. Moreover, it has evolves beautifully through time. Savatiano is the variety that mostly intrigues me. It has a surprisingly good dynamic that I continue discovering year after year. I believe that it is a variety that has a lot to show. We cultivate both of those varieties and we experiment with them every year. As far as the the international varieties is concerned, I would like to distinguish Riesling that unfortunately we can't cultivate in Attica due to the climate but I would love to vinify it. 

The great-grandfather of Stamatis planted this vine

This Savatiano vine is 100 years old

It's always better to work with company