Rant: Brave Restaurants & Their Wine Lists

Kudos to two courageous restaurants, A Tavola and Krasi, both which have taken a bold stance with their wine lists. They have chosen to restrict their wines to a single country, the country of their chosen cuisine.

Would you expect to find a Neapolitan pizza on the menu at a Sushi restaurant? No. Would you expect to find a cheeseburger on the menu of a Spanish tapas restaurant? No. In a similar vein, diners shouldn't expect that a restaurant, concentrating on a specific cuisine, will carry wines from all regions of the world. If a restaurant wants to specialize in the wines of a single country, it should be embraced for doing so. Diners should respect that decision and be willing to select wines from that list, even if they aren't familiar with those wines.

Restaurants which go this route spend lots of time carefully curating their wine list, selecting a diverse selection of wines which should appeal to all wine preferences. If a diner likes a certain flavor profile, the restaurant staff should be able to recommend wines which would appeal to that diner. A Tavola has an all-Italian wine list, and although it's relatively small, there's still plenty of diverse choices. Krasi has an all-Greek wine list, of over 150 selections, and there's definitely a wine for everyone.

This is a philosophical choice by the restaurant, an effort to promote a certain culinary tradition and region. We should respect such a choice. Such a wine list a great way to expand your palate, to broaden your vinous experiences. You might even find some new favorites, intriguing unique grapes or wine styles. You might not find some of these wines at any other restaurant, so you have the opportunity to explore something new. Personally, I was very excited to see the Greek wine list at Krasi, eager to sample wines new to me. And at A Tavola, I've already tasted a few wines new to me as well.

However, not all restaurants choose to limit their wine menu to a single country. I certainly understand the reasons why some do so, especially their desire to cater to the desires of their customers. It can be a financial decision, worries that some customers won't dine at their restaurant if they can't find the wines they commonly drink. Some people are too set in their ways, and want to be able to get their California Chardonnay no matter what restaurant where they dine. That is a valid concern to some degree, and as restaurants are businesses, they need to do what they can to survive. That is their choice, but it's not the only available choice.

We should to give our support to those restaurants brave enough to have a single-country wine list, to dine at such restaurants and enjoy their wine choices. We should be open to experiencing new wines, and not limit ourselves to the same old wines. Please dine at A Tavola and Krasi and thank them for the courage in presenting a single-country wine list.

Do you have any favorite restaurants with such a wine list limited to a single country?

2018: Favorite Wine-Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2018. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 (But Under $50) and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine-Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Analysis Of Top Ten Wines: In my three prior Top Wine lists of 2018, I mentioned a total of 36 wines, which included wines from 9 different countries and regions, four less than last year. In first place was Portugal, with 10 wines, and I'll note that last year, Portugal and Georgia were tied for first place, each with 6 wines. France came in second with 6 wines, including 3 from Alsace. Spain and Italy tied for third place with 5 wines each. Uruguay and California each had 3 wines, while Germany had 2 wines. Rounding out the lists, Turkey and Australia each had 1 wine. As for wine types, the lists are also broken down into 4 Sparkling, 3 White, 4 Rosé, 18 Red, 6 Fortified and 1 Aromatized Wine. 

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Consumers always want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap, mass-produced commercial wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight three such stores which continue to do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree & Needham, Wine Connextion in North Andover, and Rapid Liquors in Stoneham. Shop at any of those stores and you won't be disappointed.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a small list of wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls
Wine-Sense in Andover
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge
Wine Press in Brookline and Wine Press now in the Fenway
Streetcar Wines in Jamaica Plain

Favorite Private Wine Dinner: The wines of Uruguay are still new to many but they deserve your attention. I had the opportunity to taste several Uruguayan wines from the portfolio of Bodega Garzón: Uruguayan Treasures, From Albarino to Tannat, finding plenty of treasures, from Albarino to Tannat, Cabernet Franc to the high-end Balasto. Three of their wines ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. And we got to enjoy this wines while dining at the compelling La Bodega By Salts, savoring some Uruguayan cuisine. Such delicious food, paired with excellent wines, combined to elevate the evening.

Runner-Up Favorite Private Wine Dinner: When you're savoring a dish of Escargot en Cocotte, snails in garlic butter, at Brasserie Jo, you probably crave some French wine. I had an enjoyable and fascinating lunch there with Romain Teyteau, the North America Export Director for Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, which led me to write about The Beauty Of Beaujolais. We had plenty of stimulating conversation, while tasting some delicious wines, including some killer Beaujolais. A couple of those wines even ended up on my Top Wine lists.

Favorite Public Wine Dinner: This was an easy decision as Il Casale in Belmont thoroughly impressed me with their San Felice Wine Dinner. They sold out the entire restaurant, indicative of the popularity of their wine dinners, and I understood the reasons. The food was superb, the wines were amazing, and service was professional. They made it seem easy to serve around 100 guests the same multi-course dinner. A couple of the Italian wines from this dinner ended up on my Top Wine lists. Plus, I was stunned by one of their incredible dishes, the Fusilli fatti in casa con ragù "bianco" di carne e salamino di cinghiale (Handmade fusilli with "white" meat ragù and diced wild boar salami). It was one of the best dishes I ate in 2018. I also attended a wine dinner, dedicated to Olio Taibi & Olive Oil, at their Lexington location, which was just as well done. I give my strongest recommendation that you attend an Il Casale wine dinner.

Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: With a fascinating and delicious portfolio of nine, family-owned Greek wineries, from all across Greece, An Odyssey Greek Wine Tasting with Cava Spiliadis was a stellar tasting event, one that was open to the public. I've long been an advocate for Greek wines and it is tasting like this that can be so persuasive to consumers. The wines were diverse, a myriad of styles and flavor profiles, as well as approachable and food-friendly. Every wine I tasted had its merits and I loved learning more about the indigenous grapes of Greece as well as its terroir. Plus, Post 390 presented plenty of tasty food to accompany all of the wines. You need to Drink More Greek Wine!

Runner-Up Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: Puritan & Co. hosted an informative and fun tasting of Georgian wines, which I wrote about in two parts: Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 1) and Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 2). Georgian wines are another passion of mine and I take almost every possible opportunity to taste their wines. With 8,000 years of vinous history, over 500 indigenous grapes, and a tradition of the qvevri, Georgia has plenty to offer a wine lover. There was even an intriguing discussion about skin contact wines that raised some compelling issues. You need to Drink More Goergian Wine!

Favorite Formal Wine Seminar: At the City Winery, I attended an educational seminar about the wines of the Italian region of Alto Adige - Südtirol, which were once known as Rhaetian Wines, Favorites of the Ancients. We did some comparison tastings of wines from various grapes, including Pinot Bianco, Schiava, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero, Lagrein and Gewurtztraminer. I was particularly taken with the Schiava wines and want to find more of them to sample. Overall, the wines were delicious, food friendly and compelling, sure to please any wine lover.

Favorite Informal Wine Seminar: This year, Sommelier Theresa Paopao created a Wine School At Asta, an afternoon wine lounge inspired by New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov’s monthly column. I visited the restaurant during the month she showcases the Fiano grape, offering seven Fiano wines from the Campania region of Italy. They were all available by the glass as well as in flights of three wines. Theresa explained all about the grape and the various wines, evidencing her passion and knowledge. Plus, you could pair the wines with various special and delicious dishes created by the restaurant. Excellent food and drink in a fun and informative atmosphere make this a compelling event and hopefully they will continue their Wine School in 2019.

Favorite Restaurant Wine List Change: At Committee, one of my favorite Greek restaurants, Wine Director Lauren Friel instituted significant changes to their wine list, compiling an All Greek, All Natural Wine Program. The list is diverse, exciting, reasonably priced and has plenty of delicious options. And this past summer, they held a Natural Wine Pop-Up on their patio on Wednesday nights, helping to promote their new list. The wines pair very well with the various Greek dishes and every wine lover will find something to excite their palate. Lauren has done a great job with this new list and I will repeat, You need to Drink More Greek Wine!

Favorite New Wine List: Though The Table at Season To Taste has been open since 2016, I only just dined there recently. And I look forward to dining there again very soon. Besides their excellent food, they have an intriguing wine list, curated by Jesse Eslin, their Wine Director, which changes on regular basis with their changing food menu. The wine list has plenty of intriguing and small production wines, the type of wines that excite an adventurous wine lover. The evening began well with a German sparkling wine made from the rare Elbling grape, and continued on that same level throughout the dinner. If you love wine, you need to make a trip to The Table at Season To Taste.

Favorite Wine Pairing: Last New Year's Day, I chose to celebrate with a large pot of Lobsters, paired with two different bottles of Crémant d'Alsace. Sparkling wine is a versatile food wine and often pairs very well with seafood. With the sweetness and rich of lobster, especially dipped in drawn butter, it helps to have a wine with good acidity and these Crémant wines possessed that trait. Plus, their tiny bubbles helped to cleanse the palate between bites. The complex flavors of the two Crémant wines also complemented the delicious lobster. It was a killer pairing, well appreciated by everyone at the table. And such a hedonistic way to begin the New Year.

Favorite Wine Travel Event: This past October, I visited Portugal, touring Porto and the Douro region. It was an amazing trip, filled with so much fun and excitement, great food and wine, intriguing museums and historical sites, and much more. A number of the wines from this trip ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. And I'll be mentioning some of the culinary highlights in other Favorite lists next week. Check out my page of Collected Links, which will lead you to all of my 20 articles about the trip to Portugal. And I'll likely add a couple more articles next month.

What were some of your favorite wine-related items this year?

Committee: The Democratization Of Wine Pop-Up

"Wine is best in its natural state--when it's a pure expression of its traditions and origins, without the gloss of additives or industrial winemaking."
--Lauren Friel, Wine Director at Committee

Let me ask you once again: Why aren't you drinking more Greek wines?

An excellent spot to gain experience with Greek wines is at Committee Ouzeri + Bar, located in the Fan Pier area, and one of my favorite restaurants. As I previously mentioned, Committee has taken a bold step forward, honing their wine list until now it is 100% Greek Wine and 100% Natural Wine. Their wine list is broken down into two menus: By The Glass and By The Bottle, though all of the By The Glass options are also available by the bottle.

The By The Glass list includes two Sparkling wines, two Rosé wines, three Whites and 3 Reds (priced $11-$16/glass and $44-$64/bottle). The By The Bottle list has a total of 27 wines, broken down into 11 Whites, 3 Orange wines, and 13 Reds, with 19 wines costing $60 or less. As you can see, their bottles prices are reasonable, with a few splurge-worthy wines at higher price points. The list ranges across the varied regions of Greece, and include wines made from numerous indigenous grapes including Vidiano, Aidini, Roditis, Savatiano, Mandilaria, Limnio and more. Wine Director Lauren Friel has put together a well-focused, diverse, intriguing and delicious wine list. I've previously tasted some of the wines on the list, and all of those wines are excellent choices.

In addition this summer, Committee is holding a Natural Wine Bar Pop-Up on their patio every Wednesday night, starting at 5pm, and running through August 29. Each week, they will offer a small list of special Greek wines, which will change regularly, including some rarer selections. At last week's Pop-Up, I attended as a media guest, enjoying the four Greek wines which were offered. The weather was perfect that evening, so it was a delight to sit out on the patio and enjoy some fine Greek wine and food. The patio was quite busy, and I saw a significant number of people enjoying the wines that were being offered.

Lauren moved from table to table, describing the wines to those who were interested, sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience. A great opportunity for any wine lover to learn about Greek wine. The full dinner menu is available on the patio so you have plenty of choices to pair with the various wines, and Lauren will give you recommendations if you so desire. I very much enjoyed all four wines that were offered, each providing its own unique taste profile.

First, I sampled the 2015 Ktima Parparoussis Assyrtiko ($13 glass/$52 bottle). At an average retail price of $28 retail, the bottle price is less than twice the retail cost which is a good value in the restaurant world. I previously attended a wine dinner hosted by the winery's founder, Athanassios (Thanassis) Parparoussis so you can check out my prior article, Parparoussis Winery & Greek Delights, for background on the winery. I also got to meet Dimitra & Erifyli Parparoussis, the daughters of Athanassios, and taste more of their wines, and you can read about that in An Odyssey Greek Wine Tasting with Cava Spiliadis. 

From the Achaia region of the Peloponnese, Lauren states this is "Assyrtiko off the beaten path," as most Assyrtiko is from the island of Santorini. As such, the Parparoussis Assyrtiko has a different profile than most Santorini Assyrtiko, with a fuller body and riper fruit. There are tastes of melon, pear and citrus, with good acidity, and hints of floral notes. There is a nice complexity to the taste and a long, satisfying finish. A very pleasant summer wine, this would go well with seafood, light chicken dishes, and cheeses.

The 2017 Papras 'Oreads' Black Muscat ($11/glass, $44/bottle--about $22/average retail) is produced by Papras Bio Wines, the first winery in Greece to be certified as organic back in 1990. Stergios Papras was the oenologist from the start, and helped to give fame to the grape Black Muscat of Tyrnavos. Though Black Muscat grows in various parts of the world, the grape in Tyrnavos has its own unique characteristics. Tyrnavos sits on a plain at the base of Mount Olympus. The name "Oreads" refers to mountains nymphs in Greek mythology.

The Papras 'Oreads' is a rare blanc de noirs, which was vinified in stainless steel, with indigenous yeast and almost no skin contact but 70% of the stems were reintroduced into the fermentation tank and then removed once it was completed. The wine was both unfiltered and unfined, which accounts for the cloudy nature of its appearance. On the nose, there is a strong aroma of Muscat spice and they too are prominent on the palate as well. The palate is more savory, with subtle notes of peach and citrus, and a touch of spritz. A very unique flavor and texture profile which should appeal to wine lovers seeking something different. 

From the same winery as above, the 2017 Papras 'Coccinella' Rosé ($11/glass, $44/bottle) is also made from Black Muscat of Tyrnavos. This wine was fermented, with indigenous yeast, in stainless steel and was a surprising wine to me. The nose presented with alluring and bright red fruit aromas yet on the palate, the wine was much more savory and spicy, with only subtle red fruit flavors. Such a dichotomy between the aromas and taste, but that isn't a bad thing. The taste was complex and intriguing, delicious and intense. Definitely a Rosé to slowly savor, marveling in each sip, especially while sitting on a patio on a fine summer evening.

The 2014 Thymiopoulos Naoussa Xinomavro ($12/glass, $48/bottle--about $25 average retail) is produced by a family which has owned vineyards in this region for several generations, selling their grapes to other wineries. It was only recently though that Apostolos Thymiopoulos, upon his graduation with a oenology degree from the University of Athens, started their own label Thymiopoulos Vineyards. Lauren told me that this was one of her top favorite Greek wines of all time.

The wine is made from 100% Xinomavro, from 30 year old vines, and it spent about twelve months in oak. It is unfiltered and has a low 12.5% ABV, making it easy to have a second or even third glass. It has a nice, dark red color with a compelling and complex nose of red fruit, earthy spice, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, it is silky smooth and elegant, with well-integrated tannins and excellent acidity. The complex melange of flavors include ripe plum, cherry, olive, and vanilla, with elements of earthiness and deep spice. It is full bodied with a delightful, lingering finish. An excellent and well-balanced wine, I highly recommended it!

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention some of the delicious food I enjoyed while sipping these wines. The Feta ($14), which is sesame encrusted with honey, is a perennial favorite, with that crispy, nutty coating, and the salty feta balanced by the sweetness of the honey. It is hard not to order this dish every time I dine at Committee.

A new dish for me was the Kalamboki ($10), which is an ample-sized dish of sautéed corn with Kalamata olive butter and shaved graveria (a Greek cheese). Quite tasty, there was a nice blend of sweet butter with the salt of the cheese and the olives. It elevated the corn to become an even more comforting dish, with a Greek flair.

The Crab Kataifi ($16) consists of shredded phyllo, forming a type of nest, golding chunks of lump crab and tipped by a sliced plum. The phyllo sits atop some whipped feta. The various textures and flavors blended well together, from the crunch of the phyllo to the sweet plum. The sweet crab remained prominent, enhanced by the slightly salty touch of the whipped feta. Another winner of a dish.

The Keftedakia ($14) are chicken meatballs with smoked honey and sitting atop warm hummus. The meatballs had a slight crunch to the exterior, and the inside was moist, meaty and flavorful, with hints of smoke and sweet. Another well-balanced dish, it went very well with the Xinomavro wine.

For dessert, there was Xinomavro Chocolate Cake ($10), with merenda, vanilla ice cream, and a Nescafe crumble. They even put a candle on it for my birthday. The cake was rich and fudgy, perfect for any chocolate lover, and I've really become a fan of merenda. A fitting end to a wonderful evening on the patio.

I've previously given you Ten Reasons To Drink Greek Wine and once again strongly encourage you to drink more Greek wine. And Committee is a perfect spot to enjoy a diverse selection of natural, Greek wines and to expand your knowledge through the experience of Wine Director Lauren Friel. On Wednesday nights this summer, check out their Wine Pop-Up, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

All Greek, All Natural: New Wine Program At Committee

"Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was every granted by the gods to man."
--Plato

Why aren't you drinking more Greek wines?

I've previously given you Ten Reasons To Drink Greek Wine and I've also highly recommended that you drink and dine at Committee Ouzeri + Bar, a killer Greek restaurant which had a primarily Greek wine list. I've enjoyed plenty of delicious and diverse Greek wines at this restaurant (along with lots of excellent food). Well, Committee has taken a bold step forward, further honing their wine list until now it is 100% Greek Wine and 100% Natural Wine. Get there now to check out their new wine list!

Wine Director Lauren Friel created this new wine list, one of her latest endeavors in a very busy vinous career. She consults for other restaurants (such as the acclaimed Dirt Candy in NYC where she created a wine list of all female owned wineries), is a freelance writer, and will soon be opening Rebel Rebel (an all natural wine bar) at Bow Market in Somerville. Lauren was generous enough to take a little time to answer some questions about the new wine list at Committee.

1. Why have you moved to a 100% Greek wine list?
Lauren: "I believe in writing wine programs with a point of view. An all-Greek wine list aligns with Committee’s concept and menu, and it showcases what I believe to be some of the most exciting wines being made in the world today. "

2. What challenges do you foresee with your guests because of a 100% Greek wine list?
Lauren: "Certainly, there’s an initial hurdle to overcome when guests take a look at the list and don’t immediately recognize regions or varieties, but the wines speak for themselves. Once guests have a glass in front of them, that all falls away."

3. What are the advantages to a 100% Greek wine list?
Lauren: "The wines are natural pairings with our cuisine, so the challenges of pairing internationally styled wines with traditional cuisine goes out the window. Greek wines also haven’t caught up to other regions in terms of market cost, so we’re able to offer extremely well-made, rare and unique wines for a fraction of what they would cost coming from, say, France or California."

4. Why have you moved to 100% natural wines?
Lauren: "I’ve worked exclusively with natural wines for every other wine program I’ve written. For a while, we didn’t have access to naturally made Greek wines in Massachusetts. That’s changed in the past year or so, as I’ve worked hard to get these natural Greek portfolios into distribution. Now that they’re available, it makes sense to showcase them - they’re pure expressions of Greek terroir, they’re low-impact from an environmental perspective, and they don’t contain the additives of industrial wines."

5. What challenges do you foresee with your guests because of a 100% natural wine list?
Lauren: "None. DRC is technically natural, and nobody talks about that. People have this idea that all natural wines are weird or funky, and that’s simply not true. Well-made natural wines are as clean and expressive as conventionally made wines."

6. What are the advantages to a 100% natural wine list?
Lauren: "I know I’m providing guests with the best wines I have access to."

In addition to the new wine list, Committee is also holding a Natural Wine Bar Pop Up on their patio every Wednesday night, through August 29, starting at 5pm. A modest list of Greek wines will be served each week, offered at a much lower mark up than usual. There will also be rare selections that are hard to find and will change monthly. The pop up will offer wine flights and accompanying meze. This will be on a first come, first serve basis on the patio only.

With the great diversity of Greek wines, every wine lover will be able to find a wine that appeals to their preferences. And they also will be able to explore such a wide variety of intriguing and exciting wines. Go to Committee, delve into Lauren's new wine list, and expand your palate's horizons.

"Where there is no wine there is no love."
--Euripides

Rant: A Flawed Greek Festival

Where's the Greek wines?

Yesterday, I visited a local Greek festival, interested to check out their Greek cuisine and wines. There were gyros and souvlaki, pastitsio and moussaka, loukoumades and baklava. A smorgasbord of Greek cuisine offerings. However, there were a just few wines displayed, and only one of them was Greek, an Agioritiko, the others being from California. Not displayed, though offered on their drinks menu, was a Retsina too.

Why would you offer California wines at a Greek festival???

The festival was intended to showcase and celebrate Greek culture, and I believe that should extend to the wines they offer as well. There is no reason why they couldn't offer only Greek wines at the festival. There are plenty of inexpensive, but tasty, Greek wines available if cost was an issue. And the attendees, many who are Greek, aren't there to enjoy a taste of California. They are there for a taste of Greece. As was I.

I've long been a passionate advocate for Greek wines, having written over 25 articles, and you can find links to all of those posts in All About Greek Wines & Spirits. There are so many reasons why you should drink Greek wines and we need to expose more consumers to the wonders of those wines. So, at a Greek festival, which is open to the public, it would be an excellent opportunity to showcase the intriguing wines of Greece rather than the wines of California. It could have been a teaching moment, to share the tastes of Greece, their unique indigenous grapes.

This would also apply to any other cultural festival, where they should be proud to offer only the drinks of their country or region. Whether the festival was Italian or Spanish, German or Chilean, there isn't a need to sell California wines when all of those regions produce an ample supply of delicious wines that reflect their heritage.

It is a simple thing, for a cultural festival to embrace their wines. A Greek festival should offer only Greek wines. Let's hope future festivals better understand this easy concept.

An Odyssey Greek Wine Tasting with Cava Spiliadis

"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile."
--The Odyssey, Book XIV, by Homer

In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer told the story of the warrior Odysseus, who spent ten long years returning home from the Trojan War. Now, the term "odyssey" generally refers to any long and epic journey, and its nature can take many different forms. Recently, Cava Spiliadis, an importer of Greek estate wines, engaged in its own Odyssey, covering eight cities in the U.S., presenting a variety of wine events, from winemaker dinners to consumer tastings. The idea was to showcase their portfolio, Greek wines from nine family-run wineries, and their last stop on their Odyssey was in Boston.

Cava Spiliadis chose to hold a consumer tasting event in Boston, the venue being Post 390, and 100% of the ticket sales were donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. The nine wineries at the event were divided into three regions, including Northern Greece (Ktima Gerovassiliou, Ktima Biblia Chora, & Domaine Katsaros); Peloponnese (Ktima Driopi, Ktima Tselepos, & Ktima Parparoussis) and the Greek islands (Canava Chrissou, Venetsanos Winery, & Rhous Winery). I attended the event as a media guest, sampling a few dozen wines, and overall I was impressed with what I found. Excellent wines, intriguing indigenous grapes, fascinating stories and more. It is wines like these that make me a passionate advocate of Greek wines.  

"King James I. took the trouble to import for his own drinking the strong Greek wines, strange to English palates of the seventeenth century, which had once been sufficiently abundant in the cellars of the Knight Templar.”
--The Pulaski Citizen (Tennessee), September 18, 1873

Established in 2007, Cava Spiliadis is the creation of George Spiliadis, the son of famed Estiatorio Milos restaurateur Costas Spiliadis. As their web state states, their portfolio contains, "From small family run domaines with limited production to larger estates breaking new ground, discovering unique blends and working with ancient varieties, Cava Spiliadis Collection brings you only the very best from Greece." As I mentioned above, the portfolio includes nine, family-run wineries, which are also dedicated to certified sustainable and/or organic viticulture. The number of wineries in the portfolio is unlikely to change, as Spiliadis works on expanding distribution across the U.S. The portfolio isn't stagnant though, as the wineries are working on new projects, so new products will eventually be released.

At the tasting event, I had a chance to speak with George Spiliadis, to ask him some questions about his portfolio as well as Greek wines in general. George is a charming personality, and it is clear he has a deep passion for Greek wines. That was especially evident when we discussed the reasons for George entering the wine industry. George stated that it is more important to understand why someone does something, rather than understanding what they do. That is a thought provoking sentiment, one I've long held myself. Plenty of people sell wine, yet what truly separates them are the reasons they do so, which have a significant impact on how they go about everything.

For example, Wine Seller #1 may possesses a mercenary attitude, seeking to maximize his profits above all else. He will sell only wines he knows that are popular, wines which will sell out quickly and which almost sell themselves. He doesn't care about niche wines or anything more unique. He doesn't want to spend his time trying to hand sell those wines when he could stock other wines which fly off his shelves. Wine Seller #2 may be a more passionate advocate for wine, seeking to expand the palates of his consumers, to showcase delicious and fascinating wines, even if they might be unfamiliar to many consumers. Sure, he wants to make money, but that isn't his primary motivation.

Would you rather buy wine from Wine Seller #1 or #2?

“For all the wine in Greece has resin put in it, as it had in the days of Homer. You cannot get a mouthful of wine in Athens without an accompanying dose of tar. When you ask why this inhuman custom is kept up, you are told it I done for medicinal purposes; that it prevents the rheumatism."
--The New Orleans Daily Democrat, October 2, 1877

As you can see in the above quote, Greek wines once had a very negative reputation in certain circles. George wants to show people another side of Greece, to change their perceptions about the nature of Greek wine. He wants to make people aware that Greek wines are as good as wines from any other region in the world. Since 2007, George believes he has had some success and progress, but there is still plenty more to do, especially with the general public.

Consumer education is an important objective, and George stated that consumers shouldn't feel intimidated by the strange names of indigenous grapes. What is significant is what is in the glass, how the wine tastes. On their own, a consumer might not purchase a Greek wine, with a strange grape name, because they know little about that wine. However, a wine store employee can often persuade a consumer to take a chance on such a Greek wine, giving them knowledge and reasons why they should drink the wine. If the consumer enjoys the wine, they are more likely to explore other Greek wines.

“There are many varieties of Greek wine, but almost all are strong and fiery and are tempered with water when they are drank. Wine cost only a trifle (about 8 cents per quart of excellent quality), but is seldom taken to excess.”
--The Mineola Monitor (Texas), August 4, 1888 "

It is also important to make Greek wines more common in mainstream restaurants. In the Boston area, there are several Greek restaurants with impressive Greek wine lists, but it is far more difficult to find Greek wines in non-Greek restaurants. George suggested that Greek wines should be instituted into more by-the-glass programs at these non-Greek restaurants, to make them seem less exotic and more commonplace. If consumers start to see Greek wines available at Italian, French and Japanese restaurants, or steakhouses and burger joints, they are more apt to give those wines a try.

When I asked George about his particular portfolio, I questioned him about the reasons consumers should be interested in his wines. George replied that the wineries represented "quality without compromise" and also had good geographical representation. In addition, the portfolio had a good representation of indigenous grapes, including some wineries which were especially instrumental in saving or promoting certain indigenous grapes. These includes Ktima Tselepos (Moschofilero), Ktima Gerovassiliou (Malagousia), Ktima Parparoussis (Sideritis), Domaine Katsaros (Xinomavro), Rhous Winery (Vidiano & Moschato Spinas), and Ktima Biblia Chora (an unknown grape variety).

“Dr. Landerer writes to the Drug News that the Greek wines are prepared from pure grape juice, and are the strongest of all wines—their percentage of alcohol being from 10 to 16. They are thought to be well adapted for the improvement of American and European wines. The Restinat wines, which are drunk by hundreds of thousands of people in Greece and Asia Minor, have been known from the days of Homer. The Brazilians have begun to import these wines largely. The fruitfulness of the Greek vines is accounted for by the fact that they remained free from phylloxera.”
--Wheeling Sunday Register (West Virginia), December 28, 1884

Post 390 provided a delicious spread of foods for the tasting event, which is especially beneficial at a consumer event where most of them won't spit the wines they taste. There was a good showing for the event but it wasn't overly crowded so you didn't have to wait long at any table to get a sample of wine. From the conversations I overheard, a fair number of the consumers knew little about Greek wines and were pleasantly surprised to find how much they enjoyed the wines. I heard very little negativity, and most of that seemed more a matter of simple preference.

I tasted almost exclusively Greek wines made from indigenous grapes, as I feel they can often best showcase a region and its terroir. Plus, I am fascinated by many of these grapes, some which extend back thousands of years and others with intriguing stories behind them. I found plenty of diversity in the wines I tasted, a myriad of styles and flavor profiles. They were generally food-friendly, very approachable, and quite delicious. The quality of these wines was high, they were priced fairly, and should appeal to most consumers.

“The wines of Greece and Hungary partake of the character of California wines. They are fruity in taste.”
--Pacific Rural Press (California), March 15, 1873

We'll begin our exploration of Greek wines in Northern Greece with the wineries of Ktima Biblia Chora, Ktima Gerovassiliou, and Domaine Katsaros. 

As for Ktima Biblia Chora, I previously reviewed their 2011 Ktima Biblia Chora Biblinos, and that article will provide you with information and background on the winery. I'll also note that their vineyards are certified organic. The 2014 Areti White, made from 100% Assyrtiko, was fermented in stainless steel and spent about 4 months on the lees. It was aromatic, crisp and fresh, with tasty citrus and mineral notes. A fine wine for the summer wine or paired with seafood. The 2010 Areti Red, made from 100% Agiorgitiko, was fermented in stainless steel and aged for about 12 months in small French oak barrels (30% new). I found this wine to be dark and elegant, with plum and black cherry flavors, some minerality, and hints of spice throughout. With a long, satisfying finish, this was an impressive wine, one which would pair well with grilled meats.

The 2016 Biblinos Rosé, made from 100% of the same unknown grape used in the Biblinos, is also fermented in stainless steel. It was also crisp, dry and fresh, with more subtle red fruit flavors enhanced by some savory notes. This would also be a fine summer wine, and would pair well with many different foods. Quite delicious!

As for Ktima Gerovassiliou, I also previously reviewed their 2013 Ktima Gerovassiliou Avaton, and that article will provide you with information and background on the winery. At the Odyssey event, I got to taste a newer vintage, the 2015 Avaton, and my prior tasting notes are applicable here as well. I didn't detect any significant differences between the two vintages, except that the fruit in the 2015 was a bit more prominent. It is an amazing wine and highly recommended!

The 2016 Malagousia is produced from a grape that was rescued from near extinction back in 1975. The winery had a small amount of vines that they used to plant more, to ensure this grape's survival. And we should all be glad for that as it makes an excellent wine. Some of the grapes are fermented in while another portion is fermented in French oak, the wine also is matured on the lees for a fw months. This was a compelling white wine, fresh and crisp, with tastes of pear, grapefruit, lemon and jasmine. There is a pleasant richness to the wine, and it would be delicious on its own, or paired with seafood. One of my favorite white wines of the event. The 2009 Malagousia Late Harvest, made from grapes that were left on the vine to over ripen, is not made every year, and the last two vintages were the 2012 and 2015. It is vinified in French oak, and then aged for 3 years in that same oak. At only 13% ABV, this makes for an intriguing dessert wine. It has a mild sweetness, well balanced by its acidity, and is presents as both subtle and elegant. Complex flavors of dried fruits and honey, mild citrus and wisps of spice. Bring on a cheese plate and I'd be very happy.

As for Domaine Katsaros, I also previously reviewed their 2014 Ktima Ktsaros Valos, and that article will provide you with information and background on the winery. I tasted their 2014 Valos again, and my thoughts were largely the same. In some respects, it reminds me of Pinot Noir, more Oregon than California. It is another wine that is delicious on its own, but will also pair well with a variety of foods, from grilled meats to salmon.

“In Greece the Corinto vine has been the leading agricultural interest. It is planted on 172,000 acres, and the average annual product is 250,000,000 pounds. But since the limitation of the export to the United States, its place is being taken by wine grapes, and Greek wines are assuming considerable importance. The wine vineyards now exceed the Corinto vineyards, as they occupy 333,000 acres, and the wine export in 1904 was 457,259 hectolitres. Of the total product 80% is consumed in Greece."
--The San Francisco Call, February 23, 1906

We'll now move our exploration of Greek wines to the Peloponnese, with the wineries of Ktima Parparoussis, Ktima Driopi, and Ktima Tselepos. 

As for Ktima Parparoussis, I previously attended a wine dinner hosted by the winery's founder, Athanassios (Thanassis) Parparoussis, and got to sample a number of their wines. Check out my prior article, Parparoussis Winery & Greek Delights, for more backgrounds and information on the winery, as well as reviews of some of their wines. Dimitra & Erifyli Parparoussis, daughters of Athanassios, have followed in their father's footsteps, and their wines should make their father very proud.

I got to taste a few newer vintages of wines I'd previously tasted at the wine dinner. The 2016 Ta Dora tou Dionyssou ‘The Gifts of Dionysos’, made from 100% Sideritis, had a similar flavor profile as the earlier vintage, though maybe with a little less brininess. It remained complex and delicious, such a nice melange of flavors, and was one of my favorite white wines of the evening. The 2014 Ta Dora tou Dionyssou ‘The Gift of Dionysos’ CAVA, a blend of 75% Assyrtiko and 25% Athiri, also possessed a similar flavor profile to the prior vintage, though with more prominent fruit and still possessing the same pleasant depth of flavor. The 2012 Nemea Reserve, made from 100% Agiorgitiko, with 60% from old vines, was once again a superb wine, highly recommended, with a bit  less earthiness and more spice than the prior vintage. This wine still reminds me of a fine Burgundy.

I also enjoyed some of their wines which I had not previously tasted. The 2016 Petite Fleur, made from 100% Sideritis, was dry and elegant, with a subtle complexity, interesting savory notes and a lengthy finish. Definitely a wine I would like to savor over the course of several hours, to see how its transforms in the glass over time. The 2016 Assyrtiko, which spends about 5 months on the lees, was dry and crisp, with a pleasant richness, tasty citrus notes, and an underlying minerality. An excellent summer and seafood wine. Bring on some octopus! The 2010 Taos, made from 100% Mavrodaphne, spent about 2 years in the barrel (40% new). With alluring aromatics, the wine was medium bodied with tasty fruit flavors of plum, blackberry and cherry, with some spice notes enhancing the melange. A lengthy, pleasing finish capped off this excellent wine.

Ktima Parparoussis has an excellent portfolio and I'd recommend all of their wines.

Yiannis Tselepos is behind three Greek wineries, two in the Peloponnese and one on Santorini. Ktima Tselepos is located in the Arcadia region, concentrating on Moschofilero, while Ktima Driopi is located in Koutsi, Nemea, concentrating on Agiorgitiko. I previously reviewed the 2015 Ktima Tselepos Nemea Driopi, and that article will provide you with more information and background on the winery.

The 2016 Ktima Tselepos Mantinia, made from 100% Moschofilero, was fermented in staineless steel. It was aromatic, dry and crisp with a hint of effervescence. On the palate there were tasty flavors of citrus, accented with a touch of herb. A fine summer wine. The 2016 Ktima Driopi Rosé, made from 100% Agiorgitiko, had about 18 hours of skin contact. Dry and crisp, it was more savory, with subtle red fruit flavors. Great for summer, it is also an excellent food wine. I was most impressed with the 2013 Ktima Driopi Nemea Reserve, made from 100% Agiorgitiko and which spent about 12 months aging in new French oak. This was a superb wine of great depth and complexity. Rich black fruits, dark spice, a touch of herb, well integrated tannins, and a lingering finish. So much going on in this wine. Highly recommended and one of my favorites of this tasting.

“Some authorities, however, call Greek wine a mistake instead of a product. Beside a glass of Greek resin wine, they declare, the hemlock cup that Socrates drank was a delicious beverage.”
--Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), July 24, 1930

We'll end our exploration of Greek wines in the Greek Islands, with the wineries of Canava Chrissou, Venetsanos Winery, and Rhous Winery. 

The third winery of Yiannis Tselepos is Canava Chrissou, located on the island of Santorini. The 2016 Santorini, made from 100% Assyrtiko, was fermented in stainless steel. The wine was fresh, crisp, with pleasing flavors of grapefruit and lemon, with an underlying minerality. Great choice for summer or seafood. I was especially intrigued by their 2016 Laoudia, also made from 100% Assyrtiko, but the fermentation was conducted in an amphora, and it was also aged for about 10 months in that amphora. The Assyrtiko vines are also quite old vines, over 100 years. The wine was complex and interesting, much more savory in nature, though subtle fruit notes were in the background. Minerality was still present and the lengthy finish intrigued my palate. Highly recommended.

The Venetsanos Winery, established in 1947, is also located on the island of Santorini and is one of the oldest wineries on the island. It is also the only winery on the island that is 100% estate grown, possessing about 10 hectares of vineyards. The 2015 Santorini, made from 100% Assyrtiko, is fermented in stainless steel and spends about 4 months on the lees. Fresh and crisp, tasty and complex, this wine possesses a nice blend of citrus flavors, minerality and a briny note. Easy drinking, this is a great summer wine and would pair well with seafood. The 2015 Nykteri, a blend of 95% Assyrtiko, 3% Aidani, and 2% Athiri, spent about 4 months in French barrique. It too was fresh and very crisp, with lots of depth and complexity, citrus flavors, minerality and a lengthy finish. Simply delicious and one of my top white wines of the event. The 2016 Mandilaria, made from 100% Mandilaria, was fermented 60% in French barrels and 40% in stainless steel. Aromatic, the wine had a light body, black cherry and raspberry flavors with some spice notes and a touch of herb. It reminded me in some respects to Pinot Noir.

Rhous Winery is located on the island of Crete, in the village of Houdetsi, which is within the Appellation Peza, the largest wine-producing region in the Heraklion Prefecture. The family run winery has an organic vineyard of about 7.5 hectares and was instrumental in saving two indigenous grapes, Vidiano and Moschato Spinas.

The 2016 Estate White, a blend of 50% Muscat of Spina and 50% Vidiano, was fermented in stainless and underwent battonage for a month. Bright and crisp, there were pleasant flavors of lemon and grapefruit, enhanced by Muscat spices. The 2016 Estate Red, a blend of 90% Kotsifali and 10% Syrah, was fermented in stainless steel. It was aromatic and fruity, with subtle spice and herb notes. An easy drinking and tasty red wine.

The 2014 Skipper White, a blend of 70% Vidiano and 30% Plyto, was fermented in 60% stainless steel and 40% in new French barrique, with a final battonage for 4-5 months. The Skipper line includes their more terroir-driven wines. Vidiano is a more herbal grape, while Plyto, an up and coming grape, has good structure, nice acidity, and ages well. The wine was very aromatic, lots of herbs and underlying fruit, and on the palate it was complex and interesting, with excellent acidity, subtle citrus notes, herbal accents and a long finish. Another of my top favorite white wines of the event.

And now you have plenty more reasons to Drink Greek Wine!

“Teddy and Gus Pappas of Sacramento, the former a taxi operator and saloon owner, have been in court here of today before Superior Judge W. A. Anderson attempting to force an appeal of the judgment of the justice's court against them, them, levying heavy fines and a jail sentence for Teddy upon charges of extensive bootlegging. They were arrested here last summer and about 25 barrels of Greek wine in storage at Elkhorn, half way between Woodland and Sacramento, were seized. Both were sentenced to pay a fine of $5OO, with a three-month jail sentence added to Teddy Pappas’ punishment. The appeal is to obtain a dismissal of the judgments on the ground that the county ordinance is defective and the wine illegally seized."
--Sacramento Union, January 5, 1922

Rant: Become A Wine Activist

In about two weeks, I'll be giving a presentation, in Chicago, on Georgian wines, similar to one I gave in New York City back in April. I'll discuss the history of Georgian wines, taste the attendees through four different wines, and explain why they should drink Georgian wines. Near the end of that presentation, I'll also ask them to become wine activists.

I've long been a passionate advocate for wines which are not as popular as they deserve. For example, I've previously written Ten Reasons To Drink Georgian Wine as well as Ten Reasons To Drink Greek Wine. I've reviewed plenty of Georgian and Greek wines, recommending many excellent examples of wines from this compelling countries. I've also reviewed and promoted wines from countries such as Israel, Armenia, Lebanon, and Uruguay. In some respects, this means I've been a wine activist, using my platform to economically assist these regions, trying to get more people to buy and drink their wines.

This became much clearer to me after reading a recent article in SevenFiftyDaily, "How Wine Buyers Can Become Activists" by Peter Weltman, a sommelier and writer in San Francisco. Peter describes how his view of being a sommelier shifted, of how he became more of an activist by "leveraging wine’s privileged standing to improve people’s lives." He even has a hashtag for his activism, #BorderlessWine, which you might have seen on social media. In this article, Peter states that, "With our wine purchases, I believe, we can help advance regional peace, provide support for farmers in war-torn regions, have a voice in geopolitics, and aid in economic recoveries."

Wine is often seen as a mere luxury, something of little importance in the greater picture considering all of the problems in out world. However, wine purchases can actually have a significant impact in numerous ways, even on a global basis. Such purchases are vital to the economies and political stability of numerous countries. It can be a valuable export, provided other countries are willing to buy their wines. To assist these countries, we should consider that potential impact when we decide which wines to buy for our consumption.

In his article, Peter discusses wines made in Israel, Lebanon, Greece, Turkey, Palestine, and Georgia. Those are all the types of wine regions I especially enjoy exploring and writing about. One of Peter's primary points is that "Financial support of a country’s wines contributes to the well-being of regions, countries, and producers." Countries like Greece, whose economy has undergone much turbulence, can economically benefit if more people purchase their wines. Georgia, which is still recovering from when Russia controlled the country, would also benefit from more people buying their wines. With our wallets and pocket books, we can help to bring about positive change.

Your support of wines from these regions should be easy because these countries are making plenty of delicious and interesting wines, often from unique and indigenous grapes. They often have lengthy wine histories, extending thousands of years into the past. They produce all types of wines, reds, whites, rosé, sparkling, dessert, fortified, and more. Wine lovers can learn so much by exploring these regions. I've introduced numerous people to wines from these regions and most often receive positive feedback from these people.

I strongly urge you to read Peter's article and then give much more consideration to which wines you purchase. Try to support and improve these regions by purchasing their wines, as well as spreading the word about their wines. If you are so inclined, become more of an advocate for these wines, becoming an unofficial ambassador. I'll continue my own passionate advocacy, maybe with an added impetus of being more of a wine activist. Please join me in this endeavor.

As Peter concludes, "Wine transcends borders and bridges cultures, and it can be used to improve lives if we make the right purchases."

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
**********************************************************
1) On Thursday, March 23rd, Chef/Owner Michael Schlow, Chef de Cuisine Brendan Pelley, and the Doretta Taverna & Raw Bar team will host a special, five-course wine dinner, featuring Greek wines from Fantis Imports.

The evening will include a cocktail meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. followed by a sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. The five-course meal will feature off-menu spring dishes paired with Fantis Imports wines and conversation with Niko Mavreas about Greek wine varietals. I've long been a fan of Greek wines and you really should drink them as well.

Though the menu hasn't been finalized yet, you might see intriguing dishes such as Octopus Terrine, Lobster Tail Souvlaki or Green Garlic Pita.

Cost: Tickets are $75 plus tax and gratuity
For Reservations, please call (617) 422-0008.

2) On April 5, NF Northeast (Neurofibromatosis Northeast) will celebrate the NF community and its supporters with their 18th annual Table for TEN charitable dining event in Boston. With honorary co-chairpersons Dan Andelman, host of myTV38’s “Phantom Gourmet,” and Donato Frattaroli, Jr., proprietor of il Molo restaurant in the North End, headlining this unrivaled evening, supporters will dine at some of the city’s top restaurants before closing out their night at a decadent dessert reception with live entertainment and an auction hosted at the newly renovated University of Massachusetts Club. Frattaroli is the second generation in his family to serve as honorary co-chair of the event, with his father, Donato Frattaroli, Sr., having held the title in 2011.

Groups of ten guests will arrive at their respective restaurant at 6:00pm on Wednesday, April 5, and will indulge in a specially created three-course menu paired with wine. Participating restaurants in this year’s Table for TEN event include, but are not limited to: Artu; Da Vinci Ristorante; Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen; Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse; il Molo; La Motta’s; Legal Sea Foods (Park Square); Lucca (Back Bay & North End); Ocean Prime; Parker’s Restaurant; Post 390; Scampo; Serafina; State Street Provisions; Strega Waterfront; The Smoke Shop; The Tip Tap Room; Top of the Hub; Tresca; and, Union Oyster House.

At 8:00pm, supporters are invited to continue the festivities at the official after-party at the University of Massachusetts Club. At this dessert reception, Montilio’s Baking Company will provide sweet treats and revelers will enjoy music entertainment by Ancient Mysteries featuring Kevin McKelvey and Ben Buttrick. Additionally, there are raffles, a silent auction and a live auction with honorary co-chairperson, Dan Andelman, serving as guest auctioneer.

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a prevalent genetic disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in or on the body at any time. Proceeds from Table for TEN will fund scientific research at the Center for Human Genetic Research at Massachusetts General Hospital as well as provide support to the NF clinics at Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Research will help find the cure for NF, a genetic disorder that can cause learning disabilities, seizures, brain tumors, deafness, vision impairment and cancer. Additionally Table for TEN will help to create awareness about NF which affects more people than cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy combined, yet is a little known disorder. Over the years, incredible strides in research development have been made bringing us one step closer to a cure.

For more information on the Table for TEN event and to reserve online, please visit: www.nfincne.org.
Tables for ten are available beginning at $1,000 and individual tickets at a table may be reserved for $100 per person.
Sponsorships are also available by contacting NF Northeast’s Diana Flahive at 781.272.9936 or dflahive@nfincne.org.

3) On Monday, March 27, from 6pm-10pm, join the MRA and Massachusetts Chefs in the fight to end child hunger. Hosted at Davio’s Foxborough, the evening will feature a multi-course tasting dinner menu with wine pairings in support of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. In addition to the Chef/CEO Steve DiFillippo of Davio’s, chefs from the following local restaurants in Foxborough will be preparing the menu for the evening: Scorpion Bar, Tavolino, Skipjack’s, Twenty8 Food&Spirits and CBS Scene.

Share Our Strength began in the basement of a rowhouse on Capitol Hill in 1984, in response to the ‘84-‘85 famine in Ethiopia. Brother and sister Bill and Debbie Shore started the organization with the belief that everyone has a strength to share in the global fight against hunger and poverty, and that in these shared strengths lie sustainable solutions. Today we focus these strengths on making No Kid Hungry a reality in America.

Cost: Tickets for the event are $125 per guest (excluding gratuity) and include a cocktail reception followed by a five-course tasting menu with wine pairings.
Tickets are required and can be purchased by visiting https://cookingmattersdaviosfox.eventbrite.com

4) Chef de Cuisine Alex Saenz and the BISq team invite guests to join them on Sunday, March 26, from 10:30am to 3pm, for a special island time-themed pop-up brunch. For the third installment of BISq’s, monthly pop-up brunch series, the restaurant will be transporting Bostonians to warmer weather by way of its island time brunch this Sunday. The brunch will feature a tropical a la carte menu, signature cocktails, and live reggae music.

Although subject to change, the menu will likely include:
Conch salad
Lechón
Cuban "Ropa vieja"
Goat curry
"Mais moulu"
Sancocho
"Moros y cristianos"
Pancakes with rum bananas and smoked maple

To make reservations, please call (617) 714-3693.

A New Chef At Committee Makes His Mark

Last fall, one of my favorite restaurants, Committee, started off the fall season of their monthly wine dinners highlighting the cuisine and wines of the island of Cyprus. I previously wrote that the waters surrounding Cyprus were "...said to have once been the lair of Scylla, a terrible sea monster which is alleged to have possessed a serpent's body, six canine heads, and twelve limbs. Scylla was supposed to have taken six sailors from the ship of Odysseus."

This month, the wine dinner at Committee (at which I was a media guest) highlighted the cuisine and wines of Lamia and Central Greece, and there is an intriguing connection to the earlier Cypriot dinner. The city of Lamia may have been named after Lamia, the daughter of the god Poseidon, and she is said to have been the mother of the monster Scylla, as well as another creature, Acheilus the Shark.

The region around Lamia is very marshy land, so grape vines don't grow well there, though it is the home of Retsina, a Greek resinated wine which has a bad reputation in some circles. However, it is a reputation that needs redemption as there are a number of excellent examples of Retsina which can now be found. This is also an area which is very meat-focused and as there is little red wine in the region, they traditionally drink white wine with their meat dishes. That is certainly a more unique pairing.

This wine dinner also was intended to introduce Committee's new Chef de Cuisine, Theo Tsilipanos (pictured at the top of this post). Theo is a native of the city of Lamia, having owned a restaurant there for eight years before deciding to move to Boston. Locally, Theo has worked at restaurants including Sel de la Terre, La Brasa and L’Espalier. For this dinner, Theo collaborated with Consulting Chef Diane Kochilas and Wine Director Lauren Friel, who selected the wines for each course.

If you've never attended one of their wine dinners, you really should do so. They are usually held in a small, private room and the multi-course dinner will intrigue and delight your palate, as will the well-paired Greek wines. Chef Theo didn't disappoint, creating a delicious dinner which was evidence of his culinary skills. I've also been back to Committee since this wine dinner, trying more of Chef Theo's cuisine, and he impressed me once again. I continue to highly recommend Committee to everyone.

We began the evening with Babanatsa, homemade cornbread with greens, which is not a combination I usually would consider but it worked. The cornbread was moist and tasty, and the green added an interesting texture as well as a bit of bitterness in opposition to the sweetness of the corn. This type of traditional food was intended to be easy to carry, when farmers and others were climbing up and down the mountains of the region.

We then proceeded onto a Greens Salad with Winter Fruit & Grilled Formaella Cheese. The Formaella Cheese of Arachova is a traditional Greek cheese, a semi-hard cheese made of sheep's milk. It is commonly eaten as a table cheese though sometimes it is fried or grilled. I loved the taste of the grilled cheese and it was well balanced against the fresh greens and fruit. The cheese had a squeaky texture and I think it would be a nice substitute for cheese curds in a Greek version of poutine.

Our first wine of the evening was the Mylonas Savatiano, made of 100% Savatiano from 50+ year old vines. It was aged in stainless steel and was beautifully aromatic, fresh and delicious, with pleasant flavors of pear and lemon, and a crisp acidity. This would also work very well with seafood.

Our next course was Trahanopita with Shaved Bottarga Mesolongiou and Lemon Zest. Trahanopita, which roughly translates as "pasta cake," is made with trahanas, cracked wheat boiled with milk, which is then dried and preserved. It is a "farmer's breakfast," akin to Greek oatmeal. The bottarga is Greek caviar, Red Mullet roe. This had an interesting taste, almost like a potato cake but with more nuttiness, and an intriguing briny, earthy aspect. The lemon added a subtle acidity that helped to balance the dish.

Paired with this dish was the Harlaftis Attiki Chardonnay, produced by one of the oldest estates in Greece. It is made from old vine Chardonnay, with fermentation in French oak and then 4-5 months of aging sur lies. It is a Chardonnay of power, with big citrus and stone fruit flavors, some mild spicy notes, and a hint of caramel. Good acidity, a lengthy finish and a nice structure.

Our next course was a variation on a more traditional dish, Kontosouvli, which is usually spit roasted meat, commonly pork. Instead, we had Red Snapper 'Kontosouvli' with a Celery Avgolemono, and I didn't have any complaints. The fish was moist and tender, delicious with a nice touch of char. Seafood is always a good choice and fish grilled like this would appeal to many people.

The Domaine Vassiliou ‘Siban’ is a more traditional-style wine, made from 100% Savatiano. It was fermented in stainless steel and was crisp and elegant, with bright citrus notes and hints of almonds, especially on the finish. This was certainly an excellent seafood wine, and would love to try it with oysters.

Next up was Kelemia, a whole baked onion stuffed with ground meat and Kefalograviera (a hard Greek cheese). The stuffing was juicy and spicy, with a tang from the cheese. The onions were tender with a nice sweetness, balancing out the spicier filling.

The pairing for this dish reflected the uniqueness of the region of Central Greece, a Kourtaki Retsina. Wine Director Lauren Friel is a big fan of Retsina and was pleased she got to pair it with this dinner. The Kourtaki is made from Savatiano, is unoaked, and has a touch of pine resin, giving it a more subtle piney aroma and taste. I've enjoyed a few Restinas in the past and this one was food too, being more subtle and thus more amenable to wine lovers than some of the more prominent and resinous wines.

The last savory course was Kapamas, a lamb stew with warm spices, wine and tomatoes, which was served over Bobota (a cornmeal cream with Feta). What an alluring aroma from this dish, and the taste was its equal. The spicy lamb was tender and flavorful, with a mild earthiness and a complex blend of tastes. The Bobota was also delicious, a rich corn flavor with such briny elements. A hearty and compelling dish, this is excellent for the winter.

With the lamb, we enjoyed the Muses Estate ‘9 Muses’ Rosé, which is made from 80% Syrah and 20% Mouchtaro. And yes, Rosé is not just a summer wine, and should be enjoyed year round, especially as it is so food friendly. Mouchtaro is a very rare grape, which only grows in the area of Askri, and this winery was the first to revive this ancient grape. This dry Rosé had subtle and delicious tastes of red fruits, with a touch of white pepper and a mild herbal note. Very tasty and it stood up to the hearty lamb.

Dessert was a Pasteli (a sesame and honey bar) with Greek yoghurt mousse and topped by chestnut syrup. The pasteli was crunchy and nutty, with mildly sweet accents, topped by a slightly sour mousse and the sweet, nutty syrup. Our final drink was the Muses Estate ‘Zacharias’ Tsipouro, a strong Greek brandy, sure to warm you up on a chilly evening.

This past weekend, after a Saturday spent at the Boston Wine Expo, I dined at Committee with a friend who had never been there before. It gave me the opportunity to try more of Chef Theo's new dishes, and once again I was impressed, as was my friend. I just want to highlight a few of those new dishes, to showcase the new chef's talents.

One of the specials that night was a meat version of their Artichoke Moussaka. The bottom was a layer of pasta, topped by ground beef and with a potato layer on top of it all. The beef was spiced nicely and went with the pasta, while the thick layer of potatoes was like an excellent comfort food.

These are Cheese Loukoumades, which are basically Cheese Donuts! Who could refuse such a thing? These light and crispy donut holes were filled with three Greek cheeses, including Manouri, Kasseri, & Feta, and topped by a Greek honey-vyssino glaze. Superb! The cheese blend was bright and bold, a melange of compelling flavors, and the glaze added a nice sweetness to balance off the strong taste of the cheeses. I probably could have sat and ate these loukoumades all night with a bottle of wine. Highly recommended!

For dessert, we thoroughly enjoyed the Sokolata, which consisted of melted chocolate halva, crispy kataifi, pistachio powder, and mastiha ice cream. That chocolate was amazing, rich, creamy and with a nice depth of flavor. You'll want to lick the plate clean. The crispy kataifi added a nice textural element to the dish and the unusual ice cream added an intriguing flavor to the rich chocolate. I would stop by Committee just to have this for dessert again. Also highly recommended.

The new Chef de Cuisine, Theo Tsilipanos, is certainly making his mark at Committee and I continue to give the restaurant my highest recommendation.

2015 Kir Yianni Akakies Rosé: A Summery Greek Wine

ξερωσφύρι (kserosfiri or xerosfyri). A Greek term that literally means "dry hammer" and refers to "drinking alcohol without eating." It is commonly used as a negative reference, as Greeks, like many Europeans, believe you should drink wine accompanied by food. Americans, on the other hand, often drink wine on its own. Maybe more Americans should be emulating the Greeks.

At the very least, more Americans should be consuming Greek wine. Why should they do so? Check out my Ten Reasons To Drink Greek Wine, which hopefully will motivate you to sample Greek wines, to explore its diversity and wonders. And let me provide you a specific example as well.

This summer, many Americans will drink Rosé, commonly on its own, while they sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. However, the Greeks understand that Rosé is an excellent wine for food, pairing well with many different dishes. And in addition, Rosé can and should be enjoyed year round, paired with everything from your Thanksgiving turkey to a simple pizza.

In Greece, there is a single Appellation of Origin for Rosé wine, the Amyndeon, located in northern Greece in Macedonia. All of the wines from Amyndeon must contain at least 85% Xinomavro. One of the most well known wineries in this region is Kir-Yianni, which means "Sir John" in Greek. The winery was founded in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris, who had left the Boutari Wine Group.  Though their first vintage was in 1990, it was not until the 1995 vintage that the wine was bottled under the Kir-Yianni name. More than half of their labels are single vineyard growths on the eastern and western slopes of Mt. Vermio in Macedonia. They grow indigenous Greek grapes as well as some international ones such as Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc.

I recently received a media sample of the 2015 Kir Yianni Akakies Rosé ($15), which is made from 100% Xinomavro. The vineyard for these grapes is located at an altitude of about 2300 feet and is surrounded by numerous Acacia trees. The term "Akakies" means "Acacia" and refers to the presence of these trees.

Xinomavro (which means "acid black") is an indigenous grape in northern Greece and often is compared to Nebbiolo. Xinomavro is difficult to grow and usually provides mild color, strong tannins and high acidity. Because of those characteristics, it ages very well. While young, the wines tend to be dominated by red fruits and as they age, you'll find more savory notes, such as tomato and olive. It is a grape with which you should be familiar, and which should impress.

The 2015 Kir Yianni Akakies Rosé under went about 3 months sur lie and batonnage, and has a 12% ABV. With a bright pink color, I found this Rosé to be crisp, dry, and full bodied with bright strawberry flavors as well as some savory, herbal notes, especially on the finish. It was clean and refreshing, an excellent summer wine, yet which would not be out of place during the winter either. It would pair this with seafood dishes, from oysters to sushi, as well as roast chicken and even pizza. I even paired this Rosé with ribs and it would very well.

This summer, go Greek!