Wine From The Gods at New Wines of Greece

When you think Greek you mostly think of the food, like flaky Spanakopita (spinach and cheese pies) or incredible Greek salads filled with plump tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and lots of briny feta; you think sunshine and white washed walls on homes in beautiful islands like Santorini, and of course, you think of Homer and Socrates, and the great Gods of Greek Mythology.

Basket vines of Assyrtico in Santorini.

Perhaps the most exciting event happening in Greece right now centers around wine, featuring varieties that date back to the 3rd Century B.C. when ancient Greeks worshiped Dionyssus, the God of Wine—who inspired everyone from artists to farmers.

These wines are impressive, particularly white wines like steely, mineral rich Assyrtico (A seer’ tee ko) from Santorini to Malagousia (Mah lah gou zya’) from Epanomi in the north—filled with bright citrus and floral notes with balanced acidity and great flavor. Summer is the best time to enjoy Grecian white wines their refreshing flavors are perfect for patio sipping or pairing with anything from sushi and Asian cuisine to grilled white fish, octopus and calamari. Here, are a few to consider that are as approachable to the palate as they are to your budget.

Domaine Sigalas is known for their incredible wines from Santorini. Their Assyrtico embraces the true essence of wine with high acidity, metallic, mineral filled, grassy aromas and a crisp, vibrant citrus palate.

In 1994 Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos found Gaia Estate, their Wild Fermented Assyrtico lets natural yeast create the wine through slow fermentation. The result is an aromatic wine filled with mineral, citrus and fresh flowers with a silky texture and a long finish.

Malagousia was a grape indigenous to Greece on its way to extinction when winemaker Vangelos Gerovassiliou resurrected the varietal in the 1980’s. If you like a Viognier this may be the new varietal for you. His Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia is filled with aromas of white flowers and fresh peach followed by lemon and herbal flavors with balanced acidity.

These wines can be found at Astor Wine and Spirits or throughout the next two weeks dozens of restaurants and retailers throughout the city have partnered with New Wines of Greece to highlight the food friendly aspects of these wines creating inspired dishes paired with some of these personality filled wines. Details on who is participating are available here.

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