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Obscure Grape Varieties: It's all Greek
If you are a wine lover, I expect you are proud to be able to name perhaps a dozen different grape varieties. My bet is they will include Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc amongst the whites, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah amongst the reds. Yet, there are estimated to be several hundred, perhaps even more than a thousand grape varieties grown somewhere in the world to make a commercially-sold wine. Take Assyrtiko, for example - it's a Greek white grape, one of their finest, and although on the island of Santorini it is responsible for their famous, sweet Vin Santo wines, it also can produce a dry zingy, fresh and lemony wine. Assyrtiko matches a Greek salad or air-dried meat fantastically - it can also cope with most olive oil-based dishes really well. Then there is the deep red Mavrodaphne which was exclusively used for making port-like dessert wines, but today is being used more and more by Greece's boutique wineries to add colour and richness to their dry reds. One of its favoured homes is on another Greek island, Cephalonia where the winery Gentilini is currently planting more as it has been so successful. It should be no surprise that both Italy and Greece probably have a bigger range of obscure, indigenous grape varieties than any other country. These two countries are considered to be the cradle of civilized wine production, along with possibly everything else to do with western civilization as we know it today. From Italy, you may have heard of the red grapes Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Barbera, but next time you come across a specialist Italian wine supplier, ask to try an interesting dry wine from the white Fiano grape or a gorgeously rich red from Aglianico, both grapes grown in the south of Italy, or perhaps you'd prefer something a little subtler from the north - how about an Arneis from Piemonte or a Lagrein from South Tyrol? The great thing about wine is there is always more to learn. So next time you are presented with an interesting wine list or an array of curious bottles on a shelf, go Greek, or at least choose something you've never tried before. It will be an adventure. |
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