Greece Mini Series: Is it Australian or Greek?
Have you struggled to find Greek wine in the grocery store or your local wine shop? When going to a restaurant, do you check the wine list for Greek wines, but find it lacking? Part of the reason you may be running into these hurdles is that Greece is a smaller wine-producing region. There are incredible wines being made in this region, but the output is not large enough that we’ll be able to see Greek wines in every grocery and corner store in every country.
Back when I talked with Konstantinos Lazarakis in Episode #112 of the Wine CEO Podcast, he mentioned that he was involved in the first formalized planting of Greek grape vines outside of Greece. This practice allows the grape varieties of Greece to have a larger output. It opens up a whole new discussion about growing Greek grapes outside of Greece. Some winemakers in Greece worry about the comparison between the Greek-grown grapes and the Greek grapes grown outside of Greece (can you say tongue-twister?!). Other Greek winemakers are very excited that Greek grape varieties are being grown outside of Greece because it shows how good the Greek grapes are and how they can be made into incredible wines. Since more people will have access to these Greek grape varieties, it will expose more consumers to Greek wines and help consumers want to try Greek wines from Greece. Regardless, there is a lot of interest internationally from winemakers who want to grow Greek grapes and show the potential of these Greek wines.
One winery that is well-known for making Greek wine outside of Greece is Jim Barry Wines in Australia. Started by Jim Barry in 1959, Jim Barry Wines is still in the Barry family with the third generation of winemakers keeping up the family tradition. Jim Barry Wines is located in the Clare Valley in South Australia. The climate in Clare Valley is perfect for winemaking because it has warmer temperatures during the day, and cooler nights given the high altitude. There are also mountain rangers nearby creating many valleys where the vineyards are located. This climate allows for high acid retention, which is important for Greek wines like Assyrtiko and Riesling, both of which are grown at Jim Barry Wines.
In 2012, Peter Barry, a second-generation winemaker, became the first grower of a Greek indigenous grape in Australia. This first started in 2006 when Peter and his wife, Sue, were on holiday in Greece. They tried Assyrtiko and fell in love. When Peter found out that no one in Australia planted Assyrtiko, he got in touch with Konstantinos Lazarakis who helped him get in contact with Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, who I interviewed in Episode #118 of the Wine CEO Podcast. Yiannis helped Peter collect cuttings of Assyrtiko in Santorini, which Peter then brought back to Australia. After a few years of mandatory quarantine in Australia, Peter was able to bring the vines to Jim Barry Wines and grow the grapes to make Assyrtiko wine.
Jim Barry Wines has continued to make Assyrtiko, though theirs is slightly different from the Assyrtiko you’ll find from Greece. The Assyrtiko from Jim Barry Wines is made in a similar way to Riesling, which keeps it very fresh, light, and acid-driven with citrus notes of lemon and lime. This is perfect for Australia with the high temperatures and delicious seafood. These wines are a little different than the Assyrtiko from Greece, which are usually fuller and richer in flavor. Jim Barry Wines does not have the same volcanic soil that is present in Greece where Assyrtiko is grown, but they do plant the grapes in the windiest area to try to mimic the windy climate in Greece.
If you want to hear more about Jim Barry Wines, the story of how they planted Assyrtiko in Australia, and all of the exciting wines and new projects at Jim Barry Wines, then listen to my interview with Tom Barry on Episode #119 of the Wine CEO Podcast. As a third-generation winemaker, Tom has so much experience and wisdom to offer in this episode. It’s a really good one that you don’t want to miss! This is the second to last episode in my Greek mini-series so make sure that you subscribe so that you don’t miss an episode. Yamas!
All photos courtesy: Jim Barry Winery