Greece Mini Series: Northern Greece with Winemaker Stellios Boutaris
Have you ever heard of Xinomavro (K-See-Know-Mah-Vrow)? If there is one main grape you want to be familiar with from mainland northern Greece, this is it. For the second episode in my Greece mini-series, Episode 113: Greece Mini Series, Northern Greece with Winemaker Stellios Boutaris, I discuss everything you need to know about Northern and Central Greece as well as a great overview of Xinomavro.
By the way, did you know that over on The Wine CEO Podcast, I am doing a mini-series on Greece? In this mini-series, I will explore Greece as a wine region, hear from experts, and share what I have learned about the world of Greek wines. If you missed the first episode in this mini-series then make sure to listen to Episode 112: An Introduction to Greece with Konstantinos Lazarakis, MW where we talk about the history of Greek winemaking and some of the exciting new practices that make Greece such an exciting wine region today. You can also read through an overview of this episode in my previous blog post.
In this second episode of the mini-series, I interviewed Stellios Boutaris, a winemaker in Northern Greece. Boutaris talked about how the wines in Greece have become much better in the past few decades, which mirrors what Konstantinos Lazarakis and I discussed in the previous episode. Additionally, a lot of consumers outside of Greece have become far more open to Greek wines. He also shared how his winery has been experimenting with some exciting new techniques and products in his winery Ktima Kir-Yianni. Though Boutaris’ father was more traditional while he operated the winery, Boutaris is leading the winery in exploring more sustainable practices, like integrated farming, which works to protect the environment throughout the whole process of winemaking.
As we talked through the great wines made at Kir-Yianni, Boutaris also highlighted some of the main reasons why consumers outside of Greece should try Greek wines. Here are some of the main reasons you should try Greek wines:
Greek wine is different. It will really stand out compared to what you’ve had before.
Greek wine is food-friendly. There are so many good pairings!
Greek wine is a great value. Even if the price is low, the taste is going to be more than you expect at that price point.
I really couldn’t agree more!
Though there are some international grape varieties grown in northern and central Greece, like Cabernet-Sauvignon and Cabernet-Franc, I’d encourage you to look for these two Greek varieties: Xinomavro and Malagouzia. Xinomavro is the main red wine coming from this region in Greece. It’s a bold, tannic red that is often equated to Barolo. Xinomavro ages really well, especially since many people consider it pretty harsh in its youth, but when aged, it tends to have good acid and an attractive bite. The wines will develop more while aging for a few years, but they will also improve greatly after decades of aging, even up to twenty or thirty years! Xinomavro can also be difficult to grow because it is very sensitive to conditions in the terroir. However, when handled well, this wine gives so much depth, complexity, and character. Sometimes it is blended with other grape varieties like Negoska for a fruitier wine or it can be used as a base for sparkling wine. Xinomavro is planted all over northern Greece, making it a vital component of the Greek vineyard that will please adventurous wine drinkers looking for a bold, red wine that’s just a little different from the usual Italian or French red wine.
For white wines, Malagouzia is a unique white grape that was actually rescued from extinction in the 1990s by winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou. This wine is a crisp, citrus-forward, and often bitter white wine. It is used to make single-variety wines and white blends. The examples from northern Greece are stunning!
The wines from this region of Greece really are unique and exciting so I hope this encourages you to try something new and look for Greek wines! Make sure to subscribe to the Wine CEO Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts so that you don’t miss any of the upcoming episodes in this mini-series on Greece. Yamas!
All photos credit: Kir-Yianni