A VERTICAL CLIMB IN ATHENS
By TED LELEKAS
GREECE may be one of the oldest wine-producing countries of the world, still modern bottled Greek wine is only a few decades old. As a result, few Greek wineries have the opportunity to demonstrate the ageability of their wines in extensive vertical tastings.
Such a special occasion of a vertical climb… to the future was organized on Thursday 19 February by one of Greece’s leading wineries, Domaine GEROVASSILIOU. Hosted by the founder himself, Bordeaux-educated Evangelos Gerovassiliou, one of Greece’s most celebrated and honoured winemakers, the tasting featured six vintages (2008-2003) of white regional wine label Ovilos, and ten vintages (2003, 2000-1992) of flagship red regional label Domaine Gerovassiliou.
Ovilos White is a 50-50 blend of Asyrtiko (indigenous Greek variety, originally hailing from the island of Santorini) and Sémillon. It is barrel-fermented and its alcohol by vol. stays constant around 13%.
The 2008 which has not been released yet, is a fresh, almost new-world crisp white, dominated by the youthful aromas of both varieties. As tasting moves on to older vintages, aromas evolve into more sun-dried fruit scents, often with mineral and metallic influences. The explosive acidity which Asyrtiko is famous for, keeps the wine vibrant as it ages; indeed, Ovilos 2003 (by no means a fresh white wine) maintains a beautiful array of summer-fruit aromas and a lively acidity that render it a very pleasant companion to a variety of autumn dishes of traditional and modern Mediterranean cuisine. (suite…)
