Greek wine seems to me to have been somewhat hidden as a wine producing country. Today i am tasting a new grape for me Xinomavro from the northern region of naoussa produced by Kir-Yianni.
The wine smells of cherry, rose, earth and tar. Fresh acid forward with notes of cherry, tar, a earthy herbaceous finish. Reminds me of nebbiolo almost similar to barolo but lacking the black tea character i usually taste. Tannins are high but not as present as in barolo. For 16$ this is amazing quality for the price.
by ante300
21 Comments
It sure is, but it is also hard to find in most US bars and restaurants so it’s under people’s radar.
One of the many wines that are much better in the lower price range. I love balanced, elegant xinomavro, but not as much more concentrated and heavily oaked prestige bottlings.
ill take a Santorini assyrtiko over almost anything in a blind tasting
The Wine Society in the UK have a great range (well by UK retail standards anyway) and I’ve enjoyed each one I’ve tried
Kir-Yianni also has a really fun sparkling Xinomavro!
Love Kir-Yianni!!
Love it!
This quality at that price is unusual, and I think it will make more people interested in quality wine.
How about Retsinas, resinated wines? I grew up with Retsina served whenever we ate Greek food and never liked the resin wine, therefore have intentionally avoided Greek wine but there are recommendations here I’ll search out.
But is there a good Retsina or all they all just additive pine resin wines mimicking an ancient wine storage method (the pine resin for seal).
Kir-yianni is one of my favorite producers! Haven’t had a bad bottle from them yet
In Greece on a trip right now and I can’t believe the quality of the stuff you can get for very little money.
Xinomavro is one of my new favourites, grapes like Assyrtico, Malagousia, and Manomvasia (native to Paros where I was visiting) are just beautiful, and the Agiorgitiko and classic noble reds like Syrah can be brilliant.
Picked up a bottle of 2013 Xinomavro and can’t wait to have it with dinner tomorrow!
A spot by me carries mostly Greek, Hungarian and Austrian wines. It’s been so fun working through them all.
Agreed
Agree. Some great values.
We had a wine tasting last year for our 25th anniversary. Had some epic bottles and a Greek bottle that was a gift.
The Greek beat 1999 vintages of Silver Oak, Clos Mogador, Peter Michael Les Pavots, Pride Mountain Claret Reserve, and l’Englise Clinet.
The wine? Labyrinth 9919. A blend of every vintage from 1999 to 2019, released in 2024.
So very good.
Thymiopoulos Naoussa Alta has been our the go to for cod dinners for a few years now.
Greek wine is great as long as it’s dry
Heavily agree, especially with the similarity to Nebbiolo. I coincidentally had my first Xinomavro in Greece last week, and it was also Kir-Yanni (but the 2017 Kali Riza label, got it for 30€ over there).
Really enjoyed it, but Greek wine distribution in my area is slim, so I probably just have to stick to Italy for that profile.
They’ve had a few years to work out the kinks.
Just don’t go to a grocery in Greece and get the wine in plastic bottles. DX
100% true but it’s so hard to find.
I love Kir-Yianni they also have a fantastic Xinomavro Rosé called Akakies. I highly recommend trying it.
Love xinomavro – the Barolo of the south!