The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club: The Mediterranean

It's May, which means warmer weather (finally!), getting outside on the streets of NYC (or for some of us - gazing outside from the confines of the library for finals) and dreaming of vacations. So, t

his month The Enthusiasts! are going to be exploring the wines of the Mediterranean!

Photo Source: 

http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/wine-women-and-song-a-tripartite-motto-for-all-time

The Mediterranean. It's a sea, it's a delicious cuisine type, and it's a wine region. But, what does the region really encompass in terms of countries, history and wine? Well, that is what we are here to find out! This post will provide an introduction to wine from the Mediterranean region and focus on wines from Greece, Croatia, Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey.

Greece

Greece is one of the oldest wine making regions in the world. Evidence reveals that they have been making wine for over 6,500 years. Thus no discussion on wines from the Mediterranean would be complete without Greek wine. 

In terms of terrain, Greece is the third most mountainous country in Europe. Thus, most of the vineyards are located on the slopes. While one may assume that the weather in Greece is more coastal Mediterranean, in reality the mountain regions have a continental climate with sunshine, mild winters, dry summers and cool evenings. One unique factor about Greece is the volcanic soil which yields interesting wines.

Most Popular Grapes

The three major white grapes are: (1) Assytiko, (2) Moschofilero, and (3) Roditis.

Assytiko is commonly grown in Santorini, a region known for its volcanic soil (which sometimes adds a pungent component to the wine). 

The two major red grapes are: (1) Agiorgitiko and (2) Xinomavro.

Xinomavro is a unique grape, which literal translation means "acid black." Like the name implies, wines made from this grape tend to be darker and contain higher acidity because the grape ripens late. 

Most Popular Greek Wine Regions

The most notable wine-growing regions in Greece include:

(1) Macedonia

(Northern Greece) including Naoussa and Amynedo; 

(2) Peloponnese

(Southern Greece) including Mantinia, Nemea and Patras; and

(3) The Islands

 including Santorini, Samos, Rhodes and Crete.

Greek wines are regulated in similar appellations to that of other European wine making countries. There are three main categories:

1. Onomasia Proelefsis Anoteras Poiotitos (O.P.A.P.), Wines of Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality, which includes mostly dry wines
2. Onomasia Proelefsis Eleghomeni (O.P.E.), Wines of Appellation of Controlled Origin, which includes mostly sweet wines, and
3. Epitrapezios Oinos, similar to France's Vin de table category which does not involve an appellation of origin and may include blended wines from different regions.

You may also see "cava" which refers to more prestigious aged "reserve blends." Not to be confused with Cava from Spain, the awesome white sparkling wine. The minimum aging for whites is typically 2 years and for reds is 3 years. X. Some labels may also include the term "retsina," which refers to a traditional greek wine making process where the wine is flavored with pine resin. Restina wine is usually white or rose style and the unique flavor associated with this style of wine is said to date back to the Greek tradition of sealing wine vessels with resin. I have yet to taste a bottle, but when I do, I will share what the flavor is like! (I am hoping it does not taste like a pine tree car freshener!)

On a final note, when searching for quality Greek wines, the following vintages are known as safe bets: 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Croatia

You may not know, but Croatia is a wine powerhouse with over 100 indigenous grapes. Croatia has 2 major grape growing regions, 12 sub-regions and 71 appellations. The style of Croatian wine varies greatly given its diverse landscape. In the north, where the landscape is more continental, the wines are rich, fruity, and similar to those of Austria or Slovenia. Likewise, wine from the northern Istrian coat mirror big Mediterranean style of its Italian neighbors, or, wines from the harsher climate of the Dalmatian Islands are significantly different from wines made in the north.

Most Popular Grapes

Some of the most popular grapes grown in Croatia include: (1) 

Graševina, a white varietal that serves as the backbone of the Crotian wine industry; (2) 

Malvazija, an adaptable white varietal used primarily in northern coast, and; (3) 

Plavac Mali, the leading indigenous red varietal used in the Dalmation islands known for its bold flavor and strong tannins.

Photo Source: 

http://erinamsili.blogspot.com/

2011/02/wine-tasting-in-israel.html

Israel & 

Lebanon

While it may be politically questionable to discuss these two countries together under one heading, I subscribe to the philosophy that all is fair game when discussing wine - and these two countries are linked in more ways than one.

Modern Israeli wine production was founded by Baron Edmond de Rothschild with the founding of Carmel winery in 1882. Since then, five primary wine-making regions have emerged including: (1) Galil, (2) Judean Hills, (3) Shimshon, (4) Negev, and (5) the Sharon Plain. But, in terms of grapes, you will see the traditional French varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnary and the like.

Modern Lebanese wine production, on the other hand, can be traced to Chateau Ksara which was founded in  1857. Today, most if not all of the quality wineries are located in the Bekaa Valley. Though, like Israel, most of the varietals grown in Lebanon are non-indigenous  including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cinsaut, Carigan and Grenache. The blog has yet to discuss the Carigan grape - which is a Spanish grape grown extensively in southern France and California. Cinsaut is a robust and bright grape found mostly in southern Rhone.

Turkey

Believe it or not, but Turkey has the fourth-largest area growing grape wines in the world (after Spain, Italy and France). Though given its predominantly Muslim population, these vines are used to grow table grapes or currants rather than produce grapes for wine. The grapes that are used to produce wine are produced in the following key regions: (1) Marmara (Thracian), and (2) Aegean. Most of the grapes are non-indigenous. 

Now this is where it gets complicated, since major wine powerhouses like Spain, Southern France and Italy technically all have coast lines on the Mediterranean - they could be considered producers of "Mediterranean wine." However, to keep things simple (and this post shorter) we will leave these countries out of the discussion ... for now.

Though if you really can't wait, be sure to check out my earlier posts on

Italy! 

 Now go enjoy some Mediterranean wines!

Cheers!