Bordeaux, Solid

The two main varieties one associates with Bordeaux wines (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) also turn up frequently in Greek cuvées, even if quite often a dash of Agiorgitiko is added too, to give the whole thing a more Mediterranean touch. Having recently given the Kokotos Estate 2017 96 points, after it edged out Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2017 by a nose in a blind tasting (in German), and after Greek reds from Bordeaux varieties performed outstandingly in our 2022 year-in-review, it's time to discuss a few second-tier wines we tasted over the past year too. Because of course not every Greek wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot plays in the league of classified Bordeaux growths. Even so, these wines deserve attention, since they often offer very decent value for money. What's more, they're interesting because they show the stylistic range with which such wines are produced in Greece.

The Valia Calda 2019 from Imperator Winery comes across very ponderous. Already on the nose, fruit appears only in very dark tones, and is besides kept firmly in check by leather aromas. Once the wine reaches the palate, you can't shake the association with monastery cellars steeped in incense. Despite just 13.5% alcohol, this is a heavy wine. On top of the bone-dry character come drying tannins. At the moment the wine sits at a very good 87+ points; with more refined tannin and more complex tertiary aromas, though, there's clearly still much more to expect here in future. Just a few years ago, a wine like this from Greece would have been hard to imagine. Wine is clearly being produced here with a long-term perspective in mind. Whether the gamble pays off will become clear in a few years.

The red Paliomylos 2018 from Ktima Paliomylos presents, in many respects, a stark counter-design. In the glass it first stands out for its relatively pale colour for a Bordeaux cuvée. On the nose it shows red-fruited. On the palate, an acidity unusual for such wines from Greece comes as a surprise. On top of that there's a very moderate 13% alcohol. Both are probably testament to that year's cool summer. Given these structural peculiarities, the various hints of spice the wine has to offer unfortunately get somewhat lost. On the finish, vanilla aromas from the 12-month ageing in French oak are discreetly present, and for quite a while too. That's already enough for a very good 88 points.

The Orama 2016 from Dionysos Winery already shows the first signs of ageing in colour. On the nose and palate, too, you'd credit it with a few more years already. The leather notes, though, are very appetising and pair well with the plum aromas. The tannin is still firm. The mere 12.5% alcohol (!) packs distinctly more punch than the bare number would lead you to expect. Admittedly, the wine plays in the same price league as the previously discussed wine (around €15), and, with its wax capsule, lays it on a little thick for that. Still, this is very solid. You don't need to use up the 10 to 15 years of ageing potential stated on the bottle, but for drinking now, this is a very good (89 points) wine.

The wine that wins the race among those discussed in this article is a rosé made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot! Domaine Costa Lazaridi (more on the estate here (in German)) has already presented us with several very good wines in the past (see, for instance, here (in German)). The white and red (in German) versions of the Amethystos range, though, convinced us rather with reservations. The Amethystos Rosé 2021, by contrast, now showed itself from its very best side. Or rather: looked at from any side, there's really nothing to fault about it. The nose is fruity, but not kitschy. The sweetness is delicious, but not sticky. The acidity carries the wine without pushing itself into the foreground. And then the finish lasts astonishingly long too. For an entry-level wine, and given the corresponding value for money, a genuinely recommendable outstanding 90 points.