Imagine the beach under a blazing midday sun, and a very cold glass of Tetramythos Roditis that tastes like the high, delighted squeals of children being chased by the waves. Beside it, Domaine Gerovassiliou’s Malagousia is the general hum of grown-up conversation from the towels nearby.
I don’t drink enough Greek wine to say “anything but Assyrtiko” just yet, and there is still a great deal to love about Santorini. But after tasting this selection of Greek whites from the Daily Drinker wine club, I can see past the horizon to the rest of Greece.
As the sun goes down, the voices grow more distinct. Monemvasia Winery’s Kydonitsa, a grape whose name comes from the Greek word for quince, draws closer and whispers idle, romantic thoughts. Its rich fruit lingers long after midday, yet it stays as fresh as a cool shower at the hotel before dinner in a local taverna.
The Robola from Gentilini is the one that carries the holiday home, a true souvenir of a summer on Kefalonia. It’s complex and balanced, with notes of spiced pear held up by a column of acidity as straight as any Ionic one, which seems fitting for a wine from the Ionian Sea. It tastes of its place and of that particular summer, as clearly as the sound of boats knocking against the jetty.
At the time, the Daily Drinker sent its members two bottles a month from places you wouldn’t normally come across, a good fit for anyone who likes a little adventure with their wine. These four made a whole holiday, from the children in the waves at midday to the boats against the jetty at night.
Related post: Greek Assyrtiko: Between Thyme and the Deep Blue Sea
Archive note: First published in September 2013 and updated in 2015, when my thoughts were with the Greek people.
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