Spring 2007 Greek Wine Event

By Kostas Kapetanakis and Julien Cordonnier

So what do Greeks have to do with wine? Well it is a long story, a couple of thousand years in fact, back to the days when infant Achilles was given wine with his meals and Ulysses used it to gain control over the cyclop Polyphemus. The story goes on, involving Dionysian festivities, intellectual gatherings by philosophers (the “symposia”), extensive wine trade and passing over the methods of wine cultivation to the Romans and so on. Greek wine had especially high prestige in Italy under the Roman Empire and in the medieval period, wines exported from Crete, Monemvasia and other Greek ports fetched high prices in northern Europe. Under the Ottoman Empire burdensome taxes were levied that drove most winemaking into the monasteries, but a new Wine Renaissance is going on right now in modern Greece.

Greek Wine offers a unique proposition. More than 300 indigenous grape varieties are grown there, some of which have been cultivated since ancient times, bringing distinct flavors and a great diversity. The moderate Greek climate, plentiful sunshine, low average rainfall and soils of moderate fertility provide an excellent environment for the production of high quality wines. And that was exactly the idea behind the Spring 2007 Greek Wine Event. To bring a selection of wines that would reflect the diversity, the richness and the depth of the Greek aromas. Mercouri Estate, one of the most admired and recognized premium wine makers in Greece and Athenee Importers kindly donated a portfolio of 6 wines rich in color, depth and substance. Mercouri Estate from north-west Peloponnese dominated the panel with its Mercouri Cava Red, accompanied with Mercouri Red and the Mercouri Foloi White. Equally interesting were the Notios Red from Gaia in north-east Peloponesse, Laas White from Estate Chatzimichalis north of Athens and Robola White from Gentilini from the island of Cephalonia, west Greece.

Calder lounge was the perfect choice for the event. Under the observance from the prominent figures on these huge portraits of the leaders of our fine institution, members from the Wine & Eureka! Societies mixed and mingled, tasted and commented on the wines and admired the superb landscapes of Mercouri Estate as they were projected on the screen. Everyone was very eager to learn more about Greek wines, a part of the world unfortunately not many know of its wine making capabilities. Even our very own Professor Charles Calomoiris postponed for a moment his million obligations in the finance world and stepped down to enjoy some Greek wine with his students. So did Professor  Siconolfi to have a taste of this nectar!

Everybody agreed that this was a great event and Greek wine must be heard and tasted more. A Greek wine tasting event will be coming up next academic year and this time a professional from the Greek Wine world will be there to answer all your unanswered questions. In the meantime, summer is a great opportunity to visit Greece, Eureka! is organizing a trip to some of Greece’s most beautiful islands, from June 14th to June 25th. And Mercouri Estate definitely welcomes you to visit their estate, have a walk on their secluded forest and beach and taste their fine wines. For more information on Mercouri Estate you can email mercouri@otenet.gr   and for more information on Greek Wines you can visit the website of Athenee Improrters, http://www.atheneeimporters.com.

Once more, we would like to thank the leadership of the Wine & Eureka! Societies for organizing the event and Mercouri Estate and Athenee Importers for kindly donating their fine Greek wines. Till next year!

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Mercouri Estate

Athenee Importers