Spirits

MAIN RED WINE VARIETIES

• SYRAH
• MERLOT
• CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• MALBEG
• PINOT NOIR
• ZINFANDEL
• SANGIOVESE
• BARBERA

MAIN WHITE WINE VARIETIES

• SAUVIGNON BLANC
• CHARDONNAY
• MOSCATO
• SEMILLON
• PINOT GRIGO
• GEWURZTRAMINER
• RIESLING

Syrah

The variety Syrah comes from a region with rich wine tradition, from the Rhone in France. Rich wine with international distribution in recent years grown in Greece. It gives dark red wine with soft flavors, moderate acidity and soft tannins retained and after taste.

Features aromas of this variety is the flavor of berries, spice and chocolate. Generally characterized by an impressive complex bouquet. Generally the wines of this variety is dominated by spicy, peppery aroma to impress consumers.

Merlot

The variety Merlot, is almost universal. Variety of wine, with concentrated aromatic character and velvety taste. The wine made with Merlot grapes are moderate acidity and mild tannins and a long pleasant aftertaste. The Greek Merlot wines are generally of good quality. Features aromas of this variety is the fragnance of plum, spice, red fruit and herbs. Often displays caramel flavor.

Cebernet Sauvignon

The wine list Cabernet Sauvignon is widespread worldwide. It gives dark red dry wine with intense and complex aromas. These are wines of moderate acidity with concentraded body and balanced flavor. Characterized by the strong presence of tannins and a pleasant aftertaste. Features aromas of this variety are red berries, plums, currants and aromatic nuances of green pepper.

Sauvignon Blanc

The Sauvignon Blanc is a French variety, cultivation was extended to almost all the world. Gives wines with high acidity and long finish. The characteristic aromas of this variety is scented fruits, citrus, especially pomelos and cut grass.

Chardonnay

French variety that gives excellent white wines are medium to high acidity with a rich aromatic character and good aftertaste. Today it has expanded worldwide. Cultivated in many parts of Greece.

The Chardonnay is a variety rich in aromatic characteristics, perhaps the most interesting. Reminiscent of ripe apple and tropical fruit, melon, mango, and often wines are Chardonnay aromas reminiscent of peach. Aged wine, it reveals aromas of wood smoke and nuts.

Types of sherry

The types of sherry are:

• Manzanilla (dry, suitable for an aperitif).
• Fino (Dry, with a “ripe’” fruit flavor. Suitable for aperitif).
• Oloroso (dessert wine).
• Cream (Very old and sweet, relatively viscous. Dessert wine. It may also accompany desserts, like many liqueurs).

Types of Madeira wine

The types of Madeira wine are:

• Verdehlo (Xiro. Suitable for aperitif).
• Sercial (Xiro. Suitable for aperitif).
• Boal (Glykytero, dessert wine).
• Malmsey (Glykytero, dessert wine).

Madeira wine

Produced in the homonymous island, Portugal. Use white grape varieties. It is very aromatic wine with a variety special and strong character. Since this wine is made known and sauce Madera sauce used in cooking.

Types of port wine

• Porto Full (About “young” port. It has a deep red color)
• Porto Ruby (at least four years old. It is red)
• Porto Tawny (too old. It has pinkish color).
• Port Vintage (Porto only selected a good year, with no mixing).
• Porto Ruby (at least four years old. It is red)
• Porto Tawny (too old. It has pinkish color).
• Port Vintage (Porto only selected a good year, with no mixing).

Porto Wine

The port is mainly a dessert wine produced in Portugal, in the valley of the river Douro. Although the variety that gives the port is red-comes in smaller quantities-port and white grapes. The port is aged as xanthainei. Served in a special glass (tulip).

White – Rose Vermouth

The White Vermouth served cold (with ice or without) and garnished with a slice of lemon. The Rose Vermouth served just like white.

Red – Dry Vermouth

The color of red vermouth due to caramel. Produced and this white wine. Served cold (with or without ice). Garnish with an orange slice. The Dry Vermouth served cold (with or without ice). Garnished with a lemon slice or only peel the slice. It’s eminently vermouth cocktail.

Vermouth

Vermouth belongs in aromatic wines. Contains of various herbs, including mandatory and absinthe. It is digestive and appetizer. Vermouth served neat in a glass of old fashioned (a glass of whisky). The cocktails containing vermouth in a shaker not beaten but ready to mixihgglass or directly in the glass because vermount beset with savage blow.

Marshall

It is a strong sweet wine from Sicily used to manufacture zampalione and generally to give flavor.

Retsina

Retsina is a Greek wine during fermentation added pine resin with the effect of flavor.

ROSE WINES

Great things we enjoy and the color of rose wine. Because depending on the variety of grape used and the correct technique, a pink shades can range from pale pinkish rose leaf up and cerise (for richer wines) through orange, pink, bronze, “the onion leaf” and saumon. The grape varieties that gives the most robust rose wine is Mourvedre, a Syrah, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and in our own Xinomavro and Agioritiko of Nemea and Mandilari Crete will give softer – but often thick and rich-wines. The rose wines, the fruity character is very intense and pleasurable, reminds primarily strawberry, pomegranate and framboise and the richest can remind the cherry and dark berry.

And to move to the main dish, where the rose wines are unmatched are the culinary possibilities opened like proud peacock tail.

Indeed, light-fruity and semi-dry rose will excel with shellfish, pork with sour and spicy flavors, seafood, all kinds of exotic and Asian cuisine and spicy Mexican food or snacks as well and the very spicy version of certain dishes Taflandezikis kitchen. The full, rich, robust and completely dry rose wines also fit a huge range of dishes: veal, beef, poultry, duck dishes with tomato sauce (fish, meat, pasta and vegetables), all kinds of barbeque (fish and meat) and smoked foods, incluing meats, will bow to their sake.

Foam is not only the Champagne

This is true. The category of sparkling wine is on the rise, so now we can choose between a huge variety of sparkling wine labels from around the world. What’s the difference? Firstly the fact that Champagne is a designation of origin (such as our “Nemea”) and refers to sparkling wine produced in a specific area of the vineyards of Champagne, located in northern France.

Any sparkling wine produced outside the area (even a few meters away from it) is just… sparkling wine. This does not necessarily mean it is inferior as a product, and anything other than Champagne should… snubbed. In contrast, many different sparking wines on the market allows us to find the fragrant and delicious style that suits us, but some derived from native grape varieties of the regions of origin, have very great interest potential combinations the table, but away from it.

Buying Guide

As with any wine label, our final choice usually depending on the circumstances, the obligation and the “budget” us. Although geared towards Champagne because we want to make impression, then choose from a large, recognizable brands, so the diners we will know that we made to the economy for the better. If you are real lovers of Champagne, then choose between the labels of the smallest houses in the area, looking for similarities and differences in style and their style. Finally, if we really want to get the “elite”, then you buy a dated (vintage) Champagne, produced only in great years, and although it is more accurate, but is characterized by a great aroma and flavor complexity.

For a good sparkling wine can be quite moving outside the area of Campania, and even starting closet places to us. So we have to choose between fine sparking wines of Rhodes, who produced the beautiful Aegean variety Athini, noble Sparking Mantinea, which produced the popular aromatic Moschofilero, pleasant foam of Epirus, which utilize a variety of refreshing local Debina and the pink foam Amyndeo, based on red Voreioelladitiko Xinomavro.

It is worth noting that interesting and economicall produce sparkling wine production, most countries in Europe such as Italy with Prosecco, Spain with Cava and Germany with Sekt. In the same “game” but are very successful and several countries of the new wine world like South Africa, New Zealand, the USA and Australia, giving us valuable suggestions that will please us, not “hurt” our pocket.

Useful information and advice

The Champagne and Sparkling wines come in different levels of dryness, ranging from that of the super-dry and reach the sweet. Depending on the category of each label is used as an aperidif, wine food, wine or accompanying desserts.

An elegant sparkling wine is perfect aperitif beautiful because welcomes its guests in an event and keeps good company to start the meal. In the table may accompany a wide variety of fishes and tastes like cheese, dishes with egg-based, seafood and sushi.

Serve Champagne or sparkling wine into a glass rectangular type flute, to protect both the temperature and the volume of foaming.

When we open a bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine is careful not to lose shaky episodically large amount of wine – unless a very special circumstance calls.

Finally, we serve a typical sparkling wine or champagne at a temperature around 8 degrees, to be quite cool and give us a lovely mouth feel. But if this is a wine with an aromatic or flavor caharacteristics – such as a dated champagne or sparkling wine from a variety of aromatic – then served at a slightly higher temperature (around 10 degrees) to assess the specific characteristics of the best.

White wines and meals

The light, white wines are what we eat everyday. All are characterized by more or less intensely fruity and usually uplifting acidity

This category includes most Greek wines, not “nickname” from the wood of the barrel. You can drink as an aperitif at the beginning of the meal, or combine it with salads, seafood and light fish. Do not discard, however, the idea to try dishes that “winning” weight (wealth) from fat or starch (eg. Just pies or pasta)

Categories of food

• Salads and grilled vegetables
• Seafood
• Lightweight fish, such as language, mullet, bream, etc., baked, fried or with light sauces
• Pasta with light dressings of sauces with seafood
• Fresh cheeses like ricotta or French goat (chevre)

Rich white wine and food

This category includes primarily wines are aged in oak casks. Are full in flavor, usually balanced (a rare find strong acidities, with the exception perhaps of outdated Santorini) and characterized by more complex aromas (compared with the light white wines). Many of the aged in barrels for Greek wines, and most of the top imported belong to this group. Compined successfully with a wide range of dishes, from fish to white meat and hearty pasta.

Categories of food

• Crayfish, crabs, lobster
• Dishes with eggplant
• A rich fish like salmon, tuna etc
• Poultry, like chicken and turkey, roast, or “white” sauces
• Roast pork
• Pasta with rich, creamy sauces
• Smoked cheeses, such as metsovone

Light red wine & food

Characterized by moderately “body”, while usually are not astringents. Most do not “see” often wood, and usually consume news, so enjoy the pleasant fruity character.

The effect of year and the wine is often essential if a red wine to be included in this category, or category of the rich. Thus, for example, a “Naoussa” a mediocre year (eg, 1995), would come into this group of wines, while a careful “Naoussa” a great year (eg, 1994) will be included in the rich wines. Practical rule: in this class are usually red wines relatively cheap. The wines are successfully matched with dishes more severe than that rich white wines.

Categories of food

• Α rich fish (salmon, tuna), with dark sauces (red wine, mushrooms or tomatoes)
• Pasta with red sauce and sauces with meat or mushrooms
• Poultry and feathered game with a dark sauce
• Pizza (for fanatics wine loνers)
• Grilled meat and sausages
• Yellow cheese (Gruyere, gouda, etc.)

Rich red wine and food

The cream of red wine. Wine to the perfect result, so it filled with good structure, usually grow old more or less time in oak barrels, and are characterized by complex and dense fragnance, especially if aged a bit and the bottle. This category includes the finest Greek wines from the best years. Combined with rich dishes, which are based on the strong meat (Iamb, beef, etc).

Categories of food

• Hunting
• Lamb
• Beef and beef in rich, dark sauces
• Very juicy steaks, plain or with mushroom sauce, pepper, etc
• Hard, yellow cheese (parmesan, San Michael)