2013 Sailing Trip in the Dodecanese

Athens & The Dodecanese
Tasted Friday, July 12, 2013 - Sunday, July 21, 2013 by Papies with 1,002 views

Introduction

Our Tasting Notes from our 2013 Sailing Holiday

Flight 1 - The Start - Botrini Athens (5 Notes)

http://www.botrinis.com/#/home

A great Place in Athens with really inventive (and good value) cuisine that we really enjoy. The guys also do corkerage so its a good place to combine great food with your own wines. Highly Recomended.

  • 2011 Skouras Viognier Eclectique 91 Points

    Greece, Peloponnisos

    (7/12/2013)

    Ripe fruit, oaky touch on the nose. On the young side and with quite a bit of way to go. Oak is a touch pronounced at this stage but time will help with the integration. The quality in the fruit is there , ripe, round lush. Could use a bit more acidity. 91

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  • 2012 Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 88 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

    (7/12/2013)

    6m in oak and 6m in stainless steel before bottling so this was bottled recently and thus maybe a touch too early to judge. Good purity and character here, assyrtiko is among the top the country has to offer, and although Gaia adds a modern touch to this wines (vs sigalas for example) still the wine maintains its character and typicity, mineral and sharp. A bit of vegetal tones on the nose which maybe are a problem with youth. Interesting for sure. 88

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  • 1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc l'Ermite 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (7/12/2013)

    One needs to like the style to enjoy this huge wine. For the lovers of rhone white this will be a solid experience. The wine needs decanting, a good hour to develop and open up. Good dark gold in colour. Full on ripe fruit nose, long, deep complex. On the palate it is full bodied, fat and big. Lush ripe fruit core blends well with the characteristic marsanne "bitterness". Still so youthful and packed with energy. Will easily last another 10yrs maybe 20. An experience. 94

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  • 1999 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia 95 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    (7/12/2013)

    Decanting is advisable here. This is still a very young wine and needs its time to open up. Not a bad time to enjoy it but definitely has the capacity to age and develop and will probaly hit its peak in 5yrs (?) or so. The nose is just about turning secondary and still has a lot of fruit in the forefront, pure, elegant nose. None of the overdone brunello issues here. On the palate it is solid, full of life, vibrant and complex. Good fruit, light earthy notes. Easily can last another 10yrs this is a great example of a beutiful pure brunello. 95

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  • 2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (7/12/2013)

    Well a CdP from 2003 and especially from these guys was bound to be discussion point. Definitely needs a bit of time to relax and develop. The nose is full of rich, super ripe fruit with a touch of a porty side. On the palate it feels a bit on the cooked end and although this sort of relaxed as time went by still it had that feeling at the end on every sip. Not sure where this wine goes from here but definitely not rushing to buy more.. Good luck. NR

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Flight 2 - The Local Wines (17 Notes)

Tastign Notes of the Local wines we tasted over the week.
Have to say that we really loved the whites. Not pretentious, not overdone, well made and pure wine made us proud!

  • 2011 Domaine Porto Carras Assyrtiko 80 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Sithonia, Côtes de Meliton

    (7/13/2013)

    This must me their entry level wine of assyrtiko grapes, in this case grown in the north of greece not in Santorini. Dark gold in colour. A touch vegetal on the nose, ripe fruit. On the palate it is round and a bit blunt, but with good fruit weight. An Ok wine but move on, nothing to see here. 80 at best

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  • 2009 Domaine Porto Carras Malagouzia 75 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Sithonia

    (7/14/2013)

    Dark gold, not glossy though. The wine is definitely way past its peak and has lost it freshness, which is what malagouzia is all about.75

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  • 2012 Triantafyllopoulos Leykos 83 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Kos

    (7/14/2013)

    Another of the local, unpretentious, staright fwd wine. Beautiful in its simplicity and just perfect for that simple yet pure lunch/dinner on a Greek island :) . At least they do not try to make something that it is not or think they can oak their way out average fruit. 83

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  • NV Georgiadis Brothers Winery Ambelisious 82 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Kos

    (7/14/2013)

    Not bad at all. (Not great either) From the Island of Kos straight fwd, unpretentious, simple in a way but pure and balanced. U forget it the minute it goes but still u can not but raise your hat to it as it sails away. 82

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  • 2012 Biblia Chora Estate White 89 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Pangeon

    (7/17/2013)

    Much like the 2011 we had on this trip, this is a yardstick in a way in the style of wine from the country and very dependable across vintages. Again we found this a bit vintage agnostic once it goes past its initial phase. Still we like this wine quite a bit ( few years backw e chose a different vintage for our wedding white too :)) as this is a well made serious wine. Fresh, good balance and acidity , pure wine with elegance. Granted needs a bit more complexity but this will not dissapoint. 89

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  • 2011 Biblia Chora Estate White 89 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Pangeon

    (7/14/2013)

    A yardstick in a way in the style of wine from the country and very dependable across vintages. If nothing else it is a bit vintage agnostic in a way. Still this is a well made serious wine. Fresh, good balance and acidity and goes very well with local food.

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  • 2012 Alpha Estate Malagousia Xelones Vineyard 87 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Florina

    (7/15/2013)

    The juncture of huumility and beauty. Gold medal winner from decanter and rightly so. This simple grape us worked very well to produce a "serious" yet simple wine. Very fresh, light ripeness, round and on the easy side but with nice balance. A tounch of more ripeness than normal (Alpha has the auality of fruit to do so) but simply very nice, especially on a sailboat in the aegean. 87

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  • 2012 Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos Muscat Vin Doux 80 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Samos

    (7/20/2013)

    The original greek sweet wine in a way. Golden in colour. Good sweet core , a bit too much residual sugar and some bitterness on the finish. Well its 7€ afterall. Lots of better examples around from Samos. 80

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  • 2011 Château Julia Drama 88 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Drama

    (7/15/2013)

    Quick TN here but what we remember ois that this was a solid and good assyrtiko, ripe and long. Firm acidity as expected and presence and makes for good drinking 87-88

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  • 2011 Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia/Assyrtiko 88 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Epanomi

    (7/15/2013)

    A good marriage of Malagouzia (fruity, light, aromatic) and assyrtiko (firm, sharp with good acidity) among the best the country has to offer. Starts of on the malagouzia side and then a quarter of the way on the palate the assyrtiko kicks into gear. Pretty solid wine, full of typicity and character. Nice with food but also as a leisurly apreritif. 87-89

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  • 2009 Biblia Chora Estate Red 88 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Pangeon

    (7/17/2013)

    Cab sauv, merlot dominate and the wine sees oak maturation. Dark in colour and on the young side. Ripe fruit, oak on the tnose and needs a few more years to assimilate it although the wine feels like it is designed to have an oaky edge and give it a modern style. Still not overdone in any way and has good presence, good fruit and length.88-89

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  • 2009 Biblia Chora Estate Red 88 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Pangeon

    (7/17/2013)

    Cab sauv, merlot dominate and the wine sees oak maturation. Dark in colour and on the young side. Ripe fruit, oak on the tnose and needs a few more years to assimilate it although the wine feels like it is designed to have an oaky edge and give it a modern style. Still not overdone in any way and has good presence, good fruit and length.88-89

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  • 2012 Kir-Yianni Samaropetra 87 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Florina

    (7/17/2013)

    Roditis & Sauvignon Blanc although the majority must be the sauvignon blanc, .
    Light, fruity, floral. A touch of a sweet core but nice refreshing acidity and good length. The style of wine that is perfect for a summer lunch, with enough of a serious side to make u remember It but with a happy light character. Again unpretentious and pure with no need for over ripeness and oak. 87-88

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  • 2011 Antonopoulos Vineyards Adoli Ghis 84 Points

    Greece, Peloponnisos, Patras

    (7/18/2013)

    Can we call this a generic good Greek white? Decent solid and good value for money. Good acidity, firm wine. Not that memorable buw staright forward honest enjoyment. 84.

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  • 2012 Semeli Moschofilero Orinos Helios 87 Points

    Greece, Peloponnisos

    (7/17/2013)

    Mosxofilero and also sold with an English Label called Mountain Sun
    Semeli is among the best producers of whites in Greece ( their gewurztraminer is workd class sweet wine). Light aromatic but with a zingy twist and a serious side to its lightness. Don't ask too much from it and your 8€ or so will take you a long way. Pure and full of charm. 87

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  • 2010 Boutari Moschofilero 84 Points

    Greece, Peloponnisos, Mantinia

    (7/19/2013)

    Do not over engineer this wine just let it chill and enjoy the lightness and simplicity. A touch of sweet core, fruity, floral nose with a light mineral touches. Much like many of the Greek whites in the 10-15€ bracket it is enjoyable in its simplicity with no attempts to over engineer it to try and give it a more serious (useless oak for example) side with all the bad side effects. Is this a great wine? No. Does it make us happy to drink it ? Yes! 85 and drink now

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  • 2011 Nico Lazaridi Magiko Vouno - Magic Mountain White 92 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Drama

    (7/20/2013)

    Solid and well made wine, we believe its sauvignon blanc based, and sees some oak in its elevage (6m) . Good fruit and carries the oak well and with a glycerin texture and firm fruit from start to the end. A proper wine albeit not a Greek style, still a very good flag bearer. Would choose it over most new world wines on any given day! 92+

    Lazaridis is the quality master and his Magiko Vouno white and red are consistently among the best the country has to offer. Granted they are not really greek wines (international varieties and methods) still the guy has managed to do what 95% of modern greek wine producers and 98% of super tuscans can not. Produce wines of purity with no "over done" features, oak, ripeness and extraction. And for this less is more attitude we salute him.

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Flight 3 - The Foreign Wines (5 Notes)

Flight 4 - The Last Supper - Funky Gourmet, Athens (6 Notes)

http://www.funkygourmet.com/en/

An El Bulli in Athens! Super creative, top quality food. inventive to the maximum and with a Greek Twist so what u try is a bit of local flavours in the most inventive way. Highly recomended. Contact them before to arrange transport as the location is not easy.

  • 2012 Manousakis Nostos Roussanne 92 Points

    Greece, Crete

    (7/20/2013)

    Even at this young age the wine shows its quality and finesse. Roussanne grown in Crete with all the hallmarks of the grape as if it was grown in the Rhone valley. Big wine, with lots of presence, probably 14% alc, full of fruit and with a glycerin texture. Fruity nose, mineral, light floral at times. Round, Lush on palate, full of energy and with a long finish. A good 92 and given a year more in bottle this will just get better. Proper well made wine

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  • 2010 Argyros Assyrtiko French Oak Fermented 90 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

    (7/20/2013)

    An Oaky twist to the traditional assyrtiko from santorini and although we approach these sort of efforts with caution in this case it sort of works. Light oak here adds a different dimention to the mineral and acidic assyrtiko grape. Nice to see it not overdone but just trying to bring a different side of this great grape. Oak aging adds a layer of texture on the palate without taking away any of the firmness of assyrtiko. Had a light sharp bitter ending which we coukd have done withoiut but overall even eternal crusaders against oak like us enjoyed this twist. 89-90 needs a year more in bottle

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  • 2002 Château Palmer 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    (7/20/2013)

    Decanted for about 1 hour.
    From the start the nose of this wine is singing a classical tune. Open with a minty side, lots of dark fruits , long complex and a lovely surprise for a 2002. On the palate it carries on and this is a beautiful wine, classic, pure and full of elegance. Firm tannin and this can age for a long time. Granted it does lack the length and at times density of fruit of a good vintage but still it is impossible not to like this wine and is a testament to Palmer's crop quality and wine making. 93-94

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  • 2002 Château Cos d'Estournel 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    (7/20/2013)

    Decanted for 1.5 hours and this is needed at this stage. Once the wine develops it reveals a spicy, peppery nose with a good mineral edge and dark fruit. On the palate it carries on a mineral tune, good fruit and elegance. Very pure old school bordeaux. Much like the Palmer 02 it lacks the density and depth of fruit that a good vintage would have but still this is far from a poor vintage wine. The Tannins are firm and at times with a rough edge but nothing that a few more years cannot fix. Lots of life in this. 92+ and definitely has improved vs last time we came across it.

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  • 2002 Château Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (7/20/2013)

    Requires decanting at this stage and really one needs to wait a few more years to try this is an austere wine with a sharp and at times bitter finish. The nose takes time to develop and never reaches the level one expects from an Haut Brion and especially compared with the Cos and Palmer 2002 we had side by side with this, it felt closed and not giving. Has good stuffing to age and evolve and we believe we tried this 5 years too early. 90-91 at this stage but with lots of future.

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  • 1989 Argyros Vinsanto 92 Points

    Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

    (7/20/2013)

    This wine shows the level Greek sweet wines can achieve and this one is a world class wine. Nose of cassis, light kirsch liquer. On the palate it is lush full of life and with lots of depth and complexity. A serious and magnificent wine to end a. beautiful evening. 92-93

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Flight 5 - Lunch at Astir (2 Notes)

  • 2012 Domaine Gerovassiliou Viognier 91 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Epanomi

    (7/21/2013)

    Barrique aged viognier grown in the cool clkimate of north Greece.
    Light exotic nose, honey, apricot. Lightest touch of oak. On the palate it is rich, verges on full bodied. This is a serious wine and commands a bit of attention. Granted it is still on the young side but still and some ageing will help this develop but still this is a formidable effort. Rich, ripe lots of texture and length. Not ideal for a lazy lunch by the beach but still u cannot but notice it. 91

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  • 2012 Nico Lazaridi Magiko Vouno - Magic Mountain White 92 Points

    Greece, Macedonia, Drama

    (7/20/2013)

    We had this right after the 2011 (papies 92+) which is drinking very well now and thus felt a touch on the young side and needs some more time to relax and balance its fruit and oak. Still the quality of fruit is there and so is the elegance and given a touch of time this has the stuffing to become as good if not better than the 2011. 92

    Lazaridis is the quality master and his Magiko Vouno white and red are consistently in the best the country has to offer. Granted they are not really greek wines (international varieties and methods) still the guy has managed to do what 95% of modern greek wine producers and 98% of super tuscans can not. Produce wines of purity with no "over done" features, oak, ripeness and extraction. And for this less is more attitude we salute him

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Closing

A great trip and we came accross some very good wines! As usual!

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