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Greece’s Most Ancient Grape Finds a Home on the Slopes of Meliton #WorldWineTravel

 

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Have you ever wondered what kind of wine Homer drank? It seems that he was a fan of Limnio, (one of) the oldest grape variety in Greece.  This month, Susannah of Avvinare invited the #WorldWineTravel group to explore the lesser-known wine regions of the world. Greek wine has seen a major increase in popularity over the last few years, especially in America. However, mostly what people know is Santorini and Assyrtiko. Or, maybe you’ve heard of the Peloponnese and Agiorgitiko. But not many people have heard of or had wine from the Slopes of Meliton in Macedonia.

PDO Slopes of Meliton/ΠΟΠ Πλαγιές Μελίτωνα

Situated in the southern part of the Sithonia peninsula in Halkidiki, Mt. Meliton rises more than 800 m above the charming seaside town Neos Marmaras. Vineyards sit on the western slopes of the mountain at more than 100 m (but average 200-300 m). According to PDO rules, they receive no irrigation, and the yield cannot exceed more than 800 kg per acre. Between the altitude and sea breezes, daily temperatures remain moderate, decreasing by 0.5 to 0.9°C per 100 m. This creates highly favorable mesoclimates for the wide range of grapes that grow here. Speaking of grapes, PDO Slopes of Meliton received its official PDO status in 1982. While its red wine includes one of Greece’s oldest grape varieties, this was also Greece’s first PDO to include foreign grape varieties. Allowable grape varieties include:      

     White:                                                                Black:      

          •Assyrtiko                                                             •Limnio  

          •Athiri                                                                    •Cabernet Franc      

          •Malagouzia                                                          •Cabernet Sauvignon    

          •Roditis                                                                  •Cinsault      

          •Sauvignon Blanc                                                   •Merlot            

          •Viognier                                                                 •Syrah                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Of course not all the foreign grapes make it into the PDO blends. The white PDO wine must include: 50% Athiri, 35% Roditis, and 15% Assyrtiko. The red is majority Limnio at 70% with up to 30% Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon.

All about Limnio / Λημνιό

Not to be confused with Limniona, Limnio (limb-nee-yo) is a grape of many names, known also as Lemnia, Limnia, Mavro Limino, Kalabaki, and Kalambak. Whichever name you use, drinking Limnio wines gives you a direct line to history. The grape rated mention by a number of Ancient Greek authors including Homer, Hesiod, and Polydefkis. It is native to the Aegean island Lemnos (where it is often called Kalampaki), but most modern plantings are found in northern Greece. The vine is moderately vigorous and Limnio is quite a hardy grape, resistant to drought and most diseases (aside from downy mildew). It is adaptable and does well in most soil types. While it’s relatively late-ripening, it does often present problems with even ripening, you might have bunches that contain a mix of berries from shriveled raisins to berries just reaching veraison.

While PDO Slopes of Meliton did not receive PDO status until 1982, the idea of reviving the area came almost 20 years earlier from Yannis Karras of Domaine Porto Carras.  In 1965, seeing the potential of the area, Karras founded his winery on the mountain slopes. Today, his 470 hectare vineyard is the largest single organic vineyard in Greece, and one of the largest in Europe. When he began planting, he did not clear natural forests for his vines, leaving them untouched. Thanks to that foresight, his amphitheater-like vineyards receive the benefit of this natural barrier which traps evening dews helping vines withstand summer temperatures. The climate here goes a long way to helping protect vines from disease. The winery gives help only in the form of sulphur and copper. I picked up this bottle of Domaine Porto Carras LimNeon in Athens a number of years ago and this event was the perfect time to open it!

The wine aged for 12 months in French oak barrels and six years in the bottle (by the time I got to it anyway).

Not a deeply-colored wine to begin with, it showed a brick red in the glass with browning around the rim. And earthy, wine with notes of subtle spice, dried herbs, and forest fruit transitioning into dried fruits. It really wanted air. The acidity was quite aggressive when I first poured it. An initial suggestion of possible Brett became a full-blown reality the second day it was open. I don’t hate a little Brett, but this was well on its way to reminding me of the horse barn I had to muck out as a kid.  Happily though, the day I did the pairing it wasn’t so bad and went very well with the pairing. Using Easter leftovers, I threw together a fancy grilled cheese sandwich with Trader Joe’s truffle cheese, slow roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic confit, some sort of Austrian smoked pork, and truffle aioli. The combination drew out the wine’s earthy-spiciness and had me going from bite to sip and back again quite contentedly!

Curious about the Slopes of Meliton and Limnio? Want to learn more about Greek wine? Check out all the new infographics I created for northern Greek varieties! I’m also really excited to announce that my new book, The Quick and Dirty Guide to Greek Wine will be available soon on Amazon and hopefully also some brick and mortar bookstores.

Don’t forget to check out the other under-the-radar wines and regions the rest of the #WorldWineTravel discovered!

Follow us on social media using the #WorldWineTravel hashtag and join in the fun.

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Cathie from Side Hustle Vino adds “Off The Beaten Vineyard in Guanajuato, Mexico”

Andrea from The Quirky Cork brings “Greece’s Most Ancient Grape Finds a Home on the Slopes of Meliton”

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