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European Wines

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By 0European Wines, Orange Wine, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews

  Every time I go to Tbilisi I look for new wines I haven't seen before. One of my favorite sources is g.Vino wine bar. Great wines, food, service, and you can buy all their wines to go. g.Vino sports a fantastic collection of quality Georgian wines and often has things that I cannot find easily elsewhere. Like this Gotsa Chinuri Pet-Nat! Gotsa Winery At Gotsa winery, wine is a family tradition that founder Beka Gotsadze is determined to preserve. Located 4200 feet above sea level in the hills of the Asureti Valley, in the Atenuri appellation, Gotsa is only about a 30 minute drive from the Georgian capital Tbilisi. If, that

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Wine Reviews

  Today is International Xinomavro Day! This new grape holiday was established only last year. While I missed my chance to post about it in 2019, I'm very excited to talk about Xinomavro this year. I previously wrote about Kokkinos Xinomavro (which was lovely). And while several bottles languish in my wine room, I do not often drink Xinomavro. At least not as often as I'd like! Today is a good reason to bust out some tasking notes though. But first, let's talk about the grape itself. Xinomavro Xinomavro (ksi-NO-mav-row) grows mainly in Northern Greece. The PDO most famous for this grape is Naoussa but it grows well also in Amyndeo, Goumenissa,

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Tbilvino, established in 1962, has grown into a leading producer of Georgian wines with a 6.5 million bottle portfolio. The company operates two wineries; one in Tbilisi and another in Kakheti. I'd seen their wines around Tbilisi, in fact my regular hotel keeps a display of them in the lobby. However, I'd never tried them until the 2017 New Wine Festival I attended in Tbilisi. I came home from that trip with two of their wines, the Sachino medium dry white and the Special Reserve Kisi. Kisi, from Eastern Georgia, is one of the leading white grape varieties after Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. From the well-known Kakheti region, plantings of

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  While probably half the wines I buy in Greece invariably end up being Assyrtiko, or Assyrtiko-lead blends, I am always on the lookout for new (to me) grapes. Last year at a wine festival in Athens I tasted a 100% Athiri. Could I find it anywhere to buy? No of course not. Not on that or any subsequent trip. I did, however, get my hands on another grape often blended with Assyrtiko, Aidani. Aidani One of Greece's many indigenous white grapes, Aidani grows mainly in the Greek islands, particularly the Cyclades and Rhodes. Finding it on its own is a rarity. Most often, Aidani gets blended with Assyrtiko as part

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Continuing my COVID quarantine virtual traveling down memory lane with Austria. I've already (re)visited Austria with my post about Steiermark. This time around I'm focusing not on a region but on a grape: Grüner Veltliner. The closest I've come to Grüner Veltliner territory, or Gru-Ve (as it briefly became known) have been a few flying trips to Vienna. I first visited Vienna while I was in university. I'd just completed a German language summer program in Tübingen, Germany and was doing a two week, whirlwind tour of the "rest" of Europe. My second trip was eight years later. At that time I was a far more seasoned traveler although my

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  This month the #winophiles are embarking on a no holds barred exploration of the Loire Valley. Lead by Jill at L'Accasion, whose original invitation you can view here, the world is our oyster. As long as the world is the Loire Valley and the oyster is any one of the wines produced there! Usually I don't get to participate in the #winophiles discussions. Decent French wine imports in Turkey are kind of outrageously overpriced. However, one small good thing that has come out of the COVID pandemic for me is that I was able to take the WSET L2 certification course and exam online. In fact I just took

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  As summer heats up Istanbul I remember with some fondness the bone chilling cold when I visited Graz a few years ago. I try to go somewhere in Europe every year for the Christmas markets. Sadly, this year I probably won't be able to go anywhere. Which makes me feel even more nostalgic for past trips such as this. Before this trip I'd never been to Graz. Austria, yes. Several times. But never Graz.  I chose Graz for this trip entirely based on one event the city holds during its Christmas market: the Krampus Lauf. Never heard of it? Not surprised. It's a pretty Austrian/Bavarian tradition. Krampus is the

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  [caption id="attachment_14586" align="alignright" width="300"] At Cinque with Baby[/caption] For most people Greece, especially Athens, means ancient gods, lots of marble columns, islands, and maybe gyros. I've been to the ruins. I've been to an island (although just the one). And I must eat two or three pork gyros (seriously, go to Royal Souvlaki) every time I visit. But for me, Greece means friends and wine. E&M, two of my best friends, moved to Athens a few years ago. For a while I was visiting once every six to eight months. Then this last September they had a baby. Suddenly I'm tia Andrea to a baby who lives geographically much closer than my

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I, like many people, have had my spring/summer travel plans interrupted by COVID-19. In May I was going to return to Budapest. I've been to Hungary a couple few times over the years but last summer I went for the first time for a dedicated wine trip. I've been wanting to go back ever since. [caption id="attachment_14561" align="alignright" width="300"] Budapest synagogue[/caption] On my trip last summer I arranged private tours of the Tokaj and Somló/Badascony wine regions through Taste Hungary. Several days I also dedicated to Budapest itself. Nothing much traditionally touristy having both been there and done that a few times. Probably the only semi-touristy thing I did was

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  It has been so long since I've been to Moldova that I don't even remember what year it was. 2009? Maybe 2010? For a brief couple years I was in Moldova, mostly Chisinau, not infrequently visiting for work. Any free time I had was spent with my local colleagues touring churches and the like. While this was long before I became involved in wine, I was even then conscious of the wine industry there.  Unfortunately, the relatively quick in and out trips and only a passing interest in wine meant that I missed huge opportunities to experience more and learn more about Moldovan wine. Enter Jeff with Food Wine