Greek wines and miscellaneous wine tasting

[wondersofwine]

I stayed overnight in Raleigh after a Loire wine dinner. Visited three winestores the next day (had 2 bottles of 2007 Ridge Geyserville to pick up at Apex Beverage Company.) I also picked up a 375 ml. bottle of Kopke 20 year Port at the store. I had lunch at Xios, Greek restaurant in the shopping center where Apex Beverage is located.

Did a sampler with grilled pita bread and three spreads (Tzatziki, Melitzanosalata and Skordalia.) Melitzano is eggplant-based with tomato, garlic, spinach and chive (I think.) Skordalia is like a pureed potato with olive oil and garlic. I also ordered a side of feta cheese and olives. Went with a sampler of three 2-oz. pours of wine. They characterize the wines as soft and light red, medium-bodied red, robust and bold red, etc. I tried the three soft and light reds.

The least expensive was the Imyglikos red--smooth, one-dimensional, not too interesting by itself but paired well with all the spreads. My favorite was the Madedonikos red which I thought had the most distinctive nose--rather plummy or pruney. Some transparency in the glass. A savory element. Lingering finish. I really enjoyed this. The third wine was a Rubis Calligas which I found to be darker, denser and more hefty than the other two. A little brooding but matched well with the eggplant spread. I would not have characterized it as light and soft but more medium-bodied.

After lunch I went to The Wine Merchant to try some wines at their wine station dispensing machine. (25% off on additions to wine card on Wednesdays.) I tried tastes (1.5 oz.?) of four wines and a glass of the rose'.

2007 Skylark Pinot Blanc, Orsi Vineyard, Mendocino, CA Owned by wine directors from Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco (John Lancaster and Robert Perkins.) I enjoyed this which seemed to have lemony and applelike flavors.

2009 Teira Sauvignon Blanc, Woods Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, CA. Alexis Woods is the daughter of the founder of Clos du Bois. This was an okay S.B. but not something I was tempted to purchase.

2009 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuvee "Les Trois Soeurs" (three sisters) Rose'. 65% Grenache, 25% Caignane, 10% Cinsault from 30-60 year-old vines. Nice dry rose' in a light pink-coral color. Strawberry-lemon or strawberry-peach flavors. A good patio sipper.

2007 Bonaccorsi Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir. I had had this before at the Bonaccorsi dinner at Poole's Diner. Very appealing although a bit candied. It is a blend of grapes from Sanford and Benedict, Cargasacchi and Fiddlestix vineyards. The fruitiness calls to mind red cherries. It is aged 18 months in 50% new French oak.

2006 J. Bookwalter "Foreshadow." 95% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. Columbia Valley, WA. Aged in 100% French oak. This was okay but I was not tempted to buy any. It seemed slightly off on the finishing note with almost a rubber component.

I ended up leaving the store with one bottle each of the Skylark Pinot Blanc, the rose' and the Bonaccorsi Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir. I would like to get some Syrah rose' or blended rose' with Syrah in it for summer. I see that Wine 'n Things in Raleigh has one that is 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache so I may get that on my next trip to Raleigh.

My final stop was Seaboard Wine Warehouse where I selected four Austrian wines for a wine focus on WLDG this month. I got a Zweigelt, a blend of three red grapes including Zweigelt, one Riesling and one
Gruner Veltliner.



[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 04-15-2010).]