This month, the Wine Pairing Weekend bloggers are turning their eyes towards the wines of Greece. Deanna of Wineivore is hosting. You can read her preview here.
- Wendy is tasting Assyrtiko from Santorini paired with Greek Mac and Cheese at A Day in the Life on the Farm.
- Camilla is Waiting for the Temperature Drop: Still Eating al Fresco and Pouring Moschofilero at Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
- Andrea asks Do You Know Fokiano? at The Quirky Cork.
- David is having a Greek Spaghetti Recipe and Wine Pairing at Cooking Chat.
- Cindy is exploring how Xinomavro Thrives in Naoussa Where Key Elements Define Its Character at Grape Experiences.
- Deanna is testing an Almost Paleo Greek Menu + an Aged Sparkling Zitsa at Wineivore.
- Gwendolyn is pairing 2 Greek Wines with Grilled Eggplant, Black Cod, Lamb Kebabs at Wine Predator.
- Nicole is showcasing Three Off-the-Beaten-Path Pairings for Holiday Cheese & Charcuterie Platters at Somm’s Table.
Pouring Moschofilero
Even though it's December, the temperature has been ridiculously warm. So, I knew that the bottles of Moschofilero I had would be perfect.
Moschofilero is an aromatic grape, indigenous to the Peloponnese region where it is traditionally used to make a bold, spicy wine. I poured the Boutari 2019 Moschofilero which has a suggested retail price of $17. The Boutari family has been making wines from Greek varieties since the 1800s when Yiannis Boutari started making red wines in the village of Naoussa. Since then, the family expanded to reviving lost varieties and inviting local farmers to learn new methods and techniques for cultivating grapes.
On the nose, this Moschofilero has heady aromas of citrus and rose petals. On the palate, it is bright with citrus flavors that match its scent. But there are added layers of honeydew and spicy.
While I poured this with two dishes, it shined with a roasted chicken that I had stuffed with fennel, lemons, and green onions. The process of the chicken is the same as this one, just stuffed with different things.
The second bottle I poured was the Troupis Winery Moschofilero Fteri 2020. The Troupis Winery is located in the heart of Mantinia in the region of Fteri or 'fern', hence the motif on the wine's label. Tasos Troupis, along with his children, own and operate this small production winery with grapes made exclusively from their estate vineyards that cover only about 16 acres.
This Moschofilero was fermented in stainless steel tanks and displays the aromas and notes I would expect from this variety. It smells of roses, violets, and citrus fruits and has a bright, intense acidity that made it the perfect pairing with my Garides Saganaki. I first shared that dish in September 2018 when we previously explored Greek wine and I poured a sparkling orange wine. Read more here.
Well, that's a wrap for my offering about Greek wine for this month's #WinePW. So, I'm still waiting for the temperature to drop because I'm ready to start pouring and sharing some reds I love to winter. Till then, yasou!
The group will be back in January with articles about bubbly from around the world with Andrea of The Quirky Cork leading the discussion. I'll have to see if I can find anything interesting to share.
I can absolutely see the Moschofileros pairing with the fennel stuffed chicken in particular. Looks gorgeous! I'm familiar with the Boutari, but will be on the look out for the Troupis!
ReplyDeleteOooo I love this chicken idea! I definitely want to try that. Moschofilero is such a pretty variety. Nice to hear it stands up to stronger flavors like fennel.
ReplyDeleteSounds delicious! So many different grapes from Greece to discover, like this one!
ReplyDeleteOoh I love the Greek wines you were able to find! The roast chicken looks so brown and beautiful, and I would love to try it with the Moschifilero. I've never heard of that grape. Thanks for sharing and participating in this month's exploration of Greece!
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