For those of us that think galaktoboureko is mandatory Thanksgiving fare

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Achaia Clauss Chateau Clauss (Πύργος Clauss) 2003

This is one of those fun wines that you can open up for a meal and let its flavors come out as breathes while you eat and drink. It's a little funkier than other Greek wines I've tasted mostly due to its herby nose. This herbiness (and the importer's site)leads me to believe that the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon and Agiorgitiko (the label says its Cabernet/Mavrodaphne).

The pour gives you a lively, deep purple color, and your tongue grabs onto the soft tannins which provide balance between the mineral herbiness and the touch of red fruit. This wine has spent some time in oak so the 2003 is still good to drink. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a more recent vintage anywhere. I've got a few bottles still aging (I bought it on sale for $10...regular price should be about $12-still a good value), but will likely uncork most of them in 2010.

For pairings, the obvious are red meat and super-sharp cheeses. I think it would work well with a hearty red pasta sauce as well. Bottom line, if you can find it, give it a shot.

2005 Lafkioti Rodamo Red

This wine has moved near the top of my list by providing very good quality at an affordable price. It balances the Greek varietal Agiorgitiko, which thrives in the Peloponnesian Nemea appelation, with the famed French Cabernet.

The wine is labeled as Local Korinthian red wine by its producers, Lafkiotis winery in ancient Kleoni whose marketing heavily reminds of us the history and geography embedded in Greek wines.

They age the Rodamo for about 10 months in French oak to give it the balanced taste that appealed to me so much. Nice fruit notes come out with an amount of earthiness and an edge on the tannins. Since it's part Cabernet, that left me wondering what this 2005 vintage might be like in another year or two. Hopefully, Robert at Asadur's has procured a few more cases of this because I'd like to grab a few more bottles to enjoy in 2010 and perhaps '11.

Try it as soon as you can find it. Maybe with a rich red sauce and pasta.

It cost me $10.75...that's hard to beat

2005 Laloudi Moschofilero-Roditis

I was hoping this wine would be better. It wasn't bad, but it just seemed too light and bit empty to me. I bought it because its blend of Moschofilero (probably 80%) and Roditis intrigued me, and in the glass its pale-yellow color looked delicious. On the palate, the touch of sweet citrus was nice, but didn't offer much else.

From the other reviews I've read, if I can find this one again, I would go for a later vintage (like 2008) and open it about an hour before drinking. I hope that would bring out its subtle flavors. It would be worth it just for comparison's sake.

I got it from my Greek wine guy for $13, which for me is too high for a wine I didn't like that much.

INO Semi Sweet Red

I didn't expect to like this one nearly as much as I did. I remember liking it a few years ago (the days when I was so shocked to find Greek wine anywhere I'd buy it), but I must have bought a few bottles when it was on sale and forgotten about them since them. It certainly lives up to its semi-sweet label so proceed appropriately if you normally dislike sweeter reds. It tastes a tad sweet, red-fruity but provides smooth and balanced refreshment. Serve it with a good chill (recommended on the label as 59-64 degrees...i'd take that range down 5 degrees) for those weekend afternoons/early evenings. No pairing recommendations from my trial--but I'd imagine it's best with mixed light appetizers or even by itself.

It's labeled as country wine of Greece..originating in the "foothills surrounding Thebes in central Greece. It's the inviting mix the French varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Rouge and Carignan. In the US (or at least in my area), I think it's bottled and imported as this....You can find it at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits (apparently) or try Asadur's in Rockville (I refer to the owner of Asadur as my Greek wine guy---also my olive oil guy and my Feta guy and my Nescafe guy..you get the idea).

Also, INO's straightforward labeling and good value make it a favorite wine to serve at DC area Greek festivals.

I'm wondering if it's sold in other countries as Melodikos. In any case, if you're looking for a sweeter red in the 10-12$ range, this might be one.

2003 Achaia Clauss Nemea Agiorgitiko

Hailing from the northeastern Peloponnesos in Nemea, this dry red from the 2003 vintage is definitely worth taking a look at. Made from the Agiorgitiko, as most reds from this region are, it comes off as a bit fruity upfront with sour cherry flavors coming through. After being open for a bit, the slight hint of oak comes out (it's aged in oak for a year). It comes together as an almost-too-easy to drink red with very soft tannins.

Probably versatile enough to drink on its own or even with pasta, chicken and meaty dishes.

I have a few bottles of the 2003 vintage, which I think are perfectly ready to drink now..and I doubt that will be hard since they are so good. I also have a bottle of the 2005, which I might save until next year.

And good news: if you can find this, it should retail for about $10 or $11...an excellent Greek wine at that price. I got it at the county liquore store, which tends to have odd Greek wine picks, so I'm not sure how widely available this is currently. The 2005 might be easier to find and likely a good bet too...that review will be coming up.

Achaia Clauss Demestica White NV

As with its red counterpart, the Demestica white wine is a popular Greek wine that's probably easy to find. After opening before dinner a few weeks ago, I was little disappointed that it was too gentle to stand up to the fish I had just grilled. It did grow on me a little more towards the end of dinner after it had about 30 minutes or so to breathe.

It's a light golden color and made from the Roditis grape blended with other local varietals (probably Savatiano)...a simple wine that you can try if you can't find much else in the way of Greek wines, but if you can, this won't match up with others for around the same price or a little more. I probably paid between $7 and $8 at the county wine & liquor store down the street.

Strangely, I really enjoyed it at the end of the meal with some sharp cheese and amarettini biscuits. I could do that again.

Cambas Roditis Rose NV

This is a rose blend from the white Roditis grape and the red Agiorgitiko. From this combination we get a dry rose, slightly spicy, with a hint of berries and a stronger taste of citrus (think grapefruit peel) and a refreshing, lightly dry aftertaste.

A decent wine that can hold up against lighter foods but probably more refreshing served with a strong chill and on its own. It's certainly not a complex wine and doesn't match up against better Greek roses. Hopefully, you can try it for less than $9 (I paid ten at a place that usually charges a 10% premium, at least). While not highly recommended, you can use this as a fun fall-back rose for not too high a price.

For a pairing hint, I loved it with pistachio-flavor Turkish delights (loukoumia).

Boutari Moschofilero 2007

This wine exemplifies a lot of the good things happening to Greek wines available in the US...

I first discovered this wine about 4 years ago. It was on sale for probably under $10 at my neighborhood liquor store in Denver so I thought I'd give it try. I liked it so much I went back and bought 4 more bottles. That was probably the 2004 vintage. More recently, I had a bottle of the 2007 while eating at Cava Mezze (worth mentioning simply for the fact it's probably the best Greek place in the DC area). Again, it was fantastic.

A 100% Moschofilero, which is a varietal from the Peloponnesian AOC region of Mantiniam, it's grown in the higher-elevation Boutari vineyards. It's nearly clear in color, and very well-balanced and refreshing in taste. While it can be enjoyed on its own, it's aromatic enough to pair with lighter foods. It held its own quit capably with the grilled octopus, taramosalata, spanakopites we had at Cava. The wine exhibits a nice citrus & melon touch and a very smooth and relaxing aftertaste.

Remember when I said I first bought it for under $10? Well, success has its price since it now sells for closer to $17. I would definitely say it's worth every penny, but if your budget is similar to mine, this wine has gone from an extraordinary everyday value to a treat to save for a special occasion. It definitely shows that Greece is capable of making world-class wines (from indigenous varietals that you won't taste from anywhere else no less) and exporting them around the world.

Achaia Clauss Demestica Red NV

To start off the blog, what better wine to check out, than the classic Greek red import, Demestica. From the historic, large winery, this is not a great wine, especially since the quality (and quantity) of Greek wines available in the US is steadily increasing. But, if you're the type of person that can't enjoy this wine on certain occasions, then this really isn't the blog you should be reading.

A very agreeable, soft, lightly fruity red wine...it has some versatility with a good range of Greek foods. Made from 100% Agiorgitiko (currently my favorite Greek varietal on the red side), you can serve it slightly chilled with a generous serving of gigantes (giant white beans in tomato sauce..see example recipe) and some feta and olives.

So, this wine, supposedly the "most popular Greek wine available", according to Stellar Imports, the importer, is a decent, not too hard to find, table quality Agiorgitiko for those of us who eat Greek style at home. The best part: its price..I get it for about $8 for 750 ml bottle....Although, I notice that they sell it with a screwtop and in the 1.5 L size in Greece (and perhaps elsewhere in Europe...)