New Georgós Wines Features the Best of Greece and California

(Gerry Furth-Sides)  New Georgós Wine came about in typically Greek fashion.   Greeks believe in big ideas and doing everything  on their own, (think Zorba the Greek), so when  Georgós Zanganas realized he could not purchase natural Greek wines he wanted in the US, he decided to simply import the highest quality fruit from Greece to make wines suitable for the American palate – and to put his own name on it.

It all came about after Georgós discovered he had “roaring headaches” when drinking wine after he moved to San Francisco for an engineering job. He realized that this had not happened in Greece because Greek wine generally has lower alcohol content.  He there was nothing offered in American markets or wine shops in America either.

Georgós Wine super-premium wines are fruit forward, soft tannins, and clean tasting.  They are blended, finished and bottled with reduced sulfites—which at higher levels can cause allergic reactions—at Deerfield Ranch Winery in Kenwood, Sonoma Valley (known for their “Clean Wine®”) under the direction of Georgós and winemaker Robert Rex.

So Georgós Wine now brings five wines to market, available direct from the winery, They are available at Whole Foods in Northern California, and at fine restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

New Georgós Wine is Half California and Half Greek, like me as I like to say.     In the case (no pun intended) of Georgós Wine, it happens to be true.  Grapes are grown in old world Greek tradition and paired with the best of American innovation in the Sonoma Valley.  We were honored to experience their latest vintages.

Greek pride in winemaking is told in a story on each bottle.  “winemaking began in Greece more than 6,500 years ago, and they were the first to age wine in a controlled way.

 

 

Georgós derives from the Greek word for farmer. For the background of this international name, please see //localfoodeater.com/astonishing-georgian-wines-keep-georgia-mind/

Georgós “nu” Greek wines originate from the highest-quality 100% NON-GMO and sustainably grown grapes.  Attentive family growers farm the vineyards with a dedication to natural processes and lower sulfites.  No pesticides, growth hormones or other additives are used in Georgós’ wine.

Georgós’ grapes are then handpicked and triple hand-sorted. It’s a time-consuming and meticulous endeavor, and of the essence, because removing everything but the grapes keep the resulting wine low in histamines (Zanganas himself is very sensitive to sulfites (SO2) and for this reason, the wines have very little SO2).

The wines themselves come from a hybrid of premium Sonoma and Greek fruit, blended, and finished by winemaker Robert Rex to create a flavorful and transcendental experience that is the direct product of Old World techniques and innovation. The grapes might seem familiar, but the Greek spin is unmistakable.

Currently, Georgós Wine has five distinct varieties, each combining unforgettable names of the Greek islands with mythology:

Santorini, “Sophia’s Smile” is a 2016 Assyrtiko similar to a dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc that has citrus aromas with a rich, earthy mineral character, and the acidity to stand up to meat and seafood with notes of lemon and apple. Unoaked.  We paired this with a dish of braised cabbage and shredded carrot slaw dotted with pork.

Ios, “Aphrodite’s Kiss”: a 2016 Dry Rosé of Agiorgitiko (until recently the most commonly cultivated grape in Greece) that has all of the flavors of a Pinot Noir with the crispness of a Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented with skins on for 16 hours, it contains hints of apple and peach. Unoaked.

Mykonos, “Wine of Hercules”: a 2013 vintage Agiorgitiko in the Pinot Noir style that is both light and delicate yet flavor-forward in a Burgundy tradition, with a nose of strawberry patch, a touch of allspice, pepper and sandalwood. Earthy flavors include maitake with a pleasant and multi-layered finish offering faint notes of licorice.

Ithaka, “Penelope’s Spell”: a 2014 blend of California Cabernet and Old World grapes that is dry and big, yet gentle for a Cabernet. It’s perfectly balanced and delicious. The nose is a true Cabernet, offering bits of leather, currants, and blackberries.

Winemaker consultant, Robert Rex, who has brought a scientific eye and artistic passion to winemaking for forty-five years. Rex started making wine in 1972 in Berkeley, California and has since worked for and started wineries for others.

Rex’s winemaking style has its roots in the great French wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, where the philosophy is,  “the blending of attributes creates the best wines.” Grapes from complementary soil types and microclimates are often married to maximize varietal characteristics and complexity. His wines have won a total of 300 awards.

 

Remember that the Greeks were among the first to observe good wine etiquette. Plato outlined what he considered to be correct alcohol drinking behavior.³ He said not to abuse it. Plato also argued that the minimum drinking age should be

More importantly, the Greek historian Thucydides (Cir. 460 – cir. 400 BC.) thought highly of both wine and olive oil. He wrote that the Mediterranean began to “emerge from barbarism when they learned to cultivate the oil and the vine.”