Wine Number 17 or "The First Real Adventure"

2003 Boutari "Evinos":

On March 29th I went to the Carnival of Wine Enthusiasm AKA WLTV Fan Appreciation Day at The Wine Library in Springfield, New Jersey. I don't live too far away [far enough to not take regular trips to buy wine] so I made it a point to stop in. My thanks to Gary Vaynerchuk and The Wine Library for hosting a fun party, and for opening that 1982 Bordeaux. It was funny, it was sipped first and I said to myself, "This is okay, pretty good, nice and smooth." Then I had the other two wines, both prices $30-40 and realized how good the Bordeaux was.

Anyway, this article is about Greece, not france. Greece has been making wine forever. Before the Romans planted vineyards in Gaul... the Greeks had brought their vines. Boutari's "Evinos" is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Xinomavro, what I imagine to be an extremely tannic grape that they matched with merlot to smooth it out and give it some appeal. I really enjoyed this wine, like I said the tannins were huge and I can't imagine what a 100% Xinomavro would taste like, though I'd love to give it a shot. Well-integrated oak, if that's even what it was, nice background fruit, VERY dry. Definitely one to search out for the experience, for dry wine lovers and folks wanting to expand a bit. I think lovers of a dry chianti would really go for this wine.

I will definitely be returning to Greece wine-wise. If Evinos is any indication, their wines will be different and exciting.

Wine Count: 17; Country Count: 9; Grape Count: 16