Chatzivariti, Good Greek Wine

For over 4,000 years, wine has been a big part of Greek culture, opa!  It is one of the oldest wine producing regions in the world. The first evidence of wine production dates back to ancient Crete.

(Chef and Evangelo Chatzivaritis)

I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Greek winery, Chatzivariti, at an intimate tasting at Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill in Manhattan. The winemaker, Evangelo Chatzivaritis, was in attendance to share his passion for wine. Chatzivariti wines are organic and predominately made with Greek indigenous grapes that comes from its estate owned vineyards.

The Eurynome, Roditis was paired with a Bosc Pear and Crispy Goat Cheese Croquet. The light wine has notes of basil, ginger, and apple. The wine is named after the Greek goddess, Eurynome, according to Greek myth she created life. This was my favorite wine of the evening.

Next up we tried the Staphylus, Sauvignon Blanc which was served with a Butter Poached Maine lobster with Belgian endive.This wine was just as wonderful as the Eurynome. I loved the aromas of melon, honey, and orange. It is delightful with seafood, it would also be great with cheeses and fruits.

The third course of Duck and Fava Beans Fricassee went very well with the Staphylus, Cabernet Savignon. I’m not a big fan of duck so I concentrated on the wine. The cab was filled with some of my favorite aromas such as vanilla, tobacco, black cherry, and wild black fruits.

Last but not least was the Skuna Bay Salmon and Fingerling Potatoes was paired with the Eurynome Xinomavro/Negoska. The tender salmon worked well with the spice, olive, and bramble fruits in the wine.

Next time you go to the wine store and want to try something new, look for a Chatzivariti wine. I predict that you will become a fan. Cheers!