LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2023

THREE GREAT WHITE GRAPES YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF. Monemvasia La-lu-di Moschofilero VINTAGES 33252, $17.95 (Aug 19) (Moss-ko-FEE-leh-ro) Aromatic, floral, with a touch of Muscat, this is Greece’s answer to Spanish Albariño. (Ma-la-goo-zi-YA) A rare and ancient grape compresses complex fruitiness into a well-knit, muscular frame. Papagiannakos Old Vines Savatiano VINTAGES 33259, $19.95 (Aug 19) (Sa-va-ti-a-NO) Weighty and rich with Gerovassiliou Epanomi Malagousia VINTAGES 32379, $35.95 (Jun 10)

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Though you may not be familiar with the names of its grapes, Greece produces wines well worth getting to know. Now is the time to add them to your roster of summery sips. Bring Greece Home

BY JAMES CHATTO

The ancient Greeks were wine’s great ambassadors, carrying their knowledge of viticulture and winemaking wherever they settled or traded, from the Crimea to Spain. In Greece today, a new generation of producers is making fabulous high-quality wines, often grown in organic vineyards proudly planted with some of the 300-plus varieties indigenous to the country. The names of these grapes may be unfamiliar, but that is about to change. As summer progresses, VINTAGES will be offering a new portfolio of first-class Greek wines in stores and online. It’s a welcome opportunity to see past the familiar anonymous blends and get to know the real wines of Greece. Homer prized red wines above all others, but Greece also produces unique and delectable whites. The best way to discover them is in single-varietal expressions. PHOTO BY PETER EASTLAND / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

subtle herbal and floral aromas and a sly, zesty acidity.

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