LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2023

BRING GREECE HOME

Heroic Reds Study the classics and further your education. For centuries, Xinomavro (Ksee-NO-mah-vro) has been the most revered red grape in north ern Greece, prized for its high acidity and tannic structure as much as its complex aromas, qualities which remind some of Barolo. The grape is famously expressive of the nuances of terroir wherever it is grown. Agiorgitiko (Ah-your-YEE-tee-ko) is the great red of Nemea, in the Peloponnese, famously quaffed by Heracles after he killed the local lion. It spread long ago to central and northern Greece. Altitude produces dramatically dif ferent wines, some versions seeming as light and fresh as Beaujolais, others made in a darker, more tannic style.

DELECTABLE DEPTHS

IN GOOD COMPANY

To discover more Greek wines, spirits and beers, visit our Destination store on The Danforth in Toronto, or LCBO.com/destination-greece to have them delivered right to your home. with equal ease. We’ve raided the archives at LCBO.com to match archetypal recipes to each of our wines, letting their personalities shine. The next best thing to a holiday in Greece…. Find the collection at LCBO.com/fdsummer23 Greek wines are made to be drunk with food. Reds and whites share a sturdy acid structure that handles grilled and fried foods and sharply dressed salads

Thalia Red Agiorgitiko/

Thymiopoulos Apostolos Young Vines Xinomavro VINTAGES 466474, $19.95 (Aug 19) Spicy, herbal, cherry and black olive notes berries linger on the palate. Delectably fresh and vivid, it’s a great introduction to the grape. swirl up from this elegant gem; red

Kir Yianni Naoussa Cuvée Villages Xinomavro VINTAGES 14151, $19.95 (May 27) Naoussa is this grape’s heartland. Mid-weight and muscular with firm tannins, it backs up red fruit flavours with earthy, autumnal notes.

Papaioannou Estate Nemea Agiorgitiko VINTAGES 27217, $25.95 (Aug 19) A classically elegant expression from old vines, organically farmed, with a year of oak aging. Expect velvety tannins and aromas of red cherry, black currant and dark chocolate.

Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO 15285, $12.95 Also from the Peloponnese, this blend contains 25 per cent Cab’ for a smooth, easy drinking red in an international style, with soft tannins and raspberry notes.

FOOD BY JAMES TSE; VINEYARD COURTESY OF KIR-YIANNI WINERY

110 FOOD & DRINK SUMMER 2023