I stood in front of the Greek wine selection at the wine shop.  I didn’t know where to begin.  I had a few recommendations of Greek wine I should try, but as fate would have it, they were nowhere to be found.  The sales clerk wasn’t any help.  He was clearly out of his element when it came to Greek wines, as was I.  Just when I was about to give up and grab the wine with the label I liked best, I was greeted by a passing customer.

He asked if I was looking to buy a Greek wine,  and when I responded that I was, he seemed surprised.  “Why would you want to do that,” he asked?

I laughed and responded that I was told I should try some, and as a wine blogger and occasional educator, I thought I should.  He then told me he was Greek and could help me.  Then he told me something I will never forget:

“The Greeks basically make wine to GET THE JOB DONE.  Most of the wine is not great.”

This made me laugh, as I thought of Ouzo, the Greek spirit that has an overpowering anise flavor and a knockout punch of alcohol.  Well, okay then…

He helped me through the selection and pointed me towards a wine he thought would be the most palatable and food-friendly.  It had a great price point of $10, which seemed appropriate if it wasn’t great.

I bought it and went home to cook up Spanakorizo, a Greek spinach and rice dish, to pair with the wine.

Description:

Hermes

White Dry Wine

Varietals: Achaia and Savatiano

11.5% Alcohol

Attica, Greece

Tasting Notes:

Pale yellow in hue, this wine has light aromas of lemon, citrus and minerals.  It has a crisp minerality, like licking a wet stone, with hints of lemon and kumquat.  This is a light bodied wine without much acidity.  It paired nicely with the Spanakorizo.

Verdict:

This was a very approachable wine.  It had light flavors and was not complex.  It was great with food and I would pair it was goat cheese, vegetables, fish, and chicken.