introducing the

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introducing the
www.mswalker.com/greece
GREEK WINES OF M.S. WALKER
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Why Greek Wine?

• Emerging region
• Unfullfilled demand
• Consistent growth in quality wine sales
• Fascinating and unique regions and varietals
• Rich historical context
• Obvious quality of products
• Element of surprise
• Level of Support

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Greek mythology is great, but when it comes to
Greek wine lets set the record straight.
The myths
1. Greek wines dont taste good 2. Greece is
all about retsina 3. Greek wines dont go pair
well with food 4. Greece is all about retsina
5. U.S Consumers dont like Greek wine 6.
Greek wines are off the radar in the U.S.
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Myth 1. Greek wines have inferior taste
Leading wine publications such as Decanter, the
Wine Advocate, the Wine Spectator, Food and Wine
and Wine and Spirits disagree. So do sommeliers
at restaurants such as the Oak Room, Gramercy
Tavern and Judson Grill in New York, Chez
Pannisse in Berkeley,Cesar and Absinthe in San
Francisco, Café MoZu in Washington D.C. and the
Elephant Walk here in Boston. The wines in this
portfolio made the cut for one reason only they
are delicious. The category is growing because
consumers love them.
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Myth 2. Greek wines are incomprehensible
Fine Greek wines are no harder to understand and
appreciate than the wines of Spain, Italy,
Portugal or France. The wines in the Greek Wines
of M.S. Walker portfolio have English labels
showing varietal names, appellations, vintages
and producers. Yes, some of the names are a bit
tough, but when they become household words this
wont be a problem. Consumers are learning about
Greek wine the way they learn about anything
else one wine, one varietal, one producer and
one region at a time. The educated consumer is
the biggest ally of Greek wine.
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Myth 3. Greek wines dont pair well with food
Wrong again. Greek reds from indigenous varieties
tend to have nuanced, food-friendly attributes
and be lower in alcohol than many New World
wines. Many indigenous Greek white varietals
have serious structure and other attributes that
inspire food pairings. Chefs love to develop
menus around Greek wines.
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Myth 4. Greece is all about retsina
Today's fine Greek wines are made with modern
techniques by talented winemakers and are nothing
like Retsina. Greece's soil and growing
conditions yield excellent grapes. In the past,
meeting international standards was not the goal
of much of the Greek wine industry. This created
a stigma we are working to overcome. Times
change. Much of the Greek wine that arrived in
America was neither properly shipped nor stored.
Many perfectly good wines were ruined by the time
they reached the shelves. This is still true of
the major importers of Greek wine in America.
Every wine in MS Walkers portfolio is kept at
controlled temperature from winery to warehouse.
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Myth 5. U.S. Consumers dont like Greek wine
Wrong. Imports to the U.S. of fine Greek wines
have been growing at double-digit rates for the
past three years. Fearful distributors have been
the main impediment to mainstream acceptance of
Greek wines. What progress has been made has been
driven by consumer demand (enabled, of course, by
forward-thinking distributors). Americans have
very positive associations with Greece. Hundreds
of thousands of Americans visit Greece each year,
many of whom seek out Greek wines upon their
return. Greek tables at large tasting events
create the loudest buzz.
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Myth 6. Greek wines are off the radar in the U.S.
Wrong. Awareness has grown significantly over
the past few years. In the last year alone the
Wine Spectator has published two thorough
articles on fine Greek wines and has featured
them in a special menu. The Wine Advocate has
favorably reviewed the Sotiris Bafitis portfolio
in each of the past three years. Wine
Spirits magazine, Bon Appetite, Santé, Wines and
Vines, Wine News, the New York Times and the
Boston Globe, among many others, have all covered
fine Greek wines during the past year.
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The M.S. Walker Advantage
1) Quality of products... The nations leading
portfolio of quality Greek wines. 2) Quality of
Support... Unprecendented program to aid in the
sale of the portfolio. 3) Competitive
advantage... No other wholesaler in New England
offers a portfolio of Greek wines of comparable
quality, nor does any yet have the resources or
vision to create or properly distribute one.
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Suppliers 1) Sotiris Bafitis Selections 2) Nick
Cobb /AVMW 3) Trireme Imports
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1) Sotiris Bafitis Selections
The leading importer of quality Greek wine in
America
Representing
Focus
Argyros Biblia Chora Gerovassiliou Katsaros Kir-Yi
anni Mercouri Parparousis
International quality standards Industry
leadership Crossover players
Key Strengths
PR skills Superb wine knowledge Energy, work
ethic
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2) Nick Cobb/AVMW
Broker for this portfolio
Representing
Focus
Hima Lidakis Lyrarakis Sigalas SBS Trireme
Imports
Artisanal producers Rare varieties Emerging
regions
Key Strengths
Brand building Full-time support Product knowledge
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3) Trireme Imports
Newest importer focused on quality Greek wines
Representing
Focus
Samos
A) Heritage producers B) International styles
Key Strengths
Samos brand Commitment to support
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A Brief Introduction to Greek Wine
1) Leading Indigenous Varieties 2) Important Wine
Regions 3) Growers and Wines by Region
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Greek grape varieties
White Assyrtiko Malagousia Roditis Savatiano
Red Agiorgitiko Kotsifali Mandilaria Xynomavro
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Agiorgitiko (Saint George)
Ah-yohr-yee-tee-koh
Location Mainly Nemea, Peloponnese Color De
ep red color Aroma Complex, fruity Palate Red
fruit, mild tannins Comparison Grenache Styles
Lower elevations sexy, concentrated
reds Higher elevations, tart berry
flavors Excellent rosés
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Kotsifali
koh-tsee-fah-lee
Location Iraklio, Crete Color Light red,
orange highlights Aroma Intense,
herbal Palate Red currant, tart
acidity Comparison Pinot noir,
Tempranillo Styles Comparisons to Burgundy,
Rhone, Rioja
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Mandilaria
mahn-dee-lahr-ya
Location Crete, Rhodes, Santorini,
Cyclades islands Color Dark red Aroma Rich
fruit, plum Palate Red fruit, bold
tannin Comparison Cabernet franc,
Merlot Styles Vary widely soft, fruity on
Rhodes, intense, tannic on Santorini and Crete
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Xynomavro
ksee-noh-mah-vroh
Location Macedonia Color Light to medium
garnet red Aroma Intense red berry, olives,
spices Palate Tart red berry, intense tannin,
earthy Comparison Pinot noir, Nebbiolo Styles E
arthy, intense but delicate reds Extraordinary,
full rosés
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Assyrtiko
ah-seer-tee-koh
Location Santorini, increasingly on
mainland. Color Straw yellow when
young. Aroma Little. Steely, but usually
augmented. Palate Minerally, mouthfilling,
lemony acidity, dry extract, sometimes
salty. Comparison Dry Riesling, replaces
Sancerre. Styles Bone dry, full bodied.
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Malagouzia
mah-lah-gooz-ya
Location Epanomi, Sithonia, increasingly
elsewhere. Color Light yellow. Aroma Exotic
fruit, citrus, jasmine, mint. Palate Medium to
full body, fruit and spice. Comparison Replaces
Viognier. Styles Only one.
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Roditis
roh-thee-tees
Location Peloponnese and north Color Light,
clear yellow. Aroma Tropical fruits,
pear. Palate Refreshing, acidic,
citric. Comparison Replaces higher elevation
Pinot Grigio. Styles Bone dry and elegant to
juicy and flabby
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Savatiano
sah-vah-tee-ah-noh
Location Attika, Central Greece Color Light
, straw yellow. Aroma Pear, stone
fruit Palate Creamy, bitter end
notes. Comparison Replaces Sauvignon
blanc. Styles From retsina to intense, gripping
finishes.
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Greek wine regions
Islands Crete Samos Santorini
Mainland Peloponnese Macedonia Central Greece
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Greek wine regions
Peloponnese
Location Southern Greece Vine area 60,000
hectares Climate Hot summers--mountain
vineyards Appellations Nemea, Mantinia, Patra,
Muscat of Patras Muscat Rio of Patras,
Mavrodafni of Patras Varieties Agiorgitiko,
Mavrodafni, Moschofilero, Roditis.
Muscat Producers Hima, Lafazanis, Mercouri,
Parparousis
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Greek wine regions
Macedonia
Location Northern Greece Vine area 13,000
hectares Climate Balkan/Continental Appellations
Naousa, Amyndaio, Goumenissa, Playies Melitona
RW, important vins du pay Varieties Xynomavro,
Negoska, Limnio Producers Biblia Chora,
Gerovassiliou, Kir-Yianni
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Greek wine regions
Central Greece
Location Central Greece Vine area 29,000
hectares Climate Hot in east, cooler in
west Appellations None Varieties Savatiano,
Roditis Producers Hima
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Greek wine regions
Crete
Location Southern Aegean Vine area 50,000
hectares Climate Hot summers, cooler
regions Appellations Arhanes, Peza RW, Dafnes,
Sitia RW Varieties Kotisfali, Mandilaria,
Liatiko, Romeiko, Dafni, Vilana Producers
Lidakis, Lyrarakis
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Greek wine regions
Samos
Location Eastern Aegean Vine area 5,000
hectares Climate Asian Minor, hot
summers Appellations Samos Varieties Muscat Prod
ucers Cooperative of Samos
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Greek wine regions
Santorini
Location Cyclades islands Vine area 1,800
hectares Climate Maritime, hot
summers Appellations Santorini,
Vinsanto Varieties Assyrtiko, Athiri, Aidani,
Mandilaria, Mavrotragano Producers
Argyros, Sigalas
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www.mswalker.com/greece
Wineries and Wines by Region
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Wineries and Wines by Region
Central Greece Peloponnese Crete Santorini Mac
edonia Samos
Hima Hima, Lafazanis Lyrarakis, Lidakis Sigalas,
Argyros Kir-Yianni, Biblia Chora,
Gerovassiliou Samos Cooperative
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Central Greece, Peloponnese
Hima
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Central Greece, Peponnese
Hima
Location Nemea, Peloponnese, Amfissa, CG
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Central Greece, Peloponnese
Hima
Winemaker Yiannis Flerianos
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Central Greece/Peloponnese
Hima
Talking points

• Winemaker graduate of UC Davis.Worked at
  Mondavi.
• Fresh wines intended to show type of indigenous
  varieties
• Good value
• Clean, informative packaging

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Central Greece/Peloponnese
Hima
Wines
Hima Fresh White Hima Unoaked Red
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Hima Fresh White
12/750 80.00
Cepage 90 Savatianio, 10 Roditis Winemaking
Classic white fermentation in stainless steel at
14-16C. No oak contact.
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Hima Unoaked Red
12/750 80.00
Variety 100 Agiorgitiko Winemaking Classic
red fermentation in stainless steel.
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Peloponnese
Lafazanis
lah-fah-zah-nees
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Peloponnese
Lafazanis
Location Nemea, Peloponnese
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Peloponnese
Lafazanis
Winemaker Spyros Lafazanis
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Peloponnese
Lafazanis
Talking points

• Traditional regional winemaker
• White is interesting blend of acidic Roditis
  with dry Muscat--mountain grown.
• Red is typical (typicist) St. George.
• Good value wines

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Peloponnese
Lafazanis
Wines
Lafazanis White Lafazanis Red
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
lee-rah-rah-kees
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Location Alagni, Iraklio
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Head Winemaker Sotiris Lyrarakis
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Vine Area 8 hectares
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Talking points

• Region has been producing wine for 4,000 years
• Family winery
• Found and revived two near-extinct varieties,
  Dafni and Plyto. Dafni is believed to date to
  Minoan times.
• One of world's most consistent microclimates
• 1) Warm winters, cool summers
• 2) Typically no rain during growing season

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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Varieties in production
Vilana Sauvigon blanc Sylvaner Dafni Plyto
Kotsifali Mandilaria Carignane Syrah
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Crete
Lyrarakis Wines
Wines
Cuvee Grand Colline Dafni Plyto
Last Supper Kotsifali Syrah
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Lyrarakis Dafni
12/750 144.00
Variety Dafni 100 Winemaking 20 hours skin
contact at 20-22C. Inoculation with selected
yeast. 13 day fermentation at 15-17C.
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Lyrarakis Last Supper
12/750 120.00
Cepage Kotsifali 80, Mandilaria 15, Carignane
5 Winemaking 24 hour cryomaceration,
inoculation with selected yeast, 7 day maceration
at 25-30C.
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
lee-thah-kees
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Location Archanes, Iraklio
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Winemaker Vangelis Lidakis
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Vine Area 8 hectares
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Talking points

• Region has been producing wine for 4,000 years.
• First to produce serious version of
  Kotsifali-Mandilaria blend.
• Self-taught, back-to-the-land story.
• One of world's most consistent microclimates
  Warm winters, cool summers. Typically no rain
  during growing season
• Right yields, minimal intervention Natural
  yeast. Warm temperature fermentation.

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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Varieties in production
Kotisfali Mandilaria
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Crete
Lidakis Wines
Wines
Archanes Belena
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Lidakis Archanes
12/750 136.00
Cepage 80 Kotsifali, 20 Mandilaria Winemaking
Fermentation in stainless steel followed by
one year in second and third use barrels.
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
see-gah-lahs
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Location Ia, Santorini
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Winemaker Paris Sigalas
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Vine Area 20 1/2 hectares
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Talking points

• First on Santorini to farm organically.
• One of leading Greek names in European market.
• Advantages of Santorini environment Low
  yields
• Vine stress
• Quality of varietals
• Poetic character, artisanal approach.

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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Varieties in production
Mavrotragano Mandilaria
Assyrtiko Athiri Aidani
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Santorini
Sigalas Winery
Wines
Santorini Niambelo Mandilaria
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Sigalas Santorini
12/750 160.00
Cepage 90 Assyrtiko, 5 Athiri, 5
Aidani Winemaking Fermented from free run juice.
Cold maceration followed by fermentation and cold
stabilization in stainless steel. No wood
contact.
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Santorini
Canava Argyros
ahr-yeer-ohs
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Santorini
Canava Argyros
Location Episkopi, Santorini
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Santorini
Canava Argyros
Winemaker Vine Area
Yiannis Argyros 25 hectares
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Santorini
Canava Argyros
Talking points

• One of top two quality producers on island
• One of oldest-family owned vineyards and
  wineries 100 years
• Old vines--some estimated to be 300 years old.
• Advantages of Santorini environment Low yields
• Vine stress
• Quality of varietals
• Exceptional quality of winemaking.

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Santorini
Canava Argyros
Varieties in production
Mavrotragano
Assyrtiko Athiri Aidani
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Santorini
Canava Argyros
Wines
Santorini Atlantis White Atlantis Red
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Canava Argyros Santorini
6/750 120.00 (20.00/btl)
Cepage 92 Assyrtiko, 4 Athiri, 4
Aidani Winemaking Classic white fermentation in
stainless steel. 50 of must is from the first
pressing. No wood contact.
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
keer-yah-nee
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Location Naousa, Imatheia and Amyndaio, Florina
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Winemaker Managing Director
Yiannis Boutaris Mihalis
Boutaris
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Vineyard area 50 hectares
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Talking points

• Yiannis Boutaris industry leader for 40 years
• Responsibility for the establishment of
  important appellations.
• Mentor to many of region's now independant
  winemakers.
• Owners of two of Macedonia's best vineyards.
• Facility with imported and indigenous grape
  varieties.
• Overall quality of winemaking.

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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Varieties in production
Xynomavro Merlot Syrah
Roditis Sauvigon blanc Gewurztraminer
Chardonnay
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Macedonia
Kir-Yianni Estate
Wines
Samaropetra Rosé Akakies Paranga
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Kir-Yianni Samaropetra
12/750 120.00
Cepage Roditis, Sauvignon blanc,
Gewurztraminer Winemaking Cold temperature
skin contact followed by controlled temperature
fermentation in stainless steel.

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Kir-Yianni Rosé Akakies
12/750 96.00
Variety 100 Xynomavro Winemaking Several
hours skin contact followed by classic white
fermentation under temperature control in
stainless steel.

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Kir-Yianni Paranga
12/750 120.00
Variety 85 Xinomavro, 15 Agiorgitiko (St.
George) Winemaking Pre-fermentational
extraction (skin contact), static debourbage and
the inoculation with selected yeasts, maturation
in oak barrels with periodic stirring of the lees.

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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
(Vivlia Hora)
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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Location Kavala, Macedonia
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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Winemakers Evangelos Gerovassiliou, Vassilis
Tsaktsarlis
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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Vineyard area 150 hectares
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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Talking points

• Owned by two of Greece's most important
  achievers
• Facility with imported varieties, authority with
  indigenous grapes.
• Eastern Macedonia's best vineyard location
• South-facing mountainside vineyards
• Cool microclimate from mountains and ocean
• Longer growing season

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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Varieties in production
Cabernet Merlot Syrah Agiorgitiko
Sauvigon blanc Assyrtiko Semillon Chardonnay
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Macedonia
Estate Biblia Chora
Wines
Biblia Chora White Biblia Chora Red
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Biblia Chora White
12/750 144.00
Cepage 50 Sauvignon blanc, 50
Assyrtiko Winemaking Cold temperature
prefermentation (skin contact) followed by
classic white fermentation under temperature
control in stainless steel.
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
yer-oh-vahs-ee-lee-oh
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Location Epanomi, Thessaloniki
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Vineyard area 150 hectares
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Talking points

• So-called father of the Greek wine revolution.
• Studied and worked with Emile Peynaud in France.
• Graduate of Dijon.
• Presided over Europe's largest estate--Carras.
• First systematic cultivation of Syrah.
• First to identify potential of, and cultivate,
  Malagousia.

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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Varieties in production
Syrah Merlot Grenache Assyrtiko
Malagousia Sauvigon blanc Viognier Chardonnay
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Macedonia
Domaine Gerovassiliou
Wines
Malagouzia Syrah
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Gerovassiliou Malagousia
12/750 160.00
Varietal 100 Malagouzia Winemaking Cold
temperature skin contact followed by low-
temperature fermentation in stainless steel.
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Gerovassiliou Syrah
12/750 224.00
Varietal 100 Syrah Winemaking Classic red
fermentation followed by 12 months in new French
oak barrels. Unfined and unfiltered.
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Samos
Samos Cooperative
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Samos
Samos Cooperative
Location Malagari, Karlovasi, Samos
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Samos
Samos Cooperative
Winemaker Manolis Tsaklidis
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Samos
Samos Cooperative
Vineyard area 5,000 hectares
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Samos
Samos Cooperative
Talking points

• Greece's first appellation. Has produced Muscat
  for 400 years.
• High elevation vines.
• Believed to be the source of all French Muscat
  vines.
• Only region outside of France entitled to an AOC
  designation.
• Sole source of communion wine for the Vatican.
• Only wine blessed for communion in the Greek
  Orthodox church.

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Samos
Samos Cooperative
Wines
Vin Doux Grand Cru Anthemis Nectar
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Samos Grand Cru
12/375 184.00
Variety 100 Muscat (800-900 meters, 45
hl) Description Arrested fermentation Alcohol
15 pH 3.4 gr/lt Tartaric acid 6.0
gr/lt Res. sugar 130 gr/lt