Off the Beaten Track Winemaker Series Explained

Given the selection, it's perhaps not surprising several people have been asking to hear a bit more about our foray into Greece, Macedonia, Georgia and Lebanon for the Off the Beaten Track Winemaker Series on 17 and 24 June. I therefore thought it would be worth a bit of a preview. We've got six great wines from six very interesting producers so if you feel like something a bit different you'll love this. Also, many of you are aware of my passion for indigenous grape varieties and I'm delighted to say all these producers and wines focus on their native varieties.   For this series we'll be virtually visiting and tasting wines from these six producers across four countries. Flying winemaker Steve Daniel overseas making all these wines and will be guiding us on the journey. He'll be introducing us to the regions, the grape varieties and winemaking along with some colourful stories and history. Steve is hugely well respected in the wine trade and saying he's a great character is an understatement - he's certainly very entertaining. I'm not listing every award each wine has won here but suffice to say that each has gained several international medals. These range from the likes of International Wine Challenge to Decanter Wine Awards.  

Week 1 - 17 June

The first week we'll be in Greece. This is a country whose wines we're starting to see a lot more of in the UK although it's surprising since it was the Ancient Greeks who were so famous for their wines. However, like so many countries who previously kept their wines for themselves, the wines tended to be too rustic for our liking. Nowadays the wines hitting our shores are really something to look out for. Crisp, clean, lovely fruit expression and also affordable.

Monemvasia Winery

The history here dates back to the 12th Century when the city of Monemvasia traded their wines internationally. These were then sold under the name of Malvasia by the Venetian and Genoese merchants. Nowadays we often see wines from the grape known as Malvasia in Italy. Monemvasia is a young and modern producer specialising in local indigenous grape varieties. We'll be enjoying a wine from the rare Kydonitsa grape. Dry in style it also has some lees ageing which gives it more depth of flavour.  

Domaine Foivos

Next we'll be off to Kefalonia. This is one of the oldest wineries in Greece which dates back 200 years. Now, using state of the art technology they specialise in producing natural wines where "nothing is added, nothing is taken". Domaine Foivos is also well known for ageing some of their wines under the sea which is a fascinating project in itself. We'll be tasting their Robola "Black Label". Historically the Robola of Kefalonia grape variety was known as the "Wine of Stone" since vines are planted on the harsh, rugged, stoney slopes of Mount Ainos.

Gaia Wines

One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gaia is an fascinating producer, boldly specialising in two indigenous grape varieities; Assyrtico and Agiorgitiko. The wine we'll be trying is from Agiorgitiko which is grown at almost 3,000 feet in the stoney soils of Nemea. An interesting red variety which produces a range of wines from rosé to more serious reds. Gaia's Notios which we'll be enjoying has intense red fruit and soft tannins together with some spice thanks to a proportion of Syrah added to the blend.

Week 2 - Thursday 24 June

For the second week we'll be off on another adventure around the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea from Lebanon to Georgia and over to North Macedonia.  

Château Oumsiyat, Lebanon

Now in its 4th generation of the same family, Château Oumsiyat's vineyards in the Bekaa Valley reach up to the dizzy heights of over 4,000 feet. Here the altitude, microclimate and soils all contribute, together with Château Oumsiyat's philosophy of combining modern and traditional practices to produce fresh wines with a very Mediterranean “feel.” We'll be tasting a white from the Assyrtico grape about which Steve Daniel has an interesting story to tell us.  

Vachnadziani Winery, Georgia

Georgia is a region the trade is reaching their glass out for and arguably the most exciting emerging wine region. Vachnadziani is one of the oldest producers in the region. Dating back to the 19th Century it has a fascinating history, which you can probably imagine, given the tumultuous time the country experienced. During Soviet rule the winery fell into disrepair but it has since received strong investment and the aim is to preserve their ancient wine culture while combining it with cutting edge technology. With over 1,000 hectares of vineyard, Vachnadziani has planted 25 predominantly indigenous, grape varieties producing a dynamic range of wine. We'll be tasting their very popular Kakheti, Saperavi 'Classical'. The Saperavi grape is a very old grape variety and the word Saperavi literally translates as "something to colour with". It'll therefore come as no surprise that this grape has very dark skins and unusual pink flesh. The Kakheti Saperavi, whilst full of flavour, is made in a lovely elegant style.  

Tikveš Winery, Republic of North Macedonia

Every wine tells a story about the synergy between the soil, sun, grapes and the country of its origin. Tikveš Winery has been telling the Republic of North Macedonia’s story as a winemaking country since 1885. However, it's a region many of us have yet to even hear about and remains one of Europe’s last undiscovered wine countries. It's genuinely a natural paradise of vineyards, mountains, lakes and rivers, with a climate perfectly suited to producing quality grapes. Located in the Tikveš region, Tikveš Estate sustainably cultivates indigenous varieties such as Vranec which we'll be discovering more about.  

Final Details

I trust this sneak preview has given you enough curiosity to join us for these two weeks. I'm confident it's going to be one of the best Winemaker Series yet and certainly a voyage of discovery. We'll be having a break from the Winemaker Series in July so the next one will be at the end of August. We'll be starting at 7pm each evening and expect to finish about 8pm, although since there's plenty to talk about we might run over a bit. I suggest you have some nibbles at the ready to enjoy with these wines. Tickets are £85 which include the 6 (full) bottles of wine and two great evenings. If it's the first Winemaker Series you've joined then you'll also receive a Wine Events Scotland Tasting Kit which includes amongst other items a useful wine saver. Come and join us for this Off the Beaten Track Winemaker Series by Clicking Here Hope to see you then Diana