Tasting amazing Greek wines at Mr Vertigo, Athens
Website: https://www.mrvertigo.wine/en/
Mr Vertigo is a brilliant wine shop in Athens. It’s also a wine import/agency company, but while they import some seriously interesting wines from elsewhere, the reason I was excited to visit is because of their range of Greek wines. (I’d visited previously in 2017 https://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/greece/fun-in-athens-a-wine-shop-and-two-wine-bars ). These are the wines I tasted here: an amazing selection, leaning in the natural/low intervention direction.
1979 Kallos Phos Retsina 2020 Greece
1979 Kallos are focusing on Retsina, but their big effort has been in sourcing really fine pine resin to use. They don’t use chemicals and sophisticated equipment to extract it. The variety here is Assyrtiko. Full golden colour. Lovely combination of mint, pine and ripe fruit. Such complexity in the mouth with refined resin, lovely citrus and some pear and apple. Real power but also refinement and spicy intensity finishing with some more cooling mint. 95/100
Sant’Or Santameriana 2024 Peloponnese, Greece
12% alcohol. Sant’Or was the first biodynamically certified winery in Greece: they achieved this in 2018. This is a rare local variety they are working with. Full golden colour colour. Lovely apple and pear nose with a subtle smoky mineral character. Bold, open, rich but refined. Subtly oxidative but vital, salty and stony with a long finely spiced finish. This is fantastic. 95/100
Sant’Or Roditis 2023 Peloponnese, Greece
Smoky mineral nose with bright citrus and a twist of matchstick. The flinty character carries on to the palate but it’s beautifully integrated into the pithy, lemony fruit. Very fine. 94/100
Sclavos Robola Lacomatia 2024 Cephalonia, Greece
Single vineyard Robola. Amazing aromatics. Grapefruit, minerals, lemon and sea breezes. The palate has lovely depth but also freshness. It broadens beautifully on the palate but there’s nice structure, too. Such concentration and detail, finishing spicy and salty. Some candlewax notes, too. 96/100
Aoton Savatiano 2023 Attica, Greece
Organic. Savatiano is the most planted white grape in Greece. Some skin contact but pre fermentation. Golden colour. Waxy and honeyed on the nose with ripe peach fruit. The palate is bold and rich with lovely depth and richness. Textural and rich with a lovely honeyed depth to it. Very rich and expansive. Warm with a hint of raisin on the finish, but really pure. Lovely. 93/100
Zoumberakis Oenosnature Liatiko 2023 Crete, Greece
Very pale red in colour. Fine red cherry nose with some savoury, spicy, bloody notes. Juicy and fresh on the palate with fresh redcurrant and spice notes, showing precision and purity. This is lovely: a bright, structured lighter red. 94/100
Markovitis Xinomavro 2020 Naoussa, Greece
Aged in stainless steel. Dense and rich but fresh and nicely structured. Good acidity with lovely brightness. Has some grip under the raspberry and cherry fruit. Hints of liquorice and tar. Focus is on the fruit. 93/100
Salo o le 120 Giornate di Sodome 2024 Cephalonia, Greece
This is Mavrodaphne, and it’s a Mr Vertigo own label. The label and name is inspired by Pasolini’s infamous banned film, and it was designed by Panos Chaviaras. This is fermented and aged in concrete eggs, preserving the fruit quality. Bold, rich, focussed and bright with lovely tannins, nice freshness and brilliant dark, slightly wild black fruits. Hints of pepper and liquorice. There’s a lovely presence here. 94/100
Aori Muscat of Spina 2024 Crete, Greece
This is from schist soils at 800 m altitude. Highly aromatic with floral, grapey, nice citrus fruit. So expressive. Fine and delicate with perfume but also some nice mineral refinement. So expressive. 94/100
Moinoterra Vilana 2023 Crete, Greece
Brisk, energetic and lemony. Lots of fruit but also stony detail. Nice complexity and energy here with a juicy focus. Really expressive. Lovely tapering acidity. This is beautiful. 94/100
