Varietal: Â Moschofilero; Fileri
Region: Â Mantinia – Greece
Cost: Â $15.50
Winemaker’s Notes: Â Made from the highly-acclaimed Moschofilero grape grown on the Mantinia Plateau (elevation 2,000 feet), this has a lovely nose of honeysuckle, rose petals, grapefruit and spice. It has mouthwatering, fruity, floral flavors with a lively acidity, gripping minerality.
My Review: Â Thanks to the various tastings and events that I get to attend courtesy of this site, I’ve had the opportunity to try some Greek wine. While it hasn’t been much, what I have tried I’ve enjoyed, so when I was recently given some gift cards to Total Wine by a client, I took the opportunity to try out some new and interesting wines – the 2013 Erasmio Moschofilero Mantinia being a prime example.
I picked up this wine because of the description on the tag at Total Wine, which sounded like nothing so much as Sauvignon Blanc to me which, as you know, I enjoy quite a bit, especially this time of year.
In the glass the wine was light straw yellow, and on the nose I picked up grapefruit, citrus, and spice. In the mouth the wine was crisp, with the grapefruit notes from the nose continuing through. The wine had a nice clean finish, with enough acidity to give it some bite, but not so much that it makes your teeth hurt like eating sour Skittles (you know the ones). A hint of minerality on the finish didn’t hurt either.
We paired the wine with a shrimp and feta pasta dish (it seemed fitting), and the crispness of the wine was a perfect compliment to the lightness of the meal.
I really liked this wine, and it’s a good alternative if you’re looking for something new and different this summer to mix it up from your usual Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigio/Unoaked Chardonnay rut.
