Christos Kokkalis doesn’t need to be introduced anymore. Well, at least not in Germany where the Greek once lived and worked as a pharmacist. When he started his ambitious wine venture in the Peloponese region of Greece. Germany  most naturally became his primary market for selling his wines. For those who do not live in Germany: Kokkalis started his winery in the 1990′s with the goal of creating a high-end Cabernet-Sauvignon from Greece that could rival the best French growths. His wine named Trilogia first came out in 1997 and soon earned lots of praise from the press and the wine-scene. His second wine Movia is a cuvée of Cabernet and Agiorgitiko, a Greek varietal. As a third wine, Kokkalis now produces a 100% Syrah. Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, now this one’s a special bottle. Not because it was an expensive gift or a particular finding. Simply because it’s a bottle that has just been there in our cellar, like forever. I guess my parents have once received it as a gift and just put it on a shelve. And myself, since I’ve been of “legal age” have simply been staring at that bottle as if it was some kind of perished ancient relict from a time when all wines were made to get an instant headache. Read the rest of this entry »

Last weekend was awesome! Together with some friends I was lucky to be welcomed by Didier from Vimpressionistes in a cosy holiday appartment in the beautiful village of Château Chalon in the Jura region of Eastern France. First of all, to finally meet his beautiful baby-daughter but of course also to indulge a memorable blindtasting.
But don’t expect a Vin Jaune or Savagnin tasting here. That evening was entirely devoted to Read the rest of this entry »

I think I already confessed my weakness for Greek wines several times here. But again: I believe there is a big trend ahead with those wines, and it will last despite the recent financial crisis in the country. Original varieties, a diversity in Terroirs and styles as well as ageing potential are all arguments that speak for durable success of Greek wineries. Read the rest of this entry »

This is a bottle I once received from my Greek friend Faye. It is a privately produced family wine like they’re often made over there. The particularity here, and this time I don’t know if it’s still common usage in Greece (It isn’t!), is that the wine has been crushed by feet, including the Tod’s-loafer-accustomed luxury feet of my friend (;-))
After hearing such a thing I’m usually pretty quick on jokes. But I decided this time Read the rest of this entry »

After having been a bit intrigued by the last bottle of this wine I decided to give it another shot. I popped and poured it without decanting or delay, turned it a bit in a big glass and took a big sniff. Read the rest of this entry »