Greek x 3 (long and verbose as always)

Eating at Taverna Khione in Brunswick, Maine is like eating in your Greek Grandma’s kitchen. Looks like it, feels like it and most of all tastes like it. My only quibble is that the gigante beans are made with honey, and that stuff is sweet.

My son Jeff and I shared three spreads: Skorthalia, Taramosalata and Macedonian Skorthalia. All were just fine, even though the waitress urging us on to eat more was American. Jeff had lamb chops for dinner, I had octopus. Good as the spreads were, the mains were even better. This Hole in the Wall is Highly Recommended!

When COVID hit, the restaurant got a retail license and greatly expanded their wine list. It’s all Greek, whether to you or to me. There are 50+ wines. They are available retail if you buy six bottles of more, for 20% off of menu prices, which puts them in line with retail prices nationwide, but it’s a great selection if you happen to
a) like Greek wine, and
b) happen to be in Maine.
I qualify on both counts and I’ve put together my shopping list, will pick up 6 bottles (4 red, 2 white) this weekend. There are reds with bottle age!

The short but sweet glass list is available by the glass or half-glass, which I really appreciate.

I had three half-glasses:

2019 Idaia Ocean Thrapsathiri, Crete - $5 for a long 2.5 ounces - This was simply gorgeous, an order of magnitude over expectations. Floral aromas (cactus flower) led to a vivid palate of honeydew and salt, with surprising intensity and excellent balance. Rated 92.5. Ridiculous. Drink now.

2018 Chrisohoou Naoussa - $6/2.5oz - Floral aromas again, violets this time. Light in body, surprisingly round and delicate. Almost plummy, well balanced, but with good lift, invigorating. Rated 89, seems mature.

2019 Aoton Savatiano, Attica - $6/2.5oz - The aromas feature pears, but also something earthy, not necessarily in a good way. I don’t know if this is the type of species known as ‘pet-nat’, but it is definitely crackling. The flavors are complex, but clashing. This is not clean, and I’m not somebody who can’t live with some dirt. It got a little better over time, but not my cup of tea, and I don’t drink no tea. Rated <80. Drink never.

Dan Kravitz