This is a group of wines that were presented by Markus Stolz, aka Elloinos, he basically helps get these small producers into big markets like the US. He flew into Panama to get a feel for the local market with these samples, all I can say is that many of them offer huge quality per price.
Sorry for the long post, but it was a long tasting filled with a lot of information, and yes a lot of wine! If I’m not mistaken, some if not all of these wines should be available now or soon in the US market.
Domaine Karanika Brut Cuvee Speciale NV
Aymndeo, Florina, Macedonia
Greece
A wine made entirely of Xinomavro in the traditional methode Champenois disgorged in February 2012, in a blind tasting this would pass off as grower Champagne easily. It displays a nice golden color with small concentrated beads, aromas of yeast, apples, apricots, citric peel, gun flint, crushed chalk, and wild flowers. A wine filled with crisp flavors of green apples, citric fruits on the attack, sweet peach and apricot on the midpalate, intense acidity intermingled with a chalky texture that becomes more pronounced on the finish. An intellectual, elegant, and sophisticated mid bodied sparkling wine, why drink Champagne when you can have this! Approximate Price $30 USD.
92 points
Mylonas Savatiano 2011
Keratea, Lavreotiki, Attica
Greece
A light hay colored refreshing wine with no pretensions delivering aromas of pears, apricots, a slight herbal component, with a bit of spritz on the end. A light bodied effort with simple yet clean white fruit flavors with decent minerality. A nice refreshing every day drinking wine. Approximate Price $13 USD.
85 points
Tetramythos Roditis 2011
Ano Diakopto, Achaea, Peloponesse,
Greece
A transparent wine with a slight straw hue with simple aromas of melon and citric notes. Very clean and precise flavors of melons, apricots, a small hints of honey, white pepper, with refreshing acidity. A decent light bodied wine good for everyday drinking. Approximate Price $12 USD.
87 points
Karanika Terra Levea Assyrtiko 2011
Aymndeo, Florina, Macedonia
Greece
A pale straw colored wine with very pronounced aromas of orange rind, lemon peel, with small hints of apricots, peaches, followed by white pepper, and crushed stones. Very pungent citric flavors upfront with apricots, lychee, and great amount of refreshing acidity on the midpalate that travels up to the long mineral driven finish. A different type of Assyrtiko showing more citric and fruit elements over sea influenced salinity from those of Santorini. Approximate Price $17 USD.
91 points
Zafeirakis Malagousia 2011
Palaiomylos, Tirnavos, Larissa, Thessaly
Greece
A clear colored wine with a slight golden hue filled with delicate yet complex aromas of pears, apricots, orange rind, honey, white pepper, smoke, and crushed flint. Very clean and precise flavors of sweet pears, apples, with slight dollops of honey leading to a midpalate filled with refreshing yet discreet acidity as well as citric flavors. The finish is long lasting revealing more white fruits than on the initial entry, honey, white pepper, and buzzing minerality that is well integrated. A mid bodied cerebral wine that has many similarities to whites from Burgundy, it has great precision and a solid structure hidden discreetly behind an unpretentious outer personality. Approximate Price $16 USD.
93 points
Diamantakos Preknadi 2011
Mantemi, Naoussa, Macedonia
Greece
An intriguing wine that is hard to understand initially but then it reveals itself with its own unique personality. It boasts a clear color with slight pale yellow hue on the eye followed by an intriguing bouquet of pears, apples, apricots, banana peel, pine, with hints of rubber hose, and crushed stones. Texturally dense and oily on the palate revealing citric notes, tart apples, pineapple, mango on the attack leading to a refreshingly acid dominated mid palate filled with flavors of lychees, pears, and peach. The finish is long and dominating in part due to its dense texture, showing a strong mineral presence as well as well integrated tannins! A wine that is in a class of its own, unique, thought provoking, but most importantly very delicious to drink. Approximate Price $32 USD.
92+ points
Domaine Zafeirakis Limniona 2008
Palaiomylos, Tirnavos, Larissa, Thessaly
Greece
The wine exhibits a translucent cherry red color with inviting aromas of candied cherries, raspberries, strawberries, licorice, and pronounced mix of spices. As the wine enters the palate it delivers tart cranberries, strawberries, with small hints of plums and blackberries on the midpalate that continue on to the moderate length finish where it intermingles with notes of oriental spices, slight hints of earthiness, marked minerality, and decent tannic structure. A light bodied unpretentious wine with great pure fruit, refreshing acidity, interesting flavors, and a good value. I suspect this will develop more in bottle and merit a higher score undoubtedly. Approximate Price $24 USD.
89+ points
Tetramythos Agiorgitiko 2010
Ano Diakopto, Achaea, Peloponesse,
Greece
An enticing translucent wine with an dark core and bright violet rims. Great aromatics filled with notes of ripe plums, blackberries, blueberries, candied raspberries, lavender, smoke, licorice, incense, with a controlled dose of vanilla. On the palate the wine shows sour cherries, raspberries followed by blackberries, dark chocolate on the midpalate accompanied by a generous dose of refreshing acidity. The finish is of moderate length, with dark fruit flavors, exotic spices, discreet oaky vanilla, and massive gritty tannins. Approximate Price $13 USD.
92 points
Vaeni Naoussa 2007
Anthemia, Naoussa, Macedonia
Greece
A translucent cherry red colored wine with clean flavors of candied cherries, raspberries, rhubarb, with a slight touch of creamy vanilla. On the palate the wine shows a mix of tart red fruits including sour cherries, cranberries, strawberries on the attack that continue on the palate with reduced intensity as it reaches the finish. A soft textured light bodied wine with a very short finish, however it has nice crisp and clean red fruit flavors. Very unpretentious but delicious nonetheless. Approximate Price $10 USD.
86+ points
Estate Chrisohoou Naoussa 2008
Naoussa Stranza, Naoussa, Macedonia
Greece
A translucent wine with a ruby red color exhibiting very elegant aromas of rose petals, maraschino cherries, plums, licorice, black olives, with small hints of cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. The flavors burst on the palate with notes of sweet raspberries, cherries, plums, blackberries, licorice that continue on the mid palate where the intense acidity appears. The flavors continue on to the long finish that’s filled with spices and silky well integrated tannins. A very delicate and feminine styled Xinomavro, very interesting to see where this will go with a few years in bottle. Approximate Price $16 USD.
93 points
Domaine Karanika Xinomavro Limniona 2011
Aymndeo, Florina, Macedonia
Greece
An interesting if not rare blend of Xinomavro and Limniona showing a translucent ruby red color on the eye. Quite reserved on the nose showing small hints of cherries, raspberries, strawberries, incense, intermingled with exotic oriental spices. Primary on the palate but showing generous sweet red fruits, great acidity on the midpalate, with sweet spices and sandy textured tannins. A mid bodied wine with full throttled red fruits, impressive structure for the long haul, and great persistent finish. Needs time in bottle. Approximate Price $22 USD.
92 points
Diamantakos Xinomavro 2008
Mantemi, Naoussa, Macedonia
Greece
A translucent deep ruby red colored wine that shows a very old world styled nose filled with funky earthy aromas, kalamata olives, some floral elements, plums, raspberries, licorice, incense, crushed and black pepper. A broad and muscular structure on this smooth textured mid to full bodied wine that shows great flavors of sour cherries, cranberries, raspberries on the attack leading to a complex midpalate dominated by searing acidity, plums, tart strawberries, licorice, roasted coffee, and olives. The finish is powerful filled with blackberries, plums, cherries, hints of savory meat juices, black pepper, cloves, anise, with big powerful sappy tannins. This has incredible rusticity, uniqueness, and power. Approximate Price $36 USD.
94 points