Reviews



		ACHAIA CLAUSS WINE COMPANY Achaia Clauss Santa Helena 84- Wine & Spirits, August 2003 Dry spice and bitter orange notes play off this wine's sweet pear flavors. Give it a chill for stuffed octopus. Achaia Clauss Retsina 82 - Wine & Spirits 2003 Light as air, this is all about the refreshing menthol qualities of pine. Chill it well and drink with salty foods. Achaia Clauss Mavrodpahne 88- Wine & Spirits, August 2002 This thick, purple mavrodaphne reserve has gone the way of a tawny Port, age simultaneously lightening and deepening its flavors. Now the fruit is more baked apple and apricot, while the freshness has turned to truffle, spice and deep caramel. Most remarkedly, the sweetness has mellowed considerably, giving plenty of ripe flavors while finishing light and clean. Best Greek Dessert Wine Value of the Year, Wine & Spirits, August 2000 Achaia Clauss Muscat de Patras 84 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Aromas of orange marmalade and super-ripe pears fold in touches of honey and caramel in the mouth, where the wine is sweet and plump. Finishes with medium length and a slight burnt-sugar note. Tasting Panel Picks, Bon Appetit, August 2004 Founded by a Bavarian immigrant in the 19th century, Achaia Clauss delivers a bright Muscat with hints of peach. Gold Recipient, Taster's Guild, August 2004 "Great Grapes of the Mediterranean", Wine & Spirits, August 2001 Planted out on the hillsides of Patras, Muscat seems to have extra capacity to absorb the flavor of its environment. While sweet and viscous, the sensation is moderated by the taste of herbs and the sea, perhaps due in part to the dried seaweed strewn around the plant's base as fertilizer. A blend of several vintages, age contributes elements of complexity as well." The Underground Wine Journal, February 2001 Rich golden yellow color. The nose has rich, lush aromas of honey, tangerine, orange, key lime, pineapple and fig with hints of peach. The palate has intense, fresh flavors of honey, Mandrin orange, yellow raisin and fig. Nicely balanced and fully bodied. Wine & Spirits, August 1999 A full bodied, sweet and lightly herbal white wine with a medium gold color, slightly nutty aroma, hint of orange and a delightful burnt honey taste. Achaia Clauss Nemea Nemea 1999, Wine & Spirits, August 2000 This wine has a bright garnet color, high toned boysenberry and cherry character in the aroma. It is lively, ripe and long flavors follow the berry scents. This is no rustic wine for hard-core carnivores. It is rather, one of those rare reds that can satisfy white wine drinkers with its freshness, and red wine drinkers with its depth. Washingtonian Magazine, August 2004 Achaia Clauss 2000 Nemea tastes of cedar and cinnamon with just enough fruit to stay in balance. Nemea 1998, Best Imported Value Wine of the Year, Wine & Spirits, August 2000 ______________________________________________________________________________ PALIVOU VINEYARDS Palivou Nemea 90- Wine & Spirits 2004 Nemea 2001 - A Nemean red updated for the 21st century, this melds the flash of smoky oak with agiorgitiko's plush plummy flavors. It's full and rich yet also fresh and lively, an impressive balance for an often rustic grape. 88 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Nemea 2001- Artfully oaked, this Agiorgitiko-bass wine boasts hints of cinnamon, clove and even a dash of coconut. Cherries and pears give a unique quality to the fruit, while the tannins are soft and impart a creamy texture to this admittedly international-style wine. Beverage Media, August 2004 Nemea 2001 - Ripe plums and berries - classic Agiorgitiko characteristics - are balanced with subtle notes of oak and vibrant acidity. Made in the modern style and is medium-bodied. Nemea 1999 - Tasting Panel Picks, Bon Appetit, August 2004 The Corinthian appellation of Nemea is home to Agiorgitiko, a classic red variety with hints of lush plum, vanilla, and spice. Nemea 1999 - Gold Medal Recipient, Taster's Guild, August 2004 Palivou Agiorgitiko Red 85 -Wine Enthusiast, September 2004) Agiorgitiko Red (St. George) 2001 - With its firm acids and modest tannins, tart cherries and worn leather, this is a natural burger wine - something assertive enough to pair with strong, simple flavors without being overwhelmed, yet not so complex as to demand finer fare. Sante June 2002 A medium-bodied, soft and well-balanced wine with floral, plum, cranberry and coca aromas. Its up-front berry and cranberry flavors make it an ideal companion to grilled sausages and vegetables. Palivou White Fox 85 -Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 White Fox 2003 -Surprisingly low-acid compared to most Greek whites, with exotic tropical fruit aromas and flavors, maybe even some bananas. Hints of almonds, pears and vanilla round out the flavors on the finish. 86 - Wine & Spirits, 2003 White Fox 2002 - A soft, gently white wine, fragrant as an orchard in deep summer. It's simple but very pretty, the sort of wine to pour on lazy Sunday afternoons. White Fox 2001 - One of the tope four white wines of Greece. Gourmet Magazine, May 2003 86 - Wine & Spirits, August 2001 Smooth as a pear and juicy, too, with a core of minerals to keep it dry, this would be good chilled for chicken and light pork. Palivou Chardonnay 85 - Good (Wine Enthusiast, September 2004) Chardonnay 2001 - This well-oaked Chardonnay is plumped and custardly in the mouth, with standard pear, cinnamon and butter flavors all enveloped in a large helping of vanilla. ______________________________________________________________________________ HELIOPOULOS VINEYARDS Heliopoulos Santorini 92- Wine & Spirits, August 2004 Santorini 2003 - Floral notes of aidani dance on minerally assyrtiko, a surprisingly expressive and delicate Santorini from scent alone. That grace continues into the flavor, where cool chalk notes recall oyster shells and cool white sand. From a winery owned by a wealthy local hotelier, the wine seems designed to be shown off next to a heaping platter of seafood while overlooking the Aegean. 87 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Heliopoulos 2003 - Perhaps it's a trick of this wine's slightly coppery hue, but it seems to have some peach and strawberry scents along with intense pink grapefruit flavors. Its medium weight gives the impression of ripe fruit balanced by racy acids, finishing clean and crisp. Tasting Corner, Beverage Media, August 2004 Santorini 2003 - Floral and honeyed notes are underscored by brininess and minerality. Unoaked with refreshing acidity: A perfect seafood wine. Heliopoulos Santorini Oak-Aged 92- Wine & Spirits 2004 Santorini Oak-Aged 2001- Give this a few hours in a decanter and its oak recedes, allowing the super-ripe fruit to come up. The wine itself is not fruity, but rich, the ripeness apparent in the smooth, rich robe of dry honey flavor that cushions the intense, chalky minerality. Make sure to decant if you open it now, or cellar for a few years. ______________________________________________________________________________ NASIAKOS ESTATE Nasiakos Moschofilero 87 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Moschofilero 2003 - Nicely floral, with notes of honeysuckle that seem almost Muscat- or Gewurz-like. A slightly viscous mouthfeel adds weight to apple and pear flavors that linger on the finish, picking up spice notes. 83 - Wine & Spirits, August 2004 Moschofilero 2003 - Give this ripe, floral, muskmelon-flavored wine a chill for fruity chicken salads and other dishes with a sweet bent Nasiakos Mantinia 88 -Wine & Spirits, August 2004 Mantinia 2003 - Subdued, refined moschofilero, this carries its hallmark floral fragrance like a breeze that's passed through jasmine. It's a lovely grace note on a smooth, quiet base of marzipan flavor that's lifted by bright acidity. Mantinia 2003 - Gold Recipient, Taster's Guild, May 2004 ______________________________________________________________________________ PAPAGIANNAKOS ESTATE Papagiannakos Savatiano 87 -Wine & Spirits, August 2004 Savatiano 2003- Savatiano's delicate flavors usually get covered up with pine resin for Retsina, but Papagiannakos lets its fresh, lemony flavors shine here on a stony, smooth base. It's delicious, and versatile enough to sip on its own or with roast chicken. Best Buy and 88 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Savatiano 2003 - Savatiano is one of the most cultivated white grape varieties of Greece, often serving as the base for retsina. But this effort shows how good it can be, melding slightly nutty scents with peachy, melony fruit. It's plump and medium weight, finishing fresh and clean with a squirt of grapefruit. ______________________________________________________________________________ MANOLESAKIS ESTATE Manolesakis Merlot 88 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Merlot 2001 - Firm yet fleshy, this Merlot boasts chunky black-cherry fruit swaddled in layers of toast and dark chocolate. It's medium-weight, graceful enough to drink with food, but it's till chewy enough to drink on its own. Manolesakis Cabernet Sauvignon 87 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 - Strawberry isn't typical Cabernet descriptor, but it applied to this wine, which also boasts more classic notes of dried herbs, leather and cedar. Supple tannins make this Cabernet instantly approachable. Manolesakis Sauvignon Blanc/Roditis 87 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Sauvignon Blanc/Roditis 2002 - This 60-40 blend combines ripe stone-fruit elements of nectarine and peach with firm mineral notes and a hint of anise on the lingering finish. Slightly herbal, but speaks more of ripe fruit, making for a pleasant, medium-weight sipper. Manolesakis Estate Red 86 - Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Estate Red 2001 - A bit rustic and tannic, but also shows some solid, ripe berry and cherry fruit. Hay, horse and spice notes add nuance without burying the fruit. Lighter-bodied, with crisp acids. Manolesakis Estate White 85 -Wine Enthusiast, September 2004 Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay 2002 - This interesting blend boasts aromas of preserved lemons and fresh herbs, then turns a bit plumper in the mouth, with nectarine flavors joining in. Tart and high-acid on the finish, making it a natural with oily seafood dishes like fresh sardines.