Samos Tryin' Ta Kill Me

Many of my fancy friends, particularly those who enjoy the blog but secretly wish to see me perish at an early age from liver failure, bring me island wines back from their travels. For example, after I complained about the lack of quality Vilana, Mr. Mars gifted me two bottles of Cretan whites in exchange for a home-cooked meal, an austerity package for Greece and my box set of The Wire so that he works on his own interpretation of Clay Davis' favorite excretion expression once that plan fails. Last time around, an acquaintance who wants no starring role in my ramblings but would like to see me under The Rock, gave me two bottles of Muscat from the Greek island of Samos that I later put to the test.

First, though, this post's didactic component. Per my go-to-guide on Greek wines, New Wines of Greece, 

"Muscat White is often referred to as Muscat Samos since the variety is closely associated with the island. Apart from its presence in the PDO Samos, the variety is also found in four other PDO wines (PDO Muscat of Cephalonia, PDO Muscat of Patras, PDO Muscat of Rio Patras and PDO Muscat of Rhodes). Muscat vineyards are spread on stone terraces mostly around Karvounis (1,153m), Samos’s central mountain, which is also known as Ambelos, after the homonymous village on its northern side. Sizeable vineyards are also found on the northeastern slopes of Kerki (1,443m), Samos’s western mountain. Samos has long had its own particular wine management, the Union of Vinicultural Cooperatives of Samos being the only producer. This cooperative has succeeded in making the sweet wine of Samos the best known Greek wine abroad, while dessert wines under the geographical indication of “Samos” have also found their way into the international pantheon of excellent sweet wines. Two wineries outside the island which collaborate with the cooperative also market  PDO Samos wines."

The grape itself produces wines (from dry to sticky) marked by aromas of lemon, apricot, linden, peach, honey and muscat (somewhat reminiscent of crushed coriander seeds).

2011 Union of Vinicultural Cooperatives of Samos (EOSS) Psilés Korfés Muscat (Dry White Wine) - Beautiful nose marked by citrus, passion fruit and flowers. To the palate, tropical fruits all the way. Simple quaffing wine with a medium body. 85/100.

2010 Union of Vinicultural Cooperatives of Samos (EOSS) Vin Doux (Samos Muscat) - Intense bouquet of dried apricots, honey, nuts and spice. Dried apricots, dates and golden raisins, brown sugar, vanilla and a touch of menthol to the taste. Too cloying for my palate, could use some acidity. 82/100.

Mara Theft, Incorporated.

Like a Central American mara highjacking a military arms convoy, Maratheftiko stole the show at the 7th Cyprus Wine Competition staged in Limassol this past weekend. The Rock's most important indigenous variety ganged up on its rivals and beat them to the pulp, amassing five gold medals, three silver and multiple accolades from the international panel of jurors. Tom Cannavan, editor at wine-pages.com and a jury member, tweeted about the overall selection to acclaimed wine writer Jancis Robinson: "some lovely Syrah and Maratheftiko (really very good) and one or two Xynisteri's really singing. Cabs and Merlot so so." Such success bodes very well for Cypriot wine and I, for one, hope to see similar performances by the variety in future international wine competitions.

Besides serving as Maratheftiko's coming-out party, the event was marked by the Grand Gold Medal for the 2005 KEO St. John Commandaria and yet another gold for Agia Mavri's Mosxatos, which a Cannavan tweet referred to as "mind-blowingly good" and "some of the world's great sweet wines." Personally, I was surprised no medals were awarded to Aes Ambelis and Domaine Hadjiantonas, two excellent wineries that usually take their share of the loot. Likewise, I believe I was robbed of an opportunity to blog live about the event when I wasn't extended an invitation to the gala dinner. Yes, my writing is utterly shallow but that shouldn't detract from my self-assigned status as the Beauloais Nouveau of Cyprus wine writers. You know, fresh, festive, a tad immature and unrefined yet perfectly satisfying.

Gold medals are listed below. For the full results, click here.

Grand Gold Medal

2005 KEO St. John Commandaria

Gold Medal

Sweet Wines

2010 Agia Mavri Mosxatos

Dry Red Wines

2009 Kyperounda Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Vassilikon "Methi" Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Argyrides Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

2008 Ezousa Metharmi Maratheftiko

2010 Argyrides Maratheftiko

2010 Apostaktirio Nicholas Ignatiou "Gerani" Maratheftiko

2010 Zambartas Maratheftiko

2010 Makkas Maratheftiko

2009 Kyperounda Shiraz

2009 Constantinou Shiraz

2010 Kyperounda Shiraz

Dry White Wines

2011 Kyperounda Petritis Xynisteri

2011 Constantinou Ayioklima Xynisteri

2011 Kyperounda Chardonnay

Awards! Awards! Awards!

A Friday quick hitter before I waste the weekend away glued to a television screen watching college basketball. It's that time of the year. Finally. Check out Act II if you're oblivious to the greatest sporting event on earth.

Awards have been handed out for the 2012 Thessaloniki International Wine Competition held from March 8th to 10th in Thessaloniki, Greece. As usual, The Rock's wines performed admirably well, bringing home a handful of Gold and Silver medals and, most importantly, the Grand Gold Medal for the 2002 SODAP Saint Barnabas Commandaria. Below you can find a list of The Rock's victorious entries. Click here for a complete list of winners.

Grand Gold

2002 SODAP Saint Barnabas Commandaria

Gold

2008 SODAP Stroumpeli Merlot

2007 Hadjiantonas Winery Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Ayia Mavri Winery Mosxatos

2011 Ayia Mavri Winery Mosxatos

2005 Kolios Winery Shiraz

2011 Hadjiantonas Winery Rose

2008 Hadjiantonas Winery Shiraz

Silver

2011 Hadjiantonas Winery Chardonnay

Perks, Picard and Chateneauf-du-Pape Vs. The Rock

This blog has been good to me. I've been able to buy plenty of wine and expense it to my boss, The Wife, Ph.D. People invite me over to their homes with the sole purpose of emptying their wine fridges and having me ridicule them in one of my posts. I get to openly whine about island life without being taken too seriously. Most important, thanks to what I've written, I have been somewhat hired as a contributor and restaurant critic for The Financial Mirror's Cyprus Gourmet page and magazine. My qualifications, you ask? This blog, my impartiality as a non-Cypriot, and my weight which renders tribute to my love for food.

As with most jobs, this one has its perks. About two weeks ago, The Wife, Ph.D., and I were invited to the "Cyprus Gourmet" 2011 Wine Awards and Dinner, an annual event held at Londa Hotel in Limassol that celebrates the top 50 wines in Cyprus as nominated by consumers and judged by a panel of local sommeliers. The evening started off with a cocktail in which guests could sample many of the best Cypriot wines and snack on an array of high-end cheese and crackers. Let's just say that The Wife, Ph.D., was a bit concerned; my eyes lit up like a starstruck six-year old walking into Disney World and being immediately high-fived by Pluto. Of course, I opted for those wines I had never tasted: the 2010 Tsalapatis Melapsopodi Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand-like on the nose), the Fikardos Maratheftiko, and the 2007 Ezousa Metharme Maratheftiko, considered by most as the best Maratheftiko on The Rock. With another hour or so left before dinner, I kept going and tasted the 2010 Aes Ambelis Xynisteri (not quite as good as in the past) and then compared the 2010 Ezousa Rose (good) and 2010 Zambartas Rose (better). My usual care for progression suffered but that's exactly what happens when one's goes cross-eyed from severe sensory overload. I ended "Phase One" with the 2007 Agia Mavri Mosxatos, which, for all intent and purposes, is chocolate-covered sex in a glass. The Wife, Ph.D., and I agreed we needed a case or two.

At some point, the awards were handed out by Patrick Skinner, Cyprus Gourmet's editor, with the assistance of Michel Picard, guest-of-honor and renowned Burgundy wine producer, George Kassianos, wine adviser and columnist for Cyprus Gourmet, and Masis der Parthogh, The Financial Mirror's business director. Some shockers included the gold medal awarded to KEO's Thisbe, a €4 tourist favorite that is usually on sale as a basic tavern wine. For the sake of space, only the seventeen gold medals are mentioned below:

White

2010 Ezousa Ayios Chrysostomos Xynisteri

2009 Kyperounda Chardonnay

2010 Constantinou Ayioklima Xynisteri

KEO "Thisbe" Sultana

Rose

2010 Ezousa Eros Rose

2010 Zambartas Rose

2010 Constantinou Levanda Rose

2010 Ktima KEO Rose

Red

2007 Ezousa Metharme Maratheftiko

2008 Domaine Argyrides Maratheftiko

2005 Ktima Kolios Shiraz

2008 Domaine Vlassides Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Kyperounda Shiraz

2009 Vassilikon Ayios Onoufrios

Sweet

2006 Ayia Mavri Moschato

1991 ETKO Centurion Commandaria

1984 KEO Saint John Commandaria

"Phase Two" began with a three-course dinner prepared by Londa Hotel's sous-chef and fully inspired in Cypriot products. The first dish was a salad with red mullet, watercress, radishes, spring onions and cherry tomatoes with oven-dried hiromeri (The Rock's answer to prosciutto) and fried halloumi puffs. It was accompanied by a glass of Silver Medal winner 2010 Zambartas Xynisteri. The second course, which was matched with the 2007 Ezousa Metharme Maratheftiko, consisted of whole roasted pork filet with lemon Jerusalem artichokes, sauteed local sorrel and a Commandaria reduction. Finally, for dessert, fresh anari cheese in fyllo nest with walnuts, cinnamon and honey with citron in sugar and carob syrup and a short glass of the 2006 Ayia Mavris Moschato. It's quite challenging to find a truly gourmet meal on The Rock and this one exceeded all of our expectations.

During dessert, for the guests' amusement, Patrick Skinner interviewed Mr. Picard about his relationship to Cyprus. In a choppy English, Mr. Picard mentioned that he first heard about "Chypre" from a telex he received from someone interested in importing his wines to the island. Intrigued, he sent his wife on an exploratory tour of the country and that was that. He referred to Cypriots as "sympathique" but mentioned that they "eat a lot." So much, in fact, that each time he's here he goes cycling to keep his weight in check. Furthermore, considering the island's soil and climate, Mr. Picard saw interesting potential in Cypriot wines during his first visits. Now he also believes Cyprus has the oenologists required to make good-to-great wine. For instance, he ended the interview by saying that the 2007 Ezousa Metharme Maratheftiko served with the second course reminded him of a good Chateneauf-du-Pape, an AOC in southeastern France that primarily works with Grenache, Mourverdre and Syrah. Of course, everyone erupted in applause, I, for one, not sure whether he actually believed his words or whether he was simply playing to the gallery. In any case, this comparison will make for a fascinating post: Cousin #5, the greatest Chateneauf-du-Pape fan I know, has a shipment of nearly 120 bottles arriving soon and I hope he'll have me over to make a dent in his supply and put Picard's words to the test.

Sweet Mother of Jesus

Sweet mother of Jesus, Carles Puyol's head is made of steel. That was my first reaction after the shaggy central defender belted a header past the high-flying German goalkeeper and into the net.

Instead, The Wife, Ph.D., and My Zolpidem Supplier celebrated as if Cesc Fabregas had just laid eyes on them and offered to teach them how to juggle a football (in bed). Like teenage girls, they laughed and shrieked in unison. They took big bites into a cookie or a slice of banana bread and grinned wide. Dozens of crumbs fell onto the parquet floor to the bewilderment of the local ant population, which must have confused the ladies' clumsy happiness with a showering of gifts from their insect Gods. And then, in some sort of cleansing ritual, they both washed it all down with a long swig of sweet wine.

Keep in mind that The Wife, Ph.D., is obsessed with Spain's Number 10 and wouldn't think twice before leaving me for his coiffured look, youthful physique, flawless technique and seven or eight-digit bank account. If this ever happened, though, every Fourth of May she would be reminded of her betrayal. You see, Fabregas and I share the same birthday and that would be enough to get me through all those lonely, cold nights stuck on The Rock. Unless, of course, Eva Mendes showed up for an overnight session of scantily clad Twister. I wouldn't say no to that.

2006 Ayia Mavri Mosxatos (Muscat) - This is probably The Rock's best wine, having won a Gold Medal at the 2009 Muscats du Monde competition. Beautiful deep amber color. Powerful bouquet reminiscent of dried apricots and figs, quince, orange peel, honeysuckle and brown sugar. Full bodied, long and luscious, very thick to the mouth. Sublime if you enjoy dessert wines. 93/100.

Overall Football-Watching Experience: 1.5 out of 5 only because sweet wines and football mesh as well as Lindsey Lohan and sobriety.

Final Tally: 1) Rose; 2) White; 3) Red, and; 4) Sweet. Or we simply had more fun watching Ghana's National Team instead of 2010 World Cup Champions Spain.