Three for Monday #5

* Another shining review for Greece's bootylicious variety Assyrtiko. Upon tasting the 2012 Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko, certified sommelier and blogger Stevie Stacionis of Serious Eats called the wine "fierce."

* Wine Commanders highlights a new project by Cretan wineries Lyrarakis and Manousakis, who combined forces to create a new line of red and white blends called 2-Mazi ("Together"). Check them out as a portion of the profits will be donated to the Hellenic Society for Disabled Children.

* A good piece on daughters in New Zealand following in their father's footsteps and taking over the family business. Part of the article focuses on Villa Maria Estate, one of the island's most awarded wineries. Just in case, Cypriots, you can find Villa Maria wines at Remuage Wine Boutique in Paphos.

Three for Monday #2

* Palate Press, the online wine magazine, has a great article penned by Michael Cervin on the rise of Cretan wines. The piece highlights the white variety Vidiano, calling it the island's flagship grape, and supports my opinion that Vilana, the most planted type, makes average wines.

* The Marlborough (New Zealand) Express summarized a July 2013 Decanter article on a tasting of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs priced under 15 Euros. According to the world's leading wine magazines, "people who drink New Zealand sauvignon blanc are looking for new and exciting styles of the country's flagship wine."

* Some crazy professor in France wants to shut down wine blogs and forbid wine-related tweets. Mishimou, he says it will help reduce alcoholism and drinking among the young. Ridiculous, n'est-ce pas?

Three for Monday #1

I've decided to launch a weekly post ("Three for Monday") that will highlight island wine-related articles that caught my eye during the past week. If you have any interesting pieces to include, please add them to the comments section. Happy reading, happier drinking.

* The article Cyprus wine has been raving about. Jancis Robinson, one of the world's preeminent wine connoisseurs, tasted the 2011 Kyperounda Petritis and loved it.

 * Design and branding are important. Elloinos, one of Greek wine's biggest fans and promoters, highlights Cypriot The Anama Concept's sophisticated collector's bottles. Also, Vouni Panayia Winery's labels got a wonderful makeover courtesy of designer Marios Karystios, and The Dieline, a company dedicated to the packaging design industry, tells us what they love about them.

* If you read the blog and my crazy tweets, you know I have a soft spot for Pinot Noir. Will Lyons, wine columnist for The Wall Street Journal, writes about his favorite New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Make sure to check out the slideshow at the bottom of the article! (Last time I checked, Bottles in Limassol stocks Felton Road.)

Good Ol' Texas

Here's the rundown of a typical two-week holiday in good ol' Texas. My little brother, Shawarma Leg Lover, currently obsessed with cross-fit, farro and whiskey Old Fashioneds, facetiously tells a gathered family that he's come across faith in strip clubs and that his new-found religion's missionaries are the Brazilian dolls in Michel Telo's video for "Ai Se Eu Te Pego." My mother, Mrs. Broken Record, this time around relatively content with her oldest son's body mass index, focuses her attention on him trimming his beard and growing his nails just a bit longer to have a chance at Best in Show. My father, Mr. Flog, home for the first time in months yet missing his bachelor pad in São Paulo, goes on long bike rides decked in loud lycra and a self-imposed "green" diet better suited for a guinea pig or New Age hippie. The Wife, Ph.D., scavenges through SALE racks and baskets for designer items, squealing like Justin Bieber's greatest fan whenever she unearths a 200 Euro pair of jeans on The Rock for $29.99 and an additional 30% off at the register. We all ooh and aah at my middle brother's Australian son's antics over Skype and try to egg him on to saying cookie or pretend to be a gorilla. We eat well. We drink well. We ridicule each other, also very well. Meanwhile, most of my hours are spent in search of new literary fiction, bottles of Oregon Pinot Noir and red skinny Levis jeans (now a proud owner) to keep that stubborn bastard of insanity at bay.

2009 McPherson Cellars "Tre Colore" 48% Carignan, 37% Mourverdre, 15% Viognier (Lubbock, Texas) - Burst of red fruit on the nose. Cherries and raspberries. Myrtle berries according to Mr. Flog. On the palate, cranberry, raspberry, papaya (?!?) through the middle. Short, light and fresh. 85/100.

2010 "Serenu" Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (Sardinia, Italy) - A nice nose of white pepper, cream and pears. Honey, baked apples, pears, vanilla to kick us off. Tangy citrus on the sides, a fatty middle. Served at room temperature. 87/100.

2009 Domaine Argyrides Maratheftiko - Dark fruit, mulch, chocolate, flowers and coffee on the nose. Sweet beginning with notes of blueberries. Short with smooth tannins. 87/100.

2009 Villa Maria Unoaked Chardonnay Hawkes Bay (New Zealand) - Aromas of white pears, flowers and pineapple. Medium bodied wine with flavors of peaches, pears, pineapple and a tangy citrus finish. Not my favorite, a bit empty. 82/100.

One For The Homies

For a while now, I've been meaning to comment on the royal wedding: the Miro-esque hats, the horse-drawn carriage, the coats of arms pinned to Prince William's lapel, the makeout session, grandma Elizabeth, Lady Di's ghost let loose in Westminster Abbey, the white laced dress, the thousands of fans regaled by the pomposity. To be honest with you, I might have caught ten minutes of the entire affair only because The Wife, Ph.D., like many other women across the world, tuned in to vicariously live the fairy tale that was denied to her when she picked a paunchy, gassy couch potato as her forever after. But each time I started this post, that other white dress would appear before me like a specter, hugging her curves the way a light breeze covers one's bare body at the beach, and I would give up. Instead of being haunted by writer's block or outright laziness, I was being harassed by images of Pippa Middleton and the sole solution was to binge on dark chocolate Kit Kats until I was so nauseated all I could think about was nausea itself. I guess it does not help that her name is a lewd act in Greek.

In any case, that royal Friday we went out for some celebratory wine and pizza with The Wife, Ph.D., My Zolpidem Supplier, The Godmother and My Life Coach. Don't worry, I made sure to spill some wine on the ground in honor of Diana.

2008 Kim Crawford Marlborough Pinot Noir - Nose is dominated by raspberries, strawberries and cherries. To the mouth, it is really loaded with red fruit and some hints of white chocolate. Gulpable wine that matched the Neapolitan and vegetarian pizzas to perfection. 87/100.

2008 Makkas Shiraz - One of the up-and-coming producers in Cyprus. Hints of bread pudding (?!?), green peppers, vanilla, honey and red fruit. Short yet overall well done. 88/100.

Married Madness In Three Acts

Act I

Friday evening. The Wife, Ph.D., is drained after another long work week with a red pen in hand, sore vocal chords and dwindling patience. She tells me she wants to stay home. She says she wants homemade pizza and red wine. I oblige since any meal involving those two items rattles me alive. A leftover chicken breast, a red onion, some mozzarella and barbecue sauce are put to good use. My apologies to California Pizza Kitchen. Please don't sue me; this blog has not yet turned a profit.

That night in her sleep, The Wife, Ph.D., barks out instructions to her science students and frequently twitches her hand as if she were doodling cherry checks, crosses, stars and happy faces on the white sheets. Habits die hard and restless nights die harder.

2007 Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand) - Wonderful deep red color. Very tight bouquet with hints of raspberries, cherries and cinnamon. Bitter tannins and quite disjointed. The Wife, Ph.D., was totally disappointed. 85/100.

Act II

Saturday night. The Wife, Ph.D., is a homebody. She tells me she wants to stay home. She says she wants homemade pizza and red wine. I am happy to cater to her desires. It is round three of the NCAA Basketball Tournament (Greatest. Sporting. Event. Ever.) and I would rather glue my eyes to the screen than abandon my comfortable cocoon and metamorphose into a faux social butterfly somewhere out and about. The games start at six p.m. and end at around five a.m. so I give The Wife, Ph.D., a few hours of quality family time in the shape of a Neapolitan pizza and an average-to-detestable chick-flick. Unsurprisingly, she falls asleep on the couch twenty minutes into the movie, I think the lead actress had just been transformed into a zombie elfish vampire by an evil sorcerer played by James Franco and she was Googling antidotes to her predicament. I sigh and switch the channel just in time to see another buzzer beater. Bless March Madness.

2007 Domaine Argyrides Mourverdre (Cyprus) - Earth-driven aromas of mulch and tobacco with nuances of spice and red fruit. Lovely red fruit on the palate with some good spice and a short finish. Alcohol spikes towards the end but overall a good effort. 88/100.

Act III

Another Friday night. This time it is delivery Chinese food and red wine. The Wife, Ph.D., wants to uncork a bottle of 2008 or 2009 Palo Alto Red, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Shiraz blend from Chile that has become our preferred everyday wine. I veto her call and go with an island wine instead. She complains about my "job" but calms down once she starts juggling a broccoli floret and a mushroom with her chopsticks. She takes a sip of the wine, smirks and reminds me that she's always right. Her glass goes untouched for the remainder of the evening and a nearby voice that yelps "Bad Student! Principal's Office! Palo Alto! A-Plus!" startles me awake at four thirty-five am.

2008 Aes Ambelis Cabernet Sauvignon (Cyprus) - This wine did not show as well as the last time we tried it. Tight bouquet with a touch of mint, smokiness and some earth. Cherry, raspberry, eucalyptus, tea leaves and pepper on the mouth. A green and bitter finish. 85/100.

Gesundheit Gewurz!

Thanks to this blog, many of my fancy friends have reached the rather erroneous conclusion that I am some sort of wine savant. Since temporarily returning from the US, My Life Coach, the wunderkind among us, has taken to wine with almost the same passion she has for organizational behavior, jewelry making and her long-distance relationship with the G-Man. She has joined The Wife, Ph.D., and me for wine tastings, helped us rate mediocre vintages and patiently sat through my ethyl-sparked rants on why I prefer Pinot Noir to just about everything besides my cuddly ball and chain. I must have somewhat impressed her because a few weeks ago she suggested we organize a proper tasting to introduce her to different varietals and their main characteristics.

If I knew anything about wine, I would have started her vinous education with a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc, probably the two most classic white varietals. But since she likes her wines on the sweet side (she goes gaga for Riesling), I told her to bring a bottle of New Zealand Gewurztraminer to get us going. Gewurz shares the same aroma compounds with lychees so I bought five (yes, I am a cheapskate) for comparison purposes. We opened a can of Norwegian sardines and arranged a few platters with smoked salmon, cold cuts and cheeses. The Wife, Ph.D., made some fresh herbal bread with Matilda, our bread-making contraption, and The Godmother and My Zolpidem Supplier joined us armed with chocolates and ice cream for dessert.

Before actually eating, we carefully cracked the lychees, smelled them, bit into their slippery meat, sucked on the hard pit and spat it out, sniffed the wine ("What do you pick up? What do you think?" I asked), swirled it in our mouths, made funny faces and strange noises, and finally let the liquid cascade down our throats. Obviously, the ladies sensed the lychees since they had been forewarned about the similarities. But then My Life Coach spoke up and mentioned "rose water," and, like a proud instructor, I beamed knowing that she was going to be alright.

2009 Villa Maria Gewurztraminer (East Coast, New Zealand) - Grapefruit zest, lychees, quince, rose petals and some petrol on the nose. Smooth, medium-bodied wine marked by flavors of honeycomb, citrus fruits, apricots and pine tree. Not quite off-dry - rather tart - with a spike in the alcohol towards the tail-end. Bob Campbell MW suggests in the 2011 Decanter Guide for New Zealand (a supplement to the March 2011 issue) that the island makes the second best Gewurztraminer after, of course, Alsace in France. 87/100.

Still Feeling Blue

Wine bars on The Rock are as common as surfable waves on its beaches. A few haphazard ripples will have most Cypriots complaining that the sea is too rough and that it is impossible for them to swim. And by swim, they generally mean getting their torsos wet and floating around for five minutes before making their way back to their sunbeds, iced coffees, magazines and newspapers, and loud beach-side bickering. The only stroke you might come across on a Cypriot beach is the heat stroke. I keep telling The Wife, Ph.D., though, that if The Rock was regularly rocked (no pun intended) by waves, she probably wouldn't see me on weekends; I would be somewhere, as playful and cheerful as a baby dolphin in the Pacific, getting pummeled with my body-board by the whitewash surf. But life is never perfect and so I am stuck with water that moves less than a stiff.

Last night, along with The Wife, Ph.D., My Life Coach, My Zolpidem Supplier and her cousin, I checked out the new-and-improved Blue Wine Bar & Lounge at the Classic Hotel in old Nicosia. In its previous incarnation, the joint was nice enough but lacked seating and lighting, and the back-end couches seemed to have been recycled from a gentleman's club. The new place is a long, bright and welcoming room with plenty of tables (both low and high), a few couches, a modern and well-stocked bar, and a pretty comprehensive menu including platters, salads, grilled meats and sandwiches. Also on offer was a 10 Euro antipasto buffet that included smoked salmon, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, grilled vegetables, and other finger foods. The wine list, though not mind-blowing, has a few good Old World and New World options for local oenophiles. The music, basically old school rock as part of their Thursday Forty-Plus Night, included classics by The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Phil Collins, 1980s U2, Pink Floyd and others, all thoroughly enjoyable yet played at a deafening volume for the kind of establishment. Overall, however, I was feeling it as a pleasant place to kickback and sip on some wine.

We ordered a bountiful cheese and charcuterie platter, which included four types of cheese, dried fruit, salami, prosciutto and roast beef, and a red berry coulis, and a well-made salad with fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and greens. To accompany it all, we received white sesame bread, served warm and drizzled with olive oil and poppy seeds, and an assortment of crackers that arrived only after My Zolpidem Supplier found the right words in Greek to voice to the bar's manager her desire for crunchy goodness. Assuming we would only consume one bottle of wine (it was a school night after all), I started us off with the 2003 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva, a short, round and smooth wine with hints of sour cherries, raspberries, vanilla and cinnamon. I found it a bit flat in the mid-palate and with bitter tannins but the ladies enjoyed it.

Surprisingly enough, the ladies wanted more, more and more. So for the sake of the blog, I went with the 2006 Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand), fully aware that it made no sense whatsoever to have it follow the Tuscan wine. But I really wanted the ladies to smell some earth, drop their noses to the ground and soak up some stink. Yes, it was earthy (mulch and hay) but well-complemented by red fruit, as well as some chocolate and coffee. Its alcohol spiked a bit too much towards the end, yet the ladies, except for My Zolpidem Supplier's cousin, preferred it to the Chianti Classico.

All in all, it was an excellent night in good company with plenty of juice. As we left the place, the manager, a very personable older man, jokingly asked me to call him for backup next time I was out with four pretty, successful and distinguished women. If only there were waves in Cyprus, I thought, he could entertain the ladies (albeit not The Wife, Ph.D., she be mine) while I surfed and no longer felt blue come summertime. But wine, rocks and words are what life have set on my plate so...chin-chin.

Whine On The Rocks Rating: 4 out of 5 Sparkling Spatulas

Napa Snobbery

Wine tastings on The Rock are jovial beasts. Those that I have attended have ended in a stuffed belly, a solid buzz and the careless acquisition of bottles upon bottles of relatively pricey wine that may or may not be necessary to my survival. Obviously, any time I hear about one of The Rock's many wine shops opening its doors and uncorking its noteworthy supplies for its patrons, I jump into my station wagon (What? You guys really thought I drove a Porsche?) and speed in the opposite direction of sobriety. The Wife, Ph.D., is (more often than not) with me as the designated driver. She also reassures random customers that I am a decent guy despite my (sometimes) loud/foul mouth and (always) sloppy sense of style.

So two days ago, I landed at a local wine shop for a tasting of Beringer (California), Wolf Blass (Australia), Penfolds (Australia) and Matua Valley (New Zealand) wines. The Wife, Ph.D., was busy with a baby shower (no, not ours) so, instead of braving the event with my usual companion, I met up with Cousin #2, Tbilisi Is My Capital and [drum roll] The Wine Snob. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, one of my many fancy friends is a veritable wine snob: she adamantly refuses to drink The Rock's wines. When she found out that Tbilisi Is My Capital and I wanted to stage and invite her to a blind tasting of Shiraz including some of Cyprus's best, she reacted as if we had just used her last bottle of 1976 Penfolds Grange to make bolognese sauce. The woman likes her wines and she lets it be known.

Going into the event, I had decided to focus all of my tasting efforts on the 2008 Matua Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the 2008 Matua Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir, the only two island wines on display. The plan was to get to know these two inside and out so that when time came for me to sit in front of this scary glaring screen and write a new post I wouldn't need to digress and rely on visits to the bakery or Scandinavian misadventures or fantasies involving Eva Mendes and The Wife, Ph.D., to fill up the bloody page. By the way, if my wife'd ever cheat on me with a girl, it'd only be with Eva. How hot is that?

But then The Wine Snob threw a giant wrench in my well-oiled tasting machinery and gave me a sip of a lovely 2004 Beringer Private Reserve, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, a pricey bottle that was hidden behind the counter for VIP customers who spend thousands of Euros on wine and deserve (once in a while) a small token of appreciation for their business from the store's owner. From thereon out, The Wine Snob hooked me up with tastings of behind-the-counter wines (it all sounds so illicit!) including a 2005 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2004 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon. And then she treated us to a bottle of 2004 Marques de Murrieta Dalmau Reserva (Spain), the second best wine of the evening only beaten by the sumptuous yet fleeting sip of the Beringer Private Reserve that vanquished my original plan. In our drunken stupor, The Wine Snob began to refer to me as the tick or the lice or the mooch or the gnat or the leech or the flea (take your pick) and, to be honest with you, she's absolutely right. Addicts will do anything for a fix.

By the end of the night, we were in a dark tavern somewhere in the city, eating kebab, smoking, drinking a Ripassa Valpolicella, talking absurdities and improprieties. My belly was full, the buzz was doing the funky chicken north of my neck, and my sorry excuse for a wine cellar was three bottles richer. Two Sauvignon Blanc, one Pinot Noir. Both from New Zealand. My plan might have been temporarily derailed but like Iakovos Bauer I will not be contained.