Even if you regularly drink assyrtiko, you may not realize that Greece is now exporting fascinating reds as well, said Eric Asimov in The New York Times. These newcomers are “up-to-date reds, familiar yet subtly different from other modern reds, with an herbal inflection here, an earthiness there.” You may find it challenging to get the vocabulary down—and the spellings. A bit of xinomavro, anyone? Still, “these wines promise adventure.”
2008 Argyros Atlantis ($20). This well-built wine has an “unusually meaty, savory aroma” and is loaded with “earthy fruit flavors.”
2008 Kir-Yianni Ramnista ($25). With its “firm tannins” and “unusual aromas of red fruit and menthol,” this xinomavro will benefit from aging.
2008 Biblia Chora ($36). This “almost Bordeaux-like” red is “structured and precise, with aromas and flavors of spicy red fruit, herbs, and minerals.”