Home Archive Subscribe About Contact     Vaeni Vidi Vici By Ravi Joshi The international financial negotiators spell the word "crisis" in bold letters when they talk about the Greek economy today, with the default and near bankruptcy. But, every cloud has a silver lining – and a wine-lover like myself, found this in the Wines of Greece. Vaeni – a cooperative from Naoussa, Macedonia showcased a range of wines at the Greek Ambassador’s Residence in New Delhi in collaboration with i2i Consulting. It was a brave effort to deflect attention from the situation back home, and surely the wines brought much cheer – they were appreciated by the Indian wine lovers and trade alike.   H.E. Ioannis E Raptakis, the Ambassador of Greece   Fountoulis George, President of Vaeni Cooperative was in India for the very first time to share his wines and was much encouraged by this welcoming response. In the muggy June weather, the tasting came as a relief. Greek wines – a historical perspective History has it that Greece is one of the pioneers of winemaking with evidence of vineyards dating back to 2000 B.C. It was the Greeks, who transported wines to most of Europe through the Mediterranean. The country went into oblivion for a very significant period before the modern wine industry took shape post the world wars. The industry firmed up as Greece joined the Eurozone – and this brought investments and modern technology to its shores. Viticultural regions are found all over Greece – the major winemaking regions in Greece are Northern, Central, Peloponnese and certain islands off its coast. Greece retains several indigenous grape varietals – the major red varietals are Aghiorghitiko, Limnio, Mandelaria and Xinomavro and the whites are Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Savatiano and Robola – and they produce remarkably unique wines. Introducing the tasting, Sommelier Magandeep Singh told the audience that Greek wines were unique as they were localized to their respective demarcated regions. All the 15 major grape varietals are not to be found outside their respective regions. As an example, he highlighted the Xinomavro varietal which is particular to Naoussa and cannot be found outside this area. The Vaeni Cooperative Vaeni Cooperative was formed in 1983 when 330 vine growers of Naoussa came together with an aim to make better use of their crop and act as a counterbalance for private companies. Vaeni provides direct employment to more than 250 families and indirectly to many more. According to Mr. George, their production philosophy is about keeping pace with the times by adapting new technology while still maintaining the considerations of their heritage. The cooperative today exports 30 per cent of its sales to 27 countries and Mr. George is quite optimistic about India becoming the 28th! The tasting The wines being from Naoussa, all were 100% Xinomavro varietal (In Greek, Xino means acid and Mavro means black – implying high acidity and high tannin grapes).   The wines from Vaeni   Naoussa 2010 (Red) Alc 12.5% A light ruby wine with fresh red fruits nose, most prominently red cherries. Light-medium bodied on the palate with an emphatic yet gentle structure, which came as a pleasant surprise going by the visibly low colour extraction. A wine that is good with savoury food. Damaskinos 2011 (Red) Alc 13% Damaskinos means aromas of prunes, that according to the winemaker, gives this wine an unmistakable character. Sure enough, the medium ruby wine had cooked and dry fruit aromas along with a hint of mixed sweet spices such as vanilla and cinnamon. This was supplemented by a luscious palate of red apples, poached pears backed up by a smooth lingering finish. Naoussa Grande Reserve 2008 (Red) Alc 13% According to George, just the aromas of this wine could make you discern it’s rich character. Aged for two years in French oak barrels and rested in the bottle for at least two years before release, the wine had an expressive nose of black fruits, vanilla and a little spice. It had a palate coating consistency with pleasant tannins and lots of mixed berries on the palate. Overall, the wines hold lots of promise. Uniqueness stood them apart, and Magandeep Singh suggested that they could be seen as a ‘value for money’ proposition for the importers.   Fountoulis George, President of Vaeni Cooperative with the writer on his right   My host, H.E. Ioannis E Raptakis, the Ambassador of Greece in India, informed me that after consistently promoting Greek olive oil and Feta cheese in India, the next step is to create an awareness of Greek wines. The Ambassador highlighted the natural affinity between the people of India and Greece through cultural values and strongly felt that in the Asian region, India was best suited as a trade partner for Greece. For the wine market in particular, he expressed lots of optimism and told me that India was one of the focus countries. I could not resist asking him about the current economic situation in Greece. The Ambassador hoped that the situation would be resolved soon. He did not see the Grexit coming, opining that Greece has had a positive synergy with the European Union and it would be good for both if they stay together. I hope that his positive sentiment comes to a logical conclusion, and soon. Ravi Joshi was invited to the Greek wine showcase by i2i Consulting. Please share any feedback with vino india info@vinoindia.in   O T H E R     S T O R I E S Champagne is World Heritage Bienvenue - a French Indulgence London Wine Fair And Who's Where