Assyrtiko and Riesling: Grand Crus in Athens

I believe that the Assyrtiko and Riesling Masterclass that was was held on the 14th October at Electra Metropolis was a grand success: Two Superstar Varieties, together with the contribution of Caro Maurer MW; one of the strongest voices for German wine. All, under the auspices of the Wines of Greece and the German VDP. The latter, which sounds almost like a secret CIA-type organization or MI6, joins and promotes 197 of the top German estates and advocates quality (low area yields, hand-harvesting of the grapes). In addition to that, its members have adopted a classification for their vineyards, something that is inconceivable to Greek reality. The highest quality vineyards are called Grosse Lage and the dry wines produced from these Grosses Gewächs (GG), namely Grand Cru. In the Masterclass, only GG wines were presented, i.e. the top German Riesling from specific vineyards. 

Five flights of wine sparked an extensive discussion on what the two varieties have in common, the styles and the possibilities of ageing. A total of 24 wines were tasted; six were tasted blind and gave rise to the exciting exercise of identifying the varieties.