The Island-themed wine tasting was a big success with a lot of seriously fun and fascinating entries. 11 of us contributed 20 wines, and I struggled to take notes both because people put bottles down and forget to pass them, and then because a lot of the labels, especially the Greek, were close to impossible to decipher while under the influence.
Of particular note, I was the only one there who had ever had a Cypriot wine before, and not ony did I bring one but so did two others--not the same wines but all from the same winery, one that's getting some positive press in Europe (Jame Goode did an article about them).
2022 Makarounas Spourtiko Paphos Cyprus
Vic's. Deep golden yellow, rich lemon curd, very dry. Nice.
A very good Etna Bianco I wrote down as Tenuta Tascazte followed, but I couldn't find anything close in the CT data base.
2021 Artemis Karamolegos Assyrtiko Mystirio Santorini
Vicki's. Not always impressed with orange wines but loved this. Gets it's color and complexity from 23 days of skin contact. Beautifully dry and puzzling; almost like sipping whiskey.
2021 Vassaltis Assyrtiko Santorini
Vicki's. Ample reduction gives it the character of a full-bodied Chablis and makes it my favorite assyrtiko ever. Very well-made. Vicki bought the wine here (for like $80-90 Canadian) but visited the wineries of Santorini (she's from Crete) two years ago and this was her favorite from that trip. Easy to understand after tasting it. It's a very beautiful and serious white.
2022 Makarounas Promara Amphora Paphos Cyprus
Hannah's. 100% Promara, an indigenous Cypriot grape typified by bright citrus and faint herbaceous flavors, according to something I just read. This one was full-bodied with citrus, honey, wild flowers, but also earthiness and structure. Another serious white, and outstanding.
2023 Lyrarmkis, Crete
50% skin-fermented assyrtiko, 50% Vidiano. Rich gold color with saturated flavors of mirabelle plum, lemon curd, quince and guava. Very similar in color and body to the Makarounas Spourtiko (first wine above), but more layers.
2023 Bodegas Los Bermejos Lanzarote Nesoi Seco Malvasía de Lanzarote Canary Islands
Stefano's. Not usually a fan of malvasia but this one was charming with a floral, viognier-like nose and subtle white nectarine, galia melon and white currant fruit on the palate.
2023 Vigne Surrau Vermentino di Gallura Limizzani Vermentino di Gallura Sardinia
Very fruity, and low acidity accentuates the sweetness of orchard fruit and canned pear. Not a fan.
Since two other Makarounas wines had already appeared, I was anxious to start the reds by trotting out my Cab Franc, a wine I bought with confidence in California based on a magical white I had from this winery about a year ago.
2023 Makarounas Cabernet Franc En Arhi Cyprus
My wine. Light red with a candied shocking pink hue with bubble gum and red currants on the nose and palate. Must be carb mac, which I had no idea of when I purchased it, and I hated it. Warren even guessed that it was cab franc--I have no idea how.
2022 Vino di Anna Palmento Vino da Tavola Nerello Mascalese Sicily
I have loved other vintages, but this one seemed a little underripe and needy.
2014 Douloufakis Liatiko Dafnios Crete
ES's. Medium red with an orange rim and a beguiling mature nose with leather, tar and roses. Palate follows. Drinks like a 20 year old so further along than you'd expect for an 11 year old, but only an owner who'd hoped to hold this longer would be disappointed--it's perfectly ready.
2018 Dolores Cabrera Fernandez La Araucaria Tinto Valle de la Orotava Canary Islands
DS's. Peppery, stony, roses, high acidity and minerality. Fantastic example of aged listan negro from Tenerife.
2002 Whidbey Island Winery Syrah Crawford Vineyard Yakima Valley San Juan Islands/Washington
Our dear Erik comes up with the coolest things from his deep, deep cellar like this rare gem from a local island. Bordeauxish nose, with tar and black olive palate. Texturally bright with notable but not intrusive acidity for its age. Impressive.
2010 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso PrePhylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Etna DOC Nerello Blend Sicily
WT's: Pinot-ish texture but fruit in the black currant department with that lovely violet-ish floral thing nerello mascalese adds to the mix. No sign of age; drinks extremely well now but has good days ahead. Outstanding.
A 1964 Siglo Rioja showed up here, the very wine my father purchased to make sangria out of when I was a kid. Was not good. Much argument about corked or not ensued.
2015 Anima Negra Àn Vi de La Tierra Callet Mallorca
My contribution: Blackberry, bramble, herbs and someone said bacon; overall it has the tannins, sophistication and presence of a good cabernet. Of all the wines tasted tonight this is the one you'd want with a steak. The grape, Callet, is indigenous to the Balearic Islands. Perfectly in its moment at 10 years old. Outstanding.
2017 Domaine Maestracci Vin de Corse Calvi Clos Reginu Red Blend Corsica
Funky, snappy and interesting. 35% Nielluciu, 30% Grenache, 15% ea sciaccarrelli and syrah, not sure about the last 5.
What followed here was a Canary Island red that it's owner didn't like--I did--but didn't get the name, a 2019 Ariana Occhipinti Gritte Alte (Cerasuelo) that had pretty tough tannins, and a sparkling Cava Peremata from Spain.