If the forecast is right, this week's taste of spring will be a distant memory by the beginning of next. There's comfort at hand, though, in this tasty and rare dessert wine from Greece. Similar to Madeira or tawny Port, but more versatile, it will provide solace and warmth till spring arrives for good.
Tasting Note: Rather like a tawny port, but lighter and fruitier. Bright reddish amber in colour with a powerful bouquet of raisins and dates. A luscious and concentrated attack of prunes, figs and dates on the palate is given backbone and lift by a wave of refreshing acidity. The fruit-driven finish leaves a lingering mouthful of raisins and spice.
Enjoy With: Chill it and serve it with a slice of lemon as an aperitif or enjoy it after dinner with cheese, fresh fruit or rice pudding. It’s also one of the few dessert wines that complements chocolate.
Style: Sweet, full-bodied, red dessert wine.
Terroir / Region: Mavrodaphne (meaning "black laurel") is a very old dark-skinned variety grown on the slopes overlooking the Gulf of Corinth near the city of Patras, on Greece's Peloponnese peninsula. In this version, mavrodaphne is blended with 35% korinthiaki (the word's related to Corinth and means "currant," which the tiny grape resembles and with which the area is rife).
Producer: Kourtaki was founded in 1895 by Vassilli Kourtakis, the first person in modern Greece to obtain a diploma in oenology. Kourtaki's first wine, and the one that made its reputation, was the traditional, and somewhat infamous, Retsina. The range of wines offered has broadened dramatically in the hundred odd years since, and in its desire to be a worthy successor of its ancient heritage, Kourtaki now represents the best of Greek tradition and innovation.
Availability: 350 cases will be officially released Saturday, March 20 in Vintages. But check the LCBO website, since some stores' shelves are already stocked. Look for it in the dessert wine section.
15.0% Alcohol/Vol. | 750 mL | #208413
Remember your reusable shopping bag & please enjoy responsibly.
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