Jim's Loire: Circle of Wine Writers Greek Seminar with Afshin Molavi (Manousakis Winery, Crete)

Afshin Molavi

(above and below)

The assembled tasters

The line up of the bottles @The Naval Club, Mayfair, London

Today the Circle of Wine Writers was treated to a fascinating and opinionated presentation of Greek wines by Afshin Molavi, sommelier and wine-maker at the Manousakis Winery in Crete. Afsfin, who was born in Sweden, and whose father is Persian, showed 16 wines – a judicious blend of his own along with a choice of other Greek wines that he considers interesting. The tasting was held at the Naval Club, Hill Street in London's Mayfair.

Here are my favourites from the 16:

Whites:

2015 Vasaltis Winery, Assyriko, PDO Santorini – approx 18€ retail

Attractively crisply citric with good mouth-filling texture and length. Afsfin – "Chablis on steroids!"

2015 Manousakis-Nostos Winery Vatolakos, Roussanne, Chania, Crete

An good, rich and complex Roussanne from Afshin. 18€

Reds

2013 Domaine Mercouri, Avgoustiatis, Ilia, Peloponissos

Delicate, ripe, spicy red. 20-22€.

2013 Manousakis-Nostos Winery, Mourvèdre, Vatolakos, Chania, Crete

Certainly one of my top wines of this tasting – powerful with warm spicy nose, opulent texture, along with tannins, power and length. 35€

Sweet wine
2008 Domaine Diamantis "Liastos", Xinomavro, Moschomavro, Nigrikiotiko, PGI Siastista, Makedonia

Made from sun-dried grapes before spending five years in wood – amber colour, light tangerine aromas and flavour, lovely delicacy and finesse. No cheap – 45€ for half bottle.