Tselepos Mantinia Classico 2019
Background
Greek wines are born in the bright sunshine of the Mediterranean and are perfect for summertime. This Moscofilero is no exception. It’s light and fresh and has a great exotic florality that makes it a great pairing with classic summer food.
Moscofilero was long thought to be related to the ancient Middle Eastern Muscat, but recent DNA analysis shows no connection between the two varietals. It’s most likely that Moscofilero’s origins are found here in the Mantinia plateau on the peninsula of Peloponnese, about 150kms southwest of Athens. Mantinia has that mix of geological and climatic factors that make for great winemaking. South-east exposure, high elevation, and clay soils ensure that the vines stay cool and hydrated in this arid, breezy and sunny area. Aside from the Moscofilero of Mantinia, Peloponnese also produces excellent reds from a grape called Agiorgitiko, in the neighbouring wine region of Nemea.
Tasting Notes
The grey-pink skins and bright acidity of the Moscofilero grape mean it lends well to all kinds of different production methods. It has long been used in local sparkling wine production and for skin contact whites (orange wine). Whatever the style, the wines made from Moscofilero often show faint smokey/spicy/savoury flavours that are reminiscent of Viognier or Gewurztraminer, but without the sugar or the viscosity.
This is another one of those stories of a grape that almost faded into obscurity after WWII, only to be saved by a small number of dedicated producers. As we were researching the history of Moscofilero, we kept seeing the Tselepos name pop up again and again. It seems that in the wine-nerd world of serious Greek white wine, this is the quintessential expression of this classic grape. Yiannis Tselepos studied and worked in Burgundy for years and years before returning to Greece to begin his own production in 1981, before the region was officially designated as a Greek wine-growing region (P.D.O). Today Yiannis makes wines with traditional Greek varietals, but he’s also using classic grapes like Chardonnay, Merlot and Cab Sauv.
Food Pairing
Cucumber/Zucchini/Summer Squash – To all you vegetable farming enthusiasts out there, this is the curcurbitaceae family. This family includes all kind of squash and melons. The exotic fruit in the Moscofilero can sometimes fall into the ‘melon’ category. Pairing these together with highlight that exotic fruit in the wine.
Fresh Rolls – We’re talking about the soft rice paper stuffed with veggies/fruit/tofu/steam shrimp. Again, the floral tropical fruit in the wine will help to accent the pickled daikon, mango slices, or peanut sauce.
Crispy Fish Skin – In it’s homeland, this wine would be paired with frilled seafood with lemon and fresh herbs. Yum, obviously. But if we’re having a hypothetical seafood party, we’re going to say that we think it would pair PARTICULARLY well with grilled or seared fish skin. The oils and caramelization of the skin will be a great contrast to the lean acidity in the wine. The exotic fruit aromas provide a real depth to compete with the assertive flavours of bitter, grilled ‘fishiness’.
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