GREEK WINE SECTOR CELEBRATES (EVENTUAL) ROSÉ TRIUMPH
By TED LELEKAS
The entire Greek wine sector is celebrating, after the recent U-turn by the European Union Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, who finally decided not to allow the blending of red and white wine in order to produce r
osé. Despite the fact that rosé is perfectly suited for the Greek climate, cuisine and general way of life, it is only recently that Greek oenophiles have started taking rosé seriously, overcoming negative stereotypes of the past.
This process has been significantly facilitated by a large number of established wine producers who made the commitment to create good quality rosé wines, and at the same time to take steps to educate the market on the merits of rosé wine.
The majority of Greek wine producers were outraged by the Commissioner’s initial move to consider lifting the ban on blending, as they feared that this would seriously undermine their efforts at the same time as rapidly diminishing the level of quality of rosé wines available in the market. Shortly after the announcement that the EU has finally bowed to the pressure of the massive outcry (and lobbying) of winemakers and their associations, especially across Southern Europe, a group of leading Greek winemakers, who are also renowned champions of the rosé cause, come forward to share their views on what (almost) happened:
Apostolos Mountrichas of Avantis Estate in Evia, commented, « Lifting the blending ban would have been a totally wrong move, both from the qualitative and from the commercial point of view. The key in the vinification of a quality rosé wine lies in balancing a multitude of factors, such as the phenolic ripeness of red grapes, the maximisation of acidity, and, of course the maceration of the grapes that can last up to 20 hours – in the case of rich rosé wines. To equalise all the above with the simple blending of unwanted stock in favour of large wine industries across Europe would have been simply despicable. » (suite…)
Hi Folks!
Rien à voir avec le libelle de C. F. Mercier de Compiègne*, non, non. Ce n’est pas le pet que vous croyez. Il s’agit de l’abréviation de « Poly-Éthylène-Téréphtalate », le plastique utilisé pour les bouteilles (1). Une question se pose à ma conscience féminine, qui est aigüe : pourquoi le plastique utilisé pour les biberons des bébés (2) ne conviendrait pas au vin de leurs parents ? Bon pour l’eau minérale (phénomène bien français… on ferait mieux de boire l’eau du robinet), les sodas, l’huile, le vinaigre, etc., et pas pour les vins ?
