At Heteroclito wine bar in Athens, all of the wines served by the glass are Greek
The economic crisis that has plagued
Greece for the past five years has led to changes on the Athenian culinary scene, including the opening of three new types of venues that seem to be reflective of the times. The first two – cupcake places and frozen yogurt shops – are imports from abroad, perhaps indicative of a population in need of something sweet, comforting and affordable. On the other hand, the third trend,
wine bars, digs deep into Greece's roots, representing a fascinating phenomenon in a country that is one of the world's oldest wine-producing regions.
In antiquity, Greek wine was exported across the Mediterranean, and the winemaking tradition has remained strong through the millennia. Yet although there are numerous wineries around the country, in the modern era Greek wine has never achieved the place it deserves on the international market. Production levels are low and vintners have long been unsure of how to market abroad. Outside Greece, one might at best find retsina, a sweet wine infused with pine resin that's reminiscent of the wine used at Communion, or
mavrodafni, a red varietal with an almost industrial flavour. But with Greeks themselves
increasingly consuming wine, these days a new crop of wine bars has opened in
Athens that give both locals and visitors the chance to taste some great domestic varieties.
Oinoscent (which we previously mentioned in our
Athens Best Bites of 2012) was the first wine bar downtown when it opened a few years ago and is still very popular with young professionals. The atmosphere – which, unlike most bars in Athens, is strictly nonsmoking – is smart yet casual, with aluminium chairs and warm decor. (Don't forget to check out the über-sleek wine cellar downstairs.) Oinoscent's owners, two lovely brothers in their late twenties, are happy to offer informed advice in English about what to choose from the wine list. The snacks are also excellent: in addition to the barley rusks (think big, fat rustic croutons soaking in olive oil) and olives and the truly fantastic cheese platter, there is an excellent
mozzarella di bufala with baby tomatoes.
The short, carefully selected wine list at Oinoscent is balanced between domestic and foreign wines, but the real adventure lies on the list's Greek side. We particularly like the Mikri Kivotos, a blend of
agiorgitiko grapes from the Nemea region of the Peloponnese and
xinomavro grapes from Amyntaio in northern Greece. Often characterised as Greece's merlot, xinomavro is one of the most promising Greek varieties, at once dark (
mavro means black), dry and rich in flavor. If you are aiming for white, another interesting option is Magiko Vouno ("Magic Mountain"), made by Lazaridi Winery in Drama in Northern Greece. This is a popular sauvignon blanc in Greece and is an elegant, exuberant wine with fruity notes.
