II know people don’t normally associate Myrtle Beach with wine, but I feel wine is good any time and any place. I once drank wine at a funeral, but I digress. A few days ago some friends joined me at my timeshare in Myrtle Beach for some dinner and drinks. I made Bolognese lasagna, and yes I will post the recipe.
My good friend and his wife, knowing I drink a lot of wine and pride myself on trying new and different things, brought a varietal that I have never had before. Let me say that there are many varietals that have escaped me because of their rarity and our limits on importation. This, however, was different. It was different because it was not one of those varietals that people gave up on because it was unmarketable. It was a wine that was on a path to extinction because it only exists in one area of the world. Without further adieu, I introduce Mavrotragano. I know you are reading this and saying, “Never heard of it.” And trust me, that is a shame. This is a grape with a rich history and amazing future potential.
If we look to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini, we find the only Mavrotragano vineyards in the world. A little as 80 years ago, this grape was flourishing all over the island. At that time, it was reserved to making a quaffable sweet wine appreciated by locals and some tourists alike. So how did this “common” grape almost become a memory? There is just one word, “progress”. Much of the vineyards were pulled up for the value of the land. Santorini was getting more popular as a tourist destination. These tourists were bringing money into the local economy and land was needed to build hotels and resorts. The vineyards that did survive the expansion, were being pulled and replanted with the Assyrtiko grape. This grape was more popular and produced a better revenue stream.
By 2000, Mavrotragano covered less than 2% of Santorinis’ vineyards. The saving grace came from two wine makers, Haridimos Hatzidakis and Paris Sigalas working at the same time but in separate locations. They realized the potential of the grape to produce a dry red wine, something never done before 1995. These pioneers not only saved this varietal from certain doom, they created an exceptionally interesting wine that has now reached cult status in Greece. The cultivation of this grape will, however, always be limited. The grape size is small, the yields are relatively low and the berry matures in stages, requiring multiple passes for vineyard harvest. For this reason, most of these grapes are used for passito, wine made from grapes that were harvested early and dried before pressing.
I had the pleasure of tasting the Sigalas Mavrotragano 2007. This wine is purple with medium plus intensity and demonstrates pronounced tears. The nose has a medium intensity displaying, initially, red and black fruits that ultimately give way to developing characteristics of spice and tobacco. This leads me to believe that this 4 year old wine could have further improved in the bottle. The palate has a nice balance of fruit, medium plus rounded tannins, high alcohol and medium plus acidity. These all come together in a balance where no one component outdoes the other. This was especially nice with the Bolognese lasagna.
This tasting was paradoxical for me because the wine was very familiar to me but at the same time different. I have had wines that remind me of components of Mavrotragano. There is a Nebbiolo, Syrah and Zinfandel familiarity to me in the components of this wine but one would not confuse it with any of these varieties. It was a truly interesting experience. If you ever have the chance, please do not pass it up.
The Bolognese Lasagna recipe is posted. Enjoy!!
Masters of Wine
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
Boom!