BoomerGirl Diary

Here's a link to a nice article on Greek wines for the summer.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/08/arts/trwine.php

I want to add a vote for the wines of Crete which I have come to enjoy very much.

I have never been much of a wine drinker but find the wines here go so well with the food I try to remember to make ordering wine a habit. I usually order "diko sas kratsi" from a restaurant or taverna . . . so they will serve me wine made from their own grapes. So far I haven't been disappointed! My favorite is from a taverna called Lemonias. We usually go there in the winter because it is very cozy with a fireplace in the corner, thick wooden beams and a wonderful high view of three sides of the mountain. A drive of an hour to an hour and a half from the coast into the mountains will take you to Lemonias! You should call the day before you plan to dine there. In that way Lemonia (the owner) will alert her husband so he will have time to hunt for your dinner if, say, you are hungry for wild boar or rabbit! They also serve steaks, beefsteaki (hamburger meat with seasonings), cheese pies and other traditional Greek foods. I prefer their red wine because it is rich, full and intense. I swear it doesn't even need a glass! For summer I order white wines from Heraklion. Heraklion is the more industrial city located on the the northeast coast of Crete. Knossos, the famous ancient palace of Minos is located next to Heraklion. For some reason the grapes from there seem to produce a lighter, fun wine perfect for summer snacks or seafood meals. Be sure to check out Greek wines at your local shop. Don't let the fact that they are inexpensive stop you! You might have to ask for help to find them but that's OK!