When I visit a new wineshop I always try and buy something new to me. It’s a way to get a feel for the buyer and what they are into. So I pushed aside my penchant to buy a nearly transparent pale rosé and stepped up to by a bottle with a deeper pink shade from Domaine Zafeirakis in Greece. [Thanks to the folks at wino(t) in Crown Heights for carrying it.]
The beautiful vineyards of Domaine Zafeirakis. {Image from the winery website.}
Domaine Zafeirakis 2017 Limniona Rosé Wine of Tyrnavos ($17)
If you asked me if I was familiar with the Greek indigenous red grape Limniona, I would say, “Hell, no.” I would have a similar reply if queried about the wine region of Trynavos, which I now know is in the center of the country and not too far from the Aegean Sea. Honestly, most of my Greek wine knowledge is Assyrtiko from Santorini. So this rosé from Domaine Zafeirakis is a delicious education in a bottle.
My wall, my bike, my wine.
As stated earlier, buying this wine is also a conscious effort to explore the darker side of rosé. As you can tell by the more reddish-pink color, there’s gonna be some body in this bottle. A kind of “red wine drinkers rosé.” It’s substantial, savory, yet eminently drinkable. Not just the most unique rosé I’ve had all year, but probably the best, too.
So the next time you’re in a wine shop, resist the temptation to reach for your regular. Pick out a bottle made from an unfamiliar grape, region, and/or style. If you’re not keen on making your own selection, speak up. Have your friendly wine shop pro pick out something that’s new to you. As a bonus, you might get a little grape and geography lesson like I did.
