It's Bio Baby... door Claire Mumford
“For us, food is more than nutrition – it is culture, a way of life, and a connection to our roots.”
Wine and olive oil form the backbone of Greek cuisine, of which the evening of the 6th of July was a celebration. The tasting formed part of the campaign ‘It’s Bio, Baby!’, an initiative designed to promote PGI Korinthos wines and PGI Lakonia olive oil in the Netherlands and Austria, over a three-year period. Co-funded by the EU, key concepts include certified organic practice, sustainability, artisanal quality and traceability.
Culture
Present at the event was Apostolos Michalopoulus, Minister Councillor for Economic and. Commercial affairs at the Greek Embassy in The Hague. In his introductory speech, he referred to Greek wine as being “the oldest expression of culture in the world…born in antiquity and refined through centuries”. He spoke of a dialogue between land and wine, this being defined by mountain soils, quality of light and unique varieties – Malagousia, Assyrtiko, Moschofilero, and Agiorgitiko, to name but a few. Traditionally, the olive represents peace and wisdom, and the oil it produces – “liquid green gold“ – is fundamental to all Mediterranean cuisine, with many native varieties offering complex and diverse aromas and flavours.
Olive oil
The venue chosen to host the event was Kaia, a contemporary Greek restaurant in Amsterdam Zuid. During the course of the evening, guests were invited to pair the showcased wines and olive oil freely, the aim being to emphasise their broad culinary affinity. Two producers were at this event, representing the consortium of Vineyard Producers of Agios Vasilios and the consortium of the Agricultural Cooperative of Epidaurus Limira (KASELL).
Giorgos Karitsiotis of Phileos Olive Oil, in Sparta, presented two of his organic extra-virgin olive oils: the difference in flavour profile was marked – earlier-picked olives giving grassy peppery notes, the late harvest milder and rounder. Great care is taken during processing to ensure that fruit-driven aromas, characteristic phenolic bitterness and freshness are preserved: this is achieved by meticulous picking and sorting, and cold-pressing in optimum conditions.
Wine
Manolakisi Winery in Korinthos showcased a variety of wines, with the focus across the range being drinkability and food pairing. The diversity of varieties grown on the estate serves to enhance the culinary compatibility of the wines. I found the Assyrtiko from the premium ‘M’ range to have great depth, texture and character, a result of both cold-soaking prior to fermentation and a period of ageing on lees, with occasional stirring. Despite richness and weight, the wine remains fresh, not least due to Assyrtiko’s lively acidity. Vasiliki Tampaki, responsible for the vineyards at Manolakis Estate, explained that there is a focus on preservation of biodiversity through experimentation with cover cropping, and that vineyard practice is organic/biodynamic.
‘It’s Bio Baby’ seeks to represent and promote the “long tradition of sharing and welcome”[1] that is central to Greek culture. As such, a sit-down tasting paired with food was highly appropriate.
Promotion of the event was by Melman Communications.
