Geniussomms discovering Cretan vineyard on site!

On February 2020, Genius in Gastronomy held a masterclass having the most successful new sommelier trainer in the world and coach of the Swedish best sommelier team, mr Sören Polonius, as a guest.

This masterclass was an excellent chance for 20 sommeliers from all over Greece, including winners of National competitions and distinguished in international level and 2 sommeliers from Sweden, to expand our knowledge and our technique on the most advanced techniques of identifying, serving and selling wine. Genius in Gastronomy chose to show its love for the Greek vineyard and especially for the Cretan wine and to organize it in Heraklion, Crete, not choosing the amenities that the capital would offer. What better and more essential for a wine professional to get to know the place, the land, the culture and the producer of a product that contains so much romance, love and hard work. The schedule in Heraklion included an acquaintance with the producers, the local products and the gastronomy of Crete. A place with enchanting natural beauty, incredibly hospitable people and an awesome infrastructure to support the overall experience of wine tourism, as there is a long tradition in the field of wine over the centuries.
On the one hand, horizontal tastings revealed to us the diversity and the role that terroir plays in wine. On the other hand, Vertical Tasting introduced us to the dynamics and prospects of indigenous varieties. Short, but substantial meetings with local producers were a prime opportunity to highlight the hard and correct work they do and revealed small “diamonds” that could in the future fill our customers’ glasses.
Of course, in recent years the branded bottled wine in Greece is gaining an increasing audience, which is interested in discovering indigenous varieties that deserve recognition either in single-variety vinifications or in blends. A typical example is Vidiano, a variety that gives character, when participating in wines. Constantly rising Moschato Spinas, a bountiful variety that generously offers the fruity aromas of peach and jasmine flowers. Of course, in addition to what has already been shown to the general public, varieties such as Thrapsathiri, Vilana, Dafni, Plyto and Liatiko, Kotsifali, Mandilari and Romeiko deserve our attention.

The Cretan vineyard has options that can satisfy even the most demanding wine lovers. White aromatic, fruity, with refreshing acidity, rich red full of personality, “old style” dark colored rosés, perfect summer match for Greek cuisine, as well as for the absolute trend of our time, the light pink salmon with Provence style, wines easy to accompany a meal from beginning to end. One should not overlook the excellent quality tsikoudia, a companion in the local delicacies as well as the wonderful dessert wines, either fortified or sun-dried!
A journey that we must all experience at some point! Until then, let’s travel by filling our glasses!