Cyprus Wine Blog - December 2009

The holiday season is now upon us with many joyous activities for all the family. Of course, it also brings with it the ubiquitous holiday parties as well – thrown by friends, colleagues at work or, again, family. Therefore, most people are now about to tackle the difficult task of purchasing wines that can be paired with festive delicacies. This short article attempts to address the issue with some tips and suggestions.

First, do not stress out! This is the holiday period, a time generally rife with enough stress that the choice of what wine to bring to a party should not cause any more. Holidays are supposed to be fun – remember that, if you remember anything.

Some people are under the impression that hosting a party involves purchasing the most expensive wine they can find, wine that would impress even the most seasoned connoisseur. However, when it comes down to it, the price of wine is not nearly as important as the variety.

Holiday parties typically consist of a large variety of refreshments. Therefore, it is important to purchase wines that are “easy” to accompany anything you prepare. The simplest way to do this is to purchase at least one red and one white wine.

First of all, remember to differentiate between the full-bodied and light-bodied wines. These terms apply for reds as well as for whites. For instance, some of the most famous light-bodied white wines are the Muscadet, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Xynisteri, while some of the full-bodied white wines are the Chardonnay or barrel-fermented Sauvignon. On the other hand, some of the light-bodied red wines include Beaujolais , Rioja, Chianti, Sangiovese, and the Cypriot Mavro. Finally, some of the most famous full-bodied red wines include the Syrah/ Shiraz , Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Buy local – yes, you may well spend €1 or €2 more for each bottle of wine you purchase relative to the cheap imported wines. However, by visiting local wineries or specialised wine shops, you will be able to ask questions and get advice on what wines to buy during this season, or even taste and select what appeals to you.

Buy a variety of wines in different price ranges. If you choose some wines in a medium price range – say €8 per bottle (Monolithos Cabernet Sauvignon), consider also purchasing some less expensive wines such as Ayios Stephanos Red (€5) for later in the evening. After two to three glasses of wine, most people would never notice when you switch them over to a €5 bottle. Therefore, you could save some cash; there is no need to spend, just for the sake of spending.

Wine should complement the food, rather than dominate it – light food, light wine; heavier food, heavier wine. Soups, salads and light dishes will taste best when accompanied by light, usually white, wines. More robust foods, such as steak and pasta, can handle bigger, full-bodied reds.

Buy several of the same type – you do not want to buy one bottle of something and run out, just as people realize that they like it.

Drink the wine you enjoy – do not conform to what the world says you have to like. In reality, most wines will not ruin a meal, but good choices can raise the level of gastronomic satisfaction from enjoyable to memorable.

Many people struggle with selecting the proper wine to serve at their holiday meal, so remember – when in doubt, sparkling wines and champagne are a safe bet with just about anything. The bubbles and acidity in sparklers have a cleansing effect on the palate to prepare you for another bite, whether you’re eating salty, bitter, spicy or sour food.

Go universal with the glass – there is simply no need to buy all those different glasses. While it may seem eclectic to serve wine in water glasses to you, your guests may look at that as a mark of bad taste. When you go to look at wine glasses, you will quickly find out that there is a wide range of styles and prices available. If this is a rare event in your home, then purchase simple, clear and inexpensive glasses than can complement your table without bleeding your wallet dry. If you buy a decent set of glasses with a tulip shape, it should cover most of your needs.

Most people are about to tackle the difficult task of purchasing wines that can be paired with the special foods of the season. Apart from the universal saying of “drink what you like”, here are a few useful tips to help you select the proper holiday wine.

. Forget about all the traditional reprimands, like pairing red wines with red meat and white wines with seafood.

. Balance the flavour intensity between the wine and the dish. Do not forget to look at the flavours of the sauce too.

. When serving more than one wine at a meal, start with a light wine and work your way through the meal to the fuller-bodied wines, ending with a sweet wine.

. Try pairing full-bodied wines, either red or white, with full-flavoured foods, and lighter wines with lighter food items. Look at how the dish is prepared. Delicate flavoured foods, poached or steamed, are best paired with delicate wines, whereas roasted dishes are often better with full-bodied heavier wines.

. Match “like for like”, for example spicy food with spicy wine, subtly flavoured dishes with delicate light wines, sweet wine with sweet dishes etc.

. Attempt to balance the sweetness, but most importantly, never serve a wine that is drier than the food or you will end with a flat, dull tasting wine.

. Do not forget, that not all red wines complement all cheeses. Blue cheese/Stilton certainly work very well with a sweet enough white wine. Goat’s cheese works much better with aromatic or dry white wine than with reds for example. Soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie should be served with either full flavoured Chardonnays or soft ripe Merlots.

. Foods with sauces generally require a medium to full-bodied wine.

. Boiled, steamed or lightly sautéed food should be matched with dry and light white wines.

. Chicken, pork or veal are best suited with any full-bodied white wine.

. Spicy food items and off-dry white wines make an excellent match.

. Fat rich food items like foie gras and cheese should be paired with sweet wines.

. Sweet dishes and desserts go very well with wines that have high apparent sweet flavours.

. Roast beef or steaks: Merlots go well with roasted meats, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. For roast beef, lamb and pork, Cabernet Sauvignon is an ideal choice here. Merlot and meaty Syrahs are also great matches. The proteins in the meat will help smooth out the tannins in these big, bold wines.

. Grilled or roast lamb: The most appropriate wine with this is Syrah/Shiraz.

The idea is to create a relationship where the wine and food are equal partners in the match. Foods that are high in saltiness, bitterness, sourness and sweetness limit the possibilities when matching wines with these foods. Traditional holiday foods like turkey, ham and all the trimmings create issues in this regard. Turkey itself can be paired with a number of wines, but things become complicated with the addition of various sauces because it could become sweet, sour and bitter all at once.

Sometimes the best choice is to offer both red and white wines and let the guests choose for themselves. Provide a couple glasses at each guest’s table setting and let him or her try a splash of white here, a sip of red there, comparing and contrasting before settling on a favourite. Offering a few choices can also make for fun dinner conversation. You can also split the difference and go with a sparkling rose.

During the winter holiday season, red wines should be served at room temperature. However, if you keep your reds in the kitchen, and your kitchen is an oven after many hours of dinner preparation, move the bottles to a slightly cooler room, like the basement or an unheated utility room. Typically, most people serve whites too cold and reds too warm. If you keep your wine in the refrigerator (5°C), take them out about 15 minutes before serving, whilst the red wine should be taken out at least one hour beforehand. The palate of the host, of course, always determines the ideal temperature, but a good range to aim at is between about 14°-18°C. And serve lighter reds a little cooler than heavier reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon.

The exact amount of poured glasses to a bottle of wine is pretty well impossible to define. Many standard wine servings suggest four to six glasses of wine per 750ml bottle. Keep this in mind when buying for the group.

Think food friendly and affordable. This is particularly true if you are going to a larger, more casual party. Do not spend a lot here – you never know if it is going to be opened as soon as you walk in or who will be drinking it. Try to pick a food-friendly, versatile wine that will go well with a wide range of foods. While there are certain vintages that are expensive, it is relatively easy to find bottles that are not extremely high priced; with some searching, or asking close friends, you can buy first-rate red and white wines at prices below €10.

The holiday season brings with it the challenge of finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Wine accessories are important items that will help the enjoyment of wine – they can be practical gifts for birthday or Christmas presents.

There are many different wine accessories, which wine drinkers purchase in order to make their wine experience complete. The range of products includes wine coolers, wine buckets, champagne bowls, wine decanters, wine glasses, wine bottle stoppers, wine table mats, wine openers, wine foil cutters, wine racks, etc. Whether you are a keen wine enthusiast, a social wine drinker or simply wish to buy a present for a friend, you may find an interesting read in the following tips and advice.

. Wine makes a great holiday gift. It is portable. It is festive. It is timely, with people entertaining more during the holiday season. Wine can be quickly gift-wrapped and tied with a bow or slipped into a decorative paper or cloth wine bag. In addition, wine certainly is easy to find.

. If you end up with several opened but unfinished bottles of wine, there are ways to preserve them. One way is to refrigerate them. The cold climate will slow the chemical changes that are conspiring to turn your wine to vinegar. Another method is to transfer the leftover wine into a smaller bottle. This helps because a smaller bottle will have less wine-trashing air in it. You can also buy fancy vacuum contraptions that suck the air out of the bottle. Alternatively, perhaps best of all, you can gather the crowd around the table the next evening for a feast of leftovers and finish what you started.

Food Pairing with Monolithos wines:

The following constitutes a basic guide for Monolithos wines which could be best suited to some popular Christmas and holiday season foods. Of course, this is not definitive, but if you have trouble choosing, it may help to make up your mind.

First, in terms of white wine selection, choose one with an adequate amount of acidity and fruitiness to match your entrée. Monolithos White and Ayios Stephanos White belong to this category of wines, with Monolithos White having a higher level of acidity. If you are selecting a red wine, choose Monolithos Merlot or Monolithos Red, both of which have a sense of fruitiness and are relatively low in tannin.

Second, always try to match regional food with corresponding local wines. They work because they have developed together over time and so have a natural affinity for each other.

Monolithos White: This is a very good match with lots of seafood. It has a pleasant acidic tang, and makes seafood taste fresh, just like a bright squeeze of lemon! Remember that taste is a funny thing, and the wine that is best alone is not necessarily the best with food. For example, a white wine that seems too acidic on its own is often fabulous with creamy or salty foods, as the acid reduces the oiliness of the cream and the cream tempers the acid, resulting in significantly enhanced flavours for both.

Monolithos Red: This is ideal with tomato-based pasta sauce and pizza, as it does not shy away from the acid in the tomatoes, and is also highly agreeable with local dishes such as meat stew, “moussaka”, “souvlakia” and “shieftalia”.

Ayios Stephanos White: This works so well because of its Malvasia touch of sweetness, which can help take the sting off the heat of spicy dishes.

Santa Monica Rose: A fun holiday wine that is great to serve at a party. Not only is this rose visually appealing, but also the flavours are wonderfully fruity, containing a combination of blackberry, plum and strawberries. It offers a good match with a large number of cheeses, enhancing the contrast of flavours. It is a delicate rose wine, which is superb with turkey, ham or tuna steak and salmon.

Ayios Stephanos Red: This successful blend is sure to satisfy a wide range of wine lovers. It is a medium to full-bodied wine with predominantly fruity and berry flavours, leaving a pleasantly smooth feel. It is food-friendly, affordable, and highly recommended to accompany red meat dishes, poultry, pasta (particularly those dishes with tomato sauce), strong savoury cheeses or salads – this fine blend wine can handle them all well.

Monolithos Merlot: This is one of those wines that have come in fashion over the past decade. This smooth as silk premium red variety is the ideal wine for the committed white wine drinker to sample as an entrée into the rich and exciting world of reds. The taste/aroma is predominantly fruity and peppery with hints of blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry and plum and a delightfully “silky” feel. It is extremely versatile when it comes to food pairing options, and is perfect to enjoy with Italian and Greek dishes, red meats such as steak and roast lamb, or a good white meat including duck or even a platter of fish if you so desire. Stews are also a good choice, as are hearty pastas that use a tomato sauce base. Other dishes include pasta with vegetables, chicken, turkey, couscous, veal, cheese courses and (hot or cold) spicy entrees.

Monolithos Shiraz: As a Christmas wine, it is highly recommended and top-rated. Its dark red spiciness is perfect for the winter holidays and is particularly good when served with grilled or roast lamb. It is also a perfect match to enjoy with red meat, white meat, and pizza/pasta dishes. Syrah is a very versatile wine that pairs well with a wide variety of foods, including wild game, richly flavoured red meats, beef stew, grilled meats or veggies and meat lover’s pizzas. It is terrific with filet mignon, pork dishes, sausages, BBQ, bacon, spicy Mexican, highly seasoned food and fish dishes, particularly those with shellfish and tuna. The 2008 vintage is a joy to drink and there is plenty of it – try it and you will understand why.

Monolithos Cabernet Sauvignon: Talk about wine royalty! It all began in Bordeaux and is the world’s best-known grape variety, which explains why it is right at the top of the vineyard hierarchy. The taste/aroma is predominantly blackcurrant and peppery, but variations include touches of redcurrant, plum or even blackberry. It is a perfect match with red meat dishes, including steak with rich sauces. The proteins and fats in the steak really soften and mellow out the tannins in the wine and bring forward the fruit flavours. Foods with a slight touch of bitterness (such as the bitterness from a grill) match well with tannic wines, which are slightly bitter. Cabernet Sauvignon is great for this, although you should take care that it does not utterly overwhelm the food. Basic vegetable dishes, vegetarian meals, salads and peppery foods as well as cheeses, particularly goat varieties hard and soft are good complements.

The above are time-tested pairings. All things being equal, we do believe this:

Your Christmas will be merrier, and your holiday season more gratifying as a whole, when you pair them with the best wines for the time of year. Very likely, you will hit on your own great matches as you go about experimenting with food and wine. Remember, even for a wine expert, the pairing process is a hit and a miss. No one can be certain what to expect when he or she opens a bottle of wine. With so much happening in the bottle, there are just too many variables at work to be certain. So just enjoy the experiment – and the experience. You will know when you have hit it just right. The experience will seem seamless: the flavours of the wine will pick up the flavours of the food and extend them out across the palate. That is chemistry for you.

Holiday parties can be hard to plan. However, with the above tips, you should at least have the wine list taken care of, leaving you free to worry about food and decor instead. More than anything, when this time of year is upon us, keep in mind that holidays are a time for camaraderie, family, and love – three entities that not even the most expensive vintage can rival. On the other hand, if you need a break from that hectic schedule of the holiday season, relax and enjoy a glass of wine as you curl up with your favourite book or TV programme while the cold north wind blows outside.

Now with the coming of the winter holidays and traditional feasts with a plentiful menu and many cheerful guests, it is an ideal time to try our multiple wines. Monolithos products cater for a wide range of palates because we believe that the consumer must have a choice. After all, the truth is that:

“If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul.”

Clifton Fadiman

If at any time you are passing near the village of Pachna and wish to visit the winery or purchase any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his “Fig Tree Villa” in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25-816212 or 99-165995.

May the Holiday Season bring only happiness and joy to you and your loved ones! Cheers and seasons greetings from all of us here at Monolithos.

Cyprus Wine Blog - November 2009

Wine means different things to different people. Whilst wine used to be a treasured commodity enjoyed only by the elite and those of high culture, over the years, as production methods were refined, wine became more and more accessible to the common folk. From ancient to modern times, wine has evolved into a key part of our contemporary lives, playing an important role in festive celebrations as well as a part of religious ceremonies.

The role of wine in our lives has changed over the past 40 years, and even over the past 10 years.  As the world becomes knowledgeable, more and more people are enjoying the ?wine lifestyle?. In other words, wine is not just what you drink with dinner ? it is, in fact, a way of life. Wine enriches our lives, mixing perfectly with food, friends, and social occasions. Consumers use wine in very sophisticated ways via purchasing, gifting and consumption. Social interaction with wine varies significantly, dependant upon occasion and environment. Wine is essential for every celebration. Wine gives you a warm feeling and makes you sing when you speak and dance when you walk. A party is as incomplete without wine as it is without music. Wine can ?break the ice? and transform a meeting into a social gathering, thus making it a perfect companion at most business lunches or special occasions. Wines are great to celebrate the joy of birthdays and wedding s, and they multiply the festivities of the holiday season. A glass of wine completes a meal feast and warms up a cold winter?s night. Wine also brings out the romance of Valentine?s Day, and is an ideal anniversary present. Alcohol, when consumed in moderate amounts (such as half bottle of 12% wine a day), stimulates the areas of the brain related to thinking and pleasure-seeking. It also relaxes the body and increases the processing speed of brain areas related to speech and movement, lowering inhibitions. This overall makes you feel more confident, at ease and happier.

As an enduring cultural symbol of European living, the role of wine has evolved over time, changing from an important source of nutrition to a cultural complement to food and conviviality compatible with a healthy lifestyle. Traditionally, most European cultures tend to associate wine with gastronomy, history, local quality products and dignified social settings. As such, the association of wine as a part of a European identity also promotes moderate consumption by adults as an integral part of a balanced diet.

However responsible wine consumption must include a common stakeholder commitment to ensuring that moderate drinking remains the social norm.  The benefits of moderate drinking have been recognized for centuries. Traditionally, wine has been enjoyed with meals and has been known to aid the digestive process, stimulate the intake of nutrients, and more recently, assist in lowering cholesterol and contributing to the maintenance of a healthy heart. While the European Mediterranean region accounts for the highest alcohol consumption per capita, drinking patterns that pose fewer health risks have been observed and this is attributed to the lifestyle of these regions, which have wine drinking primarily consumed at home and restaurants with meals ? not in bars, and not without food. The vast majority of people who drink wine do so in moderation and responsibly.

Over the past 30 years, hundreds of scientific studies throughout the world, involving more than one million people, have suggested that moderate wine consumption can extend life expectancy by several years beyond that of non-drinkers, assist in protecting against various types of heart disease and cancers, and delay or reduce the risk of developing a range of other diseases. There are elements in the wine, such as resveratrol, which break down LDL or "bad" cholesterol that sticks to artery walls causing blockages, and turns it into HDL or "good" cholesterol that could be carried away by the blood. This reduction in LDLs lowers the chances for arteriosclerosis and actually reduces the pressure needed for the heart to circulate blood. Several studies have confirmed these findings and all indications are that moderate consumption of wine (one to two glasses a day) can have significant health benefits.

Consequently, there is sufficient evidence from several sources and various public health authorities which supports the health benefits of moderate wine consumption, in particular its:

.  Contribution in the reduction of rates of blood clotting/coagulation

.  Reduced risk of a second heart attack

.  Increase of the amount of ?good? cholesterol (HDL)

.  Decrease in the amount of ?bad? cholesterol (LDL)

.  Prevention of the production of compounds responsible for the inflammation associated with arthritis and rheumatism

.  Reduction of certain kinds of cancers

Interestingly, however, a large section of the population (80%) worldwide still does not drink wine as part of their diet. There appear to be several reasons. Among them:

1.  Unfortunately, some ?expert snobs? out there seem to want to make it difficult to the uninvolved consumer to understand what wine is about. They use strange words and phrases that can definitely be off-putting. We have all seen or heard the stereotype ?Wine Expert? with his nose in the air, acting as if he were the only person qualified to speak.

2.  Figuring out which wine goes with what food can be a challenge but it can also create all kinds of fears.

3.  Consumers are confused by wine complex labels resulting from different regional legal systems, which may include terms that could be perceived as misleading.

4.  The number of wine brands that exist can be quite overwhelming, so consumers need assistance to help navigate this universe. They could worry about overpaying for an inferior wine that they might blindly select from the local wine shop, therefore making the purchase an uninviting task.

5.  Consumers are also confused by conflicting reports and information given by ?experts? and the media about a number of wine aspects such as Old World, New World, countries of origin, brands, producers, varietals, classifications, organic, natural, vintage, grand cru, wine serving rituals, etc.

French wine philosopher Pierre Boisset once said:

?Wine is at the same time simpler than people say and more complex than they think.?

So what does the reasonable, perfectly balanced person need to know?

First, we need to be at peace with the notion that wine is such a complex, dynamic subject; no one can know it all. The vast majority of wine consumers just want to buy a bottle of wine they will enjoy, unlike the wine lovers who are definitely involved with wine and can discuss terroir, malolactic fermentation, the ageing, the different types of wine, the winemaking process, the grapes, the soil, the weather and food pairings for hours.  It is true that wine is not one thing, but many. Wine is a sophisticated, complex drink, but it can nonetheless be enjoyed by anyone. Novice wine consumers have just as good taste buds as wine experts. Wine should be an enjoyable experience. If a wine tastes good and smells good, there is a 98% chance that it IS good.

The most important rule about food and wine matching is that there are no rules. You can drink any wine you wish with any food ? even red wine with fish ? and the world will continue to revolve. However, to be able to select a wine you do not have to swallow an encyclopaedia, but you do need to have some basic knowledge, follow a few clear, simple rules and above all. trust your own palate. The following tips may help you to make the right choice:

1.  Not all good wines are expensive, and conversely, all expensive wines are not necessarily good. In each price-range, there are good and bad wines. It is true, however, that expensive good wines will probably be as good as or better than less expensive good wines. You have to remember that wine prices are a factor of the winemaker?s marketing efforts, not always the quality of the wine.

2.  A good wine shop or winery will have a bottle open and will allow you to taste a wine, for free, that you probably have never had before. An experienced assistant can tell what you like by your reaction to the wines and can recommend more options.

3.  While it is true that specific regions in certain countries have a reputation of producing the best of a particular grape, rarely is one region the only place a grape is grown. Winemaking is a craft.  Winemakers are sometimes good at it and sometimes not. The grapes are not always the determining factor in the production of good wine. You should try wines from all over the world to see how for example a Cabernet or a Shiraz tastes from California , Italy , France , Spain , Australia , Chile or Cyprus and, of course, compare value for money.

4.  Read articles about wines. Continue searching for new wines. Ask people who drink wine for their recommendations, taste and discuss their merits with your circle of friends, and try to find wines that are widely accepted to be good.

Over the last two decades, the most obvious change worldwide in drinking habits has been the move to wine drinking. This trend is expected to continue over the next few years because wine is increasingly being chosen as an accompaniment to meals in restaurants, and at home when all the family dine together. Drinking like any social activity has some guidelines to help the participant get more enjoyment out of the activity.

Drink slowly, and take the time to savour the wine?s distinctive taste. Regular consumption of small amounts of wine is preferable to binge-drinking large amounts on a single occasion. Remember not to exceed the guidelines for moderate, low-risk consumption of alcoholic beverages.

As with other products that have the potential to be abused, there are health and social costs associated with wine misuse, including the cost of alcohol-related accidents and socially inappropriate behaviours. Repeated heavy drinking with the purpose of getting drunk will not provide more benefits, only more harm.  Your health can benefit from the moderate consumption of wine as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, just as it could suffer from its abuse. The complex flavours of wine can be fully appreciated and enjoyed only by drinking wine moderately and slowly. The following are some hints to help you drink responsibly and derive more enjoyment and pleasure from drinking if you choose to consume wine.

1.  The consumption of wine by healthy adults should be sensible. Moderate drinking is approximately up to two drink units (two 155 ml (5-ounce) glasses) a day for women, up to three drink units a day for men, and no more than four drink units on any one occasion.

Alcoholic Units = Alc x Litres

                          125ml        175ml        250ml       750ml

11%   Alc Wine    1.4 units    1.9 units    2.8 units    8.3 units

12%   Alc Wine    1.5 units    2.1 units    3.0 units    9.0 units

13%   Alc Wine    1.6 units    2.3 units    3.3 units    9.8 units

14%   Alc Wine    1.8 units    2.5 units    3.5 units    3.5 units

2.  Wine should be consumed as a part of social, family, celebratory, or other occasion, but not as the only purpose of the event. However if the occasion is restricted to drinks only, then it is a good idea to eat a decent meal before you go out, or snack while you drink. Food helps absorb alcohol and so limits how quickly it will get into your bloodstream. It will also give you more energy to enjoy yourself!  It is particularly good to eat high protein foods such as cheese, which help to slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system. Mediterranean culture consumes alcohol only with food to prevent various problems.

3.  When selecting a wine, choose quality rather than quantity. Learn to select fine wines, and pay particular attention to which type of wine matches a particular dish. Learn what to look for ? this makes everyday wine drinking much more enjoyable.

4.  Wine drinkers should know the distinction between moderate use and abuse.

5.  Wine and alcohol should be avoided in certain circumstances such as during pregnancy, when taking certain medications, when working with machinery or where it puts the individual or others at risk.  Use alcohol carefully in connection with other drugs. This includes over-the-counter purchases such as sleeping pills and cold or cough medicines. Alcohol should be avoided while taking certain antibiotics, arthritic drugs, anti-depressants and many other prescriptions. Check with your physician or pharmacy before you drink while on any medication.

6.  Know your limit on how much wine and alcohol you can handle without losing control.

Most people know that no more than a drink or two an hour will keep them in control of the situation and avoid drunkenness. The strength of a drink varies dramatically, depending on what you are drinking. So make sure you know how many units are in your drink. A 750ml bottle of table wine (12% vol) has eight to nine units.

7.  Make sure that drinking improves social relationships, rather than impairing them through inappropriate behaviours.

8.  Wine should be consumed slowly to enhance the taste of food and to add to the enjoyment of everyday living. If you drink quickly a glass of wine for the alcohol effect, you are losing the pleasure of drinking, namely tasting and smelling the various flavours. This is particularly true for fine wine.

9.  Society and parents must take a more active role in teaching young people about responsible drinking customs so they are prepared to make informed choices.  Parents who drink should drink sensibly, presenting themselves as examples of moderation. Underage people should not be encouraged to drink.

10.  Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water regularly whilst you?re out drinking and also when you get home, and try alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Both are good ways of cutting down your chances of a hangover.

11.  When drinking wine, go for a small or medium glass instead of a large. Many people do not realise that there can be over three units in a large glass of wine!

12.  Avoid drinking if you drive and ? in any case ? never exceed the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limits legally established for drivers.  Make sure everyone can get home safely with a driver, who specifically avoided drinking or use reliable public transport or a taxi ? especially if you think someone?s had too much and they are over the drink/drive limit.

As the wine revolution gains even more ground and more studies are performed, the benefits of wine may continue to be increasingly known, pouring good health on all who consume it. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol will not do you any physical or psychological harm. However, the total picture is complex and both the costs and the benefits are not easy to quantify. It is difficult to lay down strict guidelines as to what constitutes ?moderate consumption?. It will depend on your age, size, sex and health, how and when you consume alcohol, as both the speed of consumption and whether you?re eating will affect how alcohol is absorbed by the body. For some people, social drinking can lead to heavier drinking, which can cause serious health problems. If consumed in excess, alcoholic beverages increase the exposure to a wide range of risk factors whereby the risk rises with the amount of alcohol consumed. Thus, it is crucial to prevent abusive consumption and the wine sector is committed to doing so. Any measures taken to prevent wine abuse should not punish millions of wine lovers who drink sensibly and benefit from moderate drinking.  Manufacturers and retailers, governments, local and health authorities, health professionals and interested citizen groups should all work together to find common ground and ways of promoting responsible behaviour, so that you never have to feel sorry for what has happened while you were drinking.

Please note: Nothing in this article should be construed as individual medical advice. For specific recommendations regarding alcohol consumption, consult your physician.

Wine News and Information

.   During the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, two of speakers presented the results of their research on electronic nose evaluation of grapes and wine.  Ahmad Athamneh, of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, remarked: ?Choosing harvest dates is one of the most critical decisions made by winemakers?. Conventional testing methods for maturity, however, are not always reliable. ?There?s a need for an optimum technique for evaluating maturity,? he said.

Athamneh and his team used an electronic device called the Cyranose 320 ? a polymer-based system small enough to be used in the vineyard ? to compare results with those obtained through traditional testing methods, including Brix and pH measurement.

The Cyranose uses 32 sensors, each with different sensitivity to different aromas, to evaluate maturity with a single measurement. Athamneh tested it in 2005 and 2006 as a tool to quickly evaluate Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for maturity and found that, ?The results demonstrate the superiority of the e-nose over conventional methods?. Among the device?s advantages, he concluded, is the fact that it is faster, more economical and less destructive than conventional testing methods. With partial funding from the Virginia Wine Board, Athamneh plans to continue his research, expanding it to additional cultivars.

.  Amalia Berna, of CSIRO Food Futures Flagship in Australia , gave a second e-nose presentation. Her goals were to predict the quality of wine, and to detect contaminants and off-flavours at an early stage. The device used was the AlphaMos Fox 3000, which was tested on samples from five different regions in Australia with varying climates. Berna?s research compared gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with the e-nose, which showed good results in identifying volatile compounds in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. She found that the e-nose gave ?excellent predictions? for hot climate regions, but misclassified some mild-climate samples.

.  As wine consumption in the United States reached an all-time high in 2007, wine producers celebrated the long-awaited arrival of a ?wine culture? in America . However, according to an 18-month study commissioned by Constellation Wines U.S., a large segment of the consumer population is still ?overwhelmed? by wine. The new study examined the purchases of 10,000 premium-wine consumers ? defined as those who purchased wine priced at $5 and higher ? over an 18-month period.

The study measured consumer attitudes and purchase behaviour within multiple purchase channels, including warehouse clubs, supermarkets, mass merchandisers, drug stores, liquor stores and wine shops. The scan data were supplemented with online interviews.  Consumers were classified in segments such as: Enthusiasts, Image Seekers, Savvy Shoppers, Traditionalists, Satisfied Sippers and Overwhelmed and the following results were recorded:

Overwhelmed (23% of consumers)

*   Overwhelmed by sheer volume of choices on store shelves

*   Like to drink wine, but do not know what kind to buy and may select by label

*   Looking for wine information in retail settings that?s easy to understand

*   Open to advice, but frustrated when there is no one in the wine section to help

*   If information is confusing, they will not buy anything at all.

Image Seekers (20% of consumers)

*   View wine as a status symbol

*   Are just discovering wine and have a basic knowledge of it

*   Like to be the first to try a new wine, and are open to innovative packaging

*   Prefer Merlot as their No. 1 most-purchased variety

*   Use the Internet as key information source, including checking restaurant wine lists before dining out so they can research scores

Traditionalist (16% of consumers)

*   Enjoy wines from established wineries

*   Think wine makes an occasion more formal, and prefer entertaining friends and family at home to going out

*   Like to be offered a wide variety of well-known national brands

*   Won?t often try new wine brands

*   Shop at retail locations that make it easy to find favourite brands.

Savvy Shoppers (15% of consumers)

*   Enjoy shopping for wine and discovering new varietals on their own

*   Have a few favourite wines to supplement new discoveries

*   Shop in a variety of stores each week to find best deals, and like specials and discounts

*   Are heavy coupon users, and know what?s on sale before they walk into a store

*   Typically buy a glass of the house wine when dining out, due to the value.

Satisfied Sippers (14% of consumers)

*   Don?t know much about wine, just know what they like to drink

*   Typically buy the same brand ? usually domestic ? and consider wine an everyday beverage

*   Don?t enjoy the wine-buying experience, so buy 1.5L bottles to have more wine on hand

*   Second-largest category of warehouse shoppers, buying 16% of their wine in club stores

*   Don?t worry about wine and food pairing

*   Don?t dine out often, but likely to order the house wine when they do.

Enthusiasts (12% of consumers)

*   Entertain at home with friends, and consider themselves knowledgeable about wine

*   Live in cosmopolitan centres, affluent suburban spreads or comfortable country settings

*   Like to browse the wine publications, and are influenced by wine ratings and reviews

*   47% buy wine in 1.5L size as ?everyday wine? to supplement their ?weekend wine?

*   98% buy wine over $6 per bottle, which accounts for 56% on a volume basis.

With the highest percentage of consumers falling into the ?overwhelmed? category, Leslie Joseph, Constellation?s vice president of consumer research affairs, commented: ?We need to do a better job as an industry of helping these people understand what a wine?s going to taste like?. Joseph also pointed out that the industry also needs to pay more attention to ?traditionalist? consumers, who tend to prefer established wine brands. ?It?s perhaps not the most exciting segment to be talking about for sommeliers or retailers,? she said, ?but it?s very important to keep these consumers in mind.?

Monolithos Winery News

Farming is a seasonal business. Everything you do during wintertime is dependent on what Mother Nature is going to throw your way. All you can do is react, and organise yourself so that all tasks can be performed and the vineyard is ready for revival at spring.

It is in winter that the yearly cycle begins. The vines have two tasks to complete prior to winter. The first is to store nutrients in the roots and trunk for bud break in spring. The second is to complete the transformation of the tender green skin on this year's growth to hard bark to protect the vine and nascent fruit from freezing winter temperatures. Depending on weather, dormancy may settle sometimes in December and the plants? energy will be moved to the roots to wait for spring.

In winter, wine resembles the vines from which it came: it too is dormant, quietly clarifying, pulling to the bottom the yeast and sediment from the fall winemaking. Slow crystallization of the excess acidity occurs in the chill of winter, a process that softens wine for its future consumption. During November, we transfer (rack) wines from one tank to another and remove the unwanted sediments.  We also initiate the blending of our reds, tasting the young whites and preparing for bottling. This time of the year we bring out in the market most of last years red wines which have aged for over six months in the bottles and are now mellow and smooth, ready for consumption.

If at any time you are passing near the village of Pachna and wish to visit the winery or sample any of our wines, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his ?Fig Tree Villa? in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25816212 or 99165995.

Regards from all of us here at Monolithos and always remember:

"Wine is like music ? you may not know what is good, but you know what you like!"

Justin Meyer

Cyprus Wine Blog - October 2009

The story of wine dates back centuries ago, when its production and culture was yet undefined.  Back then, grapes were crushed and fermented in open clay vats, and after the separation of solid matter from the liquid, wine was ready for consumption.  In those days, wine was made naturally. Of course, the result was so unbalanced and unprotected that – if not drunk – it went off within a few months.

It is unclear how early winemakers discovered the preservative qualities of sulphur, but it is well-documented that by 100 B.C., Roman winemakers often burned sulphur wicks inside their barrels to help prevent the wine from spoiling.

The year 1487 marked a turning point in the history of good winemaking. In that year, a Prussian royal decree officially permitted the use of the wine additive sulphur dioxide (or SO2) for the first time. In the 16^th century, Dutch traders found that only wine treated with sulphur could survive the long sea voyages without turning into vinegar, and sulphite additions quickly became a universal winemaking tool in Europe .

For centuries, wine was thought to evolve through a mysterious practice with no real understanding of its true underlying science. French chemist Louis Pasteur, among many discoveries relating to his germ theory of diseases, first proposed and proved, in 1857, that wine is made by microscopic organisms, yeasts. This led to discovering different yeast types and properties and ultimately to better hygiene, less spoilage and greater efficiency in wine production.

Ever since, winemakers have learnt a lot about how to control the winemaking process to ensure better and more consistent results. The role of preservatives and additives is to ensure that the wine remains stable and tastes clean, fresh and palatable for its entire lifetime. Winemakers have been adding stuff to wine for ages. Cultured yeast, malolactic bacteria and several fining agents have become common practice for winemakers. Technology has continued to produce other additives dedicated to intensifying colour, flavour, aroma and structure.

Industry claims that wine is a natural product that contains nothing more than what comes from the grapes. The wine industry may insist that the wine available on supermarket shelves is wholly a natural product, but the fact is that many manufacturers make use of a variety of ingredients in wine production other than those juicy grapes that one sees in advertisements. In a bid to boost profits, some wine is apparently so industrially processed that one could call it an “alcoholic cola”. However, what differentiates “fine” wine from others are various facts and factors that go into its making. For winemakers and consumers, no one topic is more debated than wine additives. For the purists, to “adjust” any wine is a transgression. For the large winery, treating wine to produce “branded” results is unquestionably a matter of necessity.

Once upon a time, nobody worried much about what was in a glass of wine. All that was necessary to be declared was the amount of alcohol in it and while this was a prerequisite, it did not concern us too much whether it was 11% or 14%. If you go back as far as 30 years ago, the alcohol percentage was not even listed on most labels. As for all the other components of wine, most consumers were unconcerned. However, times have changed. A new generation of well-informed consumers have become interested in what is actually in the stuff they put in their mouths, and some have become downright obsessive about it. People want to know if the wine they drink is good for them and if it is made in an environmentally acceptable way. A handful of wine scandals, the most infamous back in the mid-80s involving some innovative Austrian winemakers putting anti-freeze in their product, have fed the obsession.

Currently, beyond the all-important grapes, there is a tightly controlled list of permissible additives and processing aids considered to be beneficial to wine quality and free of harm. The way these substances are used is strictly regulated and the penalties for transgression are quite severe. Overall, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) has allowed the wine industry to use more than 50 different flavourings, additives, preservatives and agents. In essence, additions to the list reflect advances over time in winemaking practices and technology. The procedures that lead to their inclusion to the list should ensure they are safe, are not “wine foreign”, that processing aids do not leave undesirable residue and that the method of removal does not alter the substance of the wine.

Each country has systems in place to monitor wine throughout the winemaking process. EU laws require wineries to keep records of all winemaking activities and to run analyses at the bottling stage. However, according to current EU directives, wine producers do not have to list ingredients on the label, and thus most of them prefer not to. For example, it is not mandatory to list on a label preservatives, antioxidants, flavourings and colourings in the wine.

It is acknowledged that climate, soil, fertilization, irrigation and time of harvest can yield different flavours from a single variety of grape. The flavour can also change according to when the grapes are picked, their ripeness and inherent amount of sugar and acidity and how they are processed at the winery. Factors such as special pressing processes where attention is paid to minimising oxidation and preserving the skins and phenolic bitterness, the length of fermentation and level of associated temperature, the amount of foreign additives required for clarification, stabilization and preservation of the wine. The more you get right in the vineyard, the fewer adjustments are necessary in the cellar.

However, it is also acknowledged that a number of winemakers add substances to their wine which they do not openly discuss because they are unique winemaking trade secrets that result in a particular style of wine. This leads to the thorny question that is at the heart of many of the most passionate debates in winemaking circles – just how much secrecy and manipulation is acceptable?

There is no simple answer. It is a grey area and any attempt to alter permissible levels of manipulation is an impossible task. There is a lot of debate concerning the use of wine additives, particularly the newer ones like enzymes and tannins. Consumers want to find out what has gone into the wine, learn how they are used and to what effect. Producers seem hesitant to disclose exactly how their wines are made. Perhaps they are afraid to shatter the popular conception is that wine is a relatively “natural”, additive-free product. The winemaker’s tool kit is full of legitimate modern techniques.

Take yeast, which is needed to get fermentation going. In the old days, wineries relied on natural airborne yeasts to start the ferment. That was notoriously unreliable and often resulted in disaster. Most wineries today use a wide variety of cultured yeasts, specifically manufactured to help the winemaker control the ferment and get the desired results. The high temperatures in a number of countries often result in super-ripe grapes full of natural sugars. Without the addition of some natural acid, the wines would be sweet and flabby and lack structure and balance in such climates. Some ingredients that are added, like egg whites, activated carbon and bentonite used in fining, eventually sink to the bottom of the barrel and are removed in the winemaking process. The addition of sugar to raise alcohol levels in fermentation is a common practice in some countries, although most countries ban it, insisting only natural sugars from grapes is permissible.

The mission of the winemaker is to master the art of using the best help available to make the best wine possible. Even if you have great grapes, you can always make them better by ensuring a kind of balance to the wine and improve upon what the grape may provide.  There are tools available in the hands of the winemaker to achieve his objectives. These can be classified in terms of first, the components from the grape itself – alcohol, acid, tannins, flavours, colours, traces of minerals and enzymes – and in second place, but of equal importance, are the additives and processing aids which facilitate the clarification, stabilisation and long-term ageing of the wine in the bottle.

In recent years, the label on a bottle of wine has undergone more regulatory and creative scrutiny than perhaps any label on any other commodity. Any new label must pass from the Wine Products Council that controls wine production as well as the various government agencies controlling importation and sale in every country where the wine is distributed. However, the pressing question is whether the compulsory ingredient labelling of wines actually removes the possibility of adding illegal substances?

It is apparent that producers who are adding illegal substances to their wine are unlikely to advertise the fact on their label. In addition, there are substances that are used for wine processing such as casein, bentonite, PVPP and carbon that eventually are removed or filtered out and do not have to be declared on the label. Furthermore, labelling of sulphur content as opposed to merely stating that the wine in question contains sulphites would not be practicable. Existing regulations are based on the total sulphur content, but it is the free sulphur which is offensive and this is measured at the time of bottling. However over time, the free sulphur component changes and by the time it is actually consumed, its quantity is reduced.

It should be clarified here that using additives in winemaking and adulteration and fraud are two different things. The wine trade has been marked with fraud throughout its history. The variability and value of wine have traditionally made it a target for unscrupulous operators, as catalogued in the literature of wine. The long human chain stretching from grower to consumer affords many opportunities for illegal practices. It is important to remember, however, that at various times the law has viewed the same practices differently, sometimes condoning, sometimes condemning them. What we today know as adulteration, our ancestors may have classed as a legitimate part of the winemaking process.

The simplest and most obvious form of adulterating wine is to add water. This is not necessarily fraudulent. In Ancient Greece, for example, no civilized man would dream of drinking undiluted wine, and even today, wine made from extremely ripe grapes may achieve better balance if slightly diluted. The practice becomes illegal when done surreptitiously to cheat the consumer.

Another means of stretching wine is to “cut” or blend it with spirits or other (usually poorer quality) wines. Bordeaux merchants in the 18^th century cut fine clarets with rough, stronger wine imported from Spain , the Rhone, or the Midi to increase profits, but also because it was genuinely believed that the resulting fuller-bodied concoction was more to the English taste. Similarly, merchants in 18^th century began to adulterate port with brandy. The systematization of this process by the Portuguese government eventually led to an accepted method of “adulteration” lawful to produce port as we know it today. One particular method of altering the nature of wine remains controversial; the addition of sugar during fermentation to increase the eventual alcoholic strength, known as chaptalization after the French minister Chaptal, who gave it respectability at the beginning of the 19^th century.

Wines were also fabricated from raisins. In the 1880s and 1890s, the disease of phylloxera led to a serious shortage of wine in France . In response, a thriving industry manufacturing wine from imported raisins sprang up on the Mediterranean coast. During the American Prohibition in the 1920s, various methods were contrived to circumvent the law by producing wines at home from raisins, dried grape “bricks” and tinned grape concentrate (using techniques common to home wine-making today). Although other fruits were often the basis of these concoctions, “wine” was sometimes completely manufactured from a mixture of water, sugar, dyes, and other chemicals, as has reputedly (and mysteriously in an era of wine surplus) been known in more recent times.

One of the most common forms of fraud does not involve any doctoring or fabricating of the wine, but merely the label. Once a region made a name for its wines, others tried to steal it. From the 19^th century, vine-growers have fought for the legal apparatus to protect their names.

Illegal practices frequently hurt the grower and merchant. Once the reputation of a wine has been jeopardized, economic hardship may result. The flagrant adulteration of port in the 18^th century resulted in a rapid and dramatic fall in demand. The Portuguese government stepped in and formed a state company to control the trade.

Consumers, growers, and merchants are not alone in trying to prevent adulteration and fraud. Local authorities and governments have fought it. Regulations and legislation have been passed for many reasons: to protect the consumer, to preserve the good name of the local wine, or to facilitate taxation.

In medieval London , it was illegal for tavern owners to keep French or Spanish wines in the same cellar as those from Germany to prevent mixing or substitution. A vintner found selling corrupt wine was forced to drink it, then banned from the trade. German punishments of the time were more severe, ranging from beatings and branding to hanging.

In France , between 1870 and 1914, the business world was very concerned with the increase in “fraud” and “counterfeiting” in beverages and foodstuffs. Certain Australian estates had added tannins to its wines, blended red wines with unfermented grape juice and used silver nitrate to eliminate the smell of hydrogen sulphide. Although it appears that no health and safety implications are involved, the practice of adding tannins to colour wine is illegal. Australia ’s success in the market is in some respects due to winemaking “tricks” such as irrigation and the use of additives, both of which are considered illegal practices in the EU.

Italy produces more wine than France or Spain , yet has fewer vineyards than either country. There is speculation that the reason for this phenomenon – the very considerable amount of Italy ’s wine production – is that racketeers have bedevilled the country’s important wine industry by ingeniously simulating the taste, bouquet and appearance of every known type of Italian wine. Using a grizzly variety of waste materials and chemicals, wine is made in as little as eight hours. It is then sold as fake brew to unsuspecting Italians and tourists as the real “vino”.

In a recent investigation at the luxury end of wine, 600,000 bottles of vintage Brunello di Montalcino have been seized by investigators who suspect that Italian winemakers used grapes other than Sangiovese, the only ingredient allowed in the Tuscan wine. The mixing of other grape varieties into Brunello, while posing no health risk, could dent its reputation in valuable export markets.

In 2004, a winery in South Africa was found to have added illegal flavouring to their Sauvignon Blanc to enhance the aroma. Viticultural studies have focused on how aroma compounds develop in the grapes during the annual growth cycle of the vine and how viticultural techniques, such as canopy management, may contribute to developing desirable aromatics in the wine.

Although once rife, adulteration and fraud have been considerably rarer in the wine trade since the adoption of controlled appellation systems, however there have been examples of contaminants in wine, both deliberate and accidental. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult and, just possibly, less rewarding as wine consumers become ever more sophisticated and more concerned with inherent wine quality than the hierarchy of famous names. Consumers may with justification feel that the wine trade has attracted more than its fair share of charlatans because fraud in any field in which expertise is difficult to acquire and viewed with suspicion (such as wine and fine art) attracts more media attention than most other types of commercial fraud.

Despite all the controls and regulations, as recent incidents have revealed, it is all too easy for wine to be less than natural. Wine bears the dual weight of romantic imagery and consumer demands for consistent quality. So while a range of additives and processing aids may be used to produce great wine, it is important not to lose sight of the end game. Winemakers aim to make the best wine possible and carefully consider each step of the process.

Wine laws exist in virtually all wine producing regions or countries that outline which sorts of manipulations are acceptable and which are not. The danger with too much technology is that it gives winemakers too many tools to manufacture their wines in such a way that all wines begin to taste alike, and variations in vintage and terroir expression could eventually diminish.

Grapes have a direct relationship to the soil and location they come from. Part of the appeal of wine is that it is a “natural” product, rich in culture and local tradition. Consequently, all additives and processing aids should be judiciously used and closely monitored. A sensible winemaking policy is only to add something if not adding it is going to compromise wine quality, and then only add as little as possible.

Wine News and Information

Tina, Nancy and Frank Sinatra Jr. are banking on the fact that 2007 was a “very good year” (possibly even a classic one) for Napa Cabernet as they announce the launch of the Sinatra Family Estates Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, made in partnership with winemakers John Schwartz and Danielle Price. Unlike some other celebrity wine packagers (we’re looking at you, Rolling Stones and Savanna Samson), the winemakers have shown a rare level of restraint with the bottle’s label, choosing to print the phrase “Come Fly With Me,” rather than a clichéd image of the late crooner. The wine is only available in six-bottle cases, and each case includes a recording of Sinatra’s 1957 Come Fly With Me album. Eagle-eyed celebrity wine watchers will note that this isn’t the first wine to capitalize on Sinatra’s enduring legacy, though the Cab Frank Sinatra California 2001 (whose winemakers are not involved with the current Sinatra wine project) was rated just 77 points in a Wine Spectator blind tasting.

• On 3 October, Greenpeace volunteers will bare all in a Burgundy vineyard to raise awareness about the effects of global warming on winegrowing. According to the organization, each year vintners have to deal with increasingly early harvest dates, hailstorms and heat waves, all brought about by climate change. The symbolic event will be immortalized by New York-based photographer Spencer Tunick who has staged mass nude artworks worldwide over the past 15 years. The owner of the vineyard, yet to be publicly revealed, is fond of Tunick’s work and has even participated in one of his living sculptures in Lyon back in 2005. “As an artist, many of my experiences viewing art in galleries and museums have been connected to the party and social gathering, intertwined with the consumption of wine for pleasure,” said Tunick. “Bringing attention to wine will bring attention to other vegetation that is being affected by climate change in other areas.”

• Apparently, there’s a reason moderate drinkers are happy to have a glass or two of wine per night, according to a new study published in the medical journal Addiction. On the other hand, the research found that abstaining from alcohol is associated with an increased risk of depression. Scientists from health centres and psychiatry institutes in Norway and England looked at data from more than 38,000 individuals who provided information on drinking habits and mental health as part of the former country's Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. After looking over the information, the scientists noticed that non-drinkers were 34% more likely to report feelings of anxiety and 52% more likely to report feelings of depression than those who drink alcohol in moderation. Abstainers (former drinkers who have quit) are even more likely to get depressed, they report. The U.K.-based press release did offer some insight, theorizing “in societies where some use of alcohol is the norm, abstinence may be associated with being socially marginalized or particular personality traits that may also be associated with mental illness.”

Monolithos Monthly News

September and October are the busiest months for the wine villages of Cyprus . Many vineyards are in the middle of harvest season and all wineries are busy with receiving, crushing, pressing and fermenting the year’s fruit. As all volunteer pickers who kindly offered their help to our winery for this year’s harvesting will admit, this is a back-breaking, hand-intensive labour. However it is one of the most important factors influencing the quality of the wine.

The day starts just before sunrise. Harvesting is done when it’s cool. So, that means that the grapes are picked early in the morning by hand. Unripe and damaged fruit is left in the vineyard. The fruit is then transported directly to the winery as quickly as possible to avoid any undesirable oxidation of the grape juice that can occur once it has been exposed to air. They then go into a crusher/de-stemmer that removes the stems, leaves, etc. from the grapes. The winemaker makes sure that the grapes go through fermentation and that the whole process goes smoothly. It is a busy time, so it is typical to be working at the vineyard and the winery from early morning to past midnight. We at Monolithos are most grateful to the various groups of pickers for their valuable help, as well as for the social gathering which followed with talking, joking, laughing and, best of all, feeling fulfilled with the knowledge that we had accomplished a job well done.

Over the past 10 years, we at Monolithos Winery have established that the role of the grape grower and winemaker constitutes a synergistic continuum. Quality improvements can only be realised by a feedback loop between winemakers and growers. Hard work and experiments in the winery have informed growers about which are the most suitable varietals grown at different sites, resulting in a profound improvement in fruit quality and consequently wine quality.  This communication has provided us with new options, such as our recent wine additions of Shiraz and Merlot. Of course, certain attributes depend on the vintage year. In a great year, the grapes, must and fermented juice are treated as gently and as little as possible and the job at the winery is less stressful.

However, independently of the year, it is widely acknowledged that the winemaker can have a great influence over the final product. This is easy to verify. If you ever taste five or six wines made from basically identical fruit from the same location, you will discover that differences can be profound. Style matters. All six wines can be equally good, but most likely you will have strong preferences based on winemaking style.

Concluding, next time you have a glass of wine, remember all the hard work that goes into cultivating, pruning, inspecting, weeding, spraying, managing a vineyard, harvesting, crushing, pressing and processing the wine until the final product is in your glass.

Currently, all tanks at the winery are full and fermentation is nearly completed. All wines of the 2008 vintage are available. If at any time you are passing near the village of Pachna and wish to visit the winery or sample any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his “Fig Tree Villa” in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25-816212 or 99-165995.

Regards from all of us here at Monolithos and always remember:

"A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover."

Clifton Fadiman