Masters of Wine in Greece, final countdown

Very few days have been left before 20 members from the Masters of Wine Institute arrive for their visit to Greece (Konstantinos Lazarakis MW and I will be guiding them). The trip is organized by Enterprise Greece (Hellenic Investment and Foreign Trade Company). The program extends from the 28th of September to the 4th of October and includes trips to Athens, Crete, and Santorini. At these three places, vineyards and wineries will be visited, and about 350 wines will be tasted from all wine-producing regions of the country. Athens will be the starting point; they will explore the Attica vineyard and taste wines from areas they will not be visiting. In Athens, they will also be attending an extensive seminar on the Greek vineyard. In Crete, they will investigate Vidiano and Liatiko, will attend a masterclass on new trends in Greek wine and enjoy generous doses of Mediterranean Cretan cuisine. The seven-day voyage will end in Santorini with an intense program that includes visits to vineyards and masterclasses on Santorini wines and the Santorini vineyard. Of course, with detailed tastings of all wines and in every available style.

The 20 Masters of Wine that will visit our country are among the most important people in the field of wine; influential personalities of journalism, commerce, and wine production. Their presence supports Greek efforts in many ways, and definitely beyond the stereotype of what they will be writing about Greek wines or particular wineries, which often mistakenly affects participation and sponsorships. All aspects of Greek wine are touched upon; information is provided about its present and future, together with sincere feedback on the quality level of the wines. Moreover, it opens up all sorts of opportunities to the 125 participating wineries. Since the previous visit of the Institute in 2013, Greek wine has moved up the ladder in terms of quality, marketing and price. It will be interesting to hear their objections, their recommendations, and their preferences seven years after their first visit. These comments will help us improve and spread the fame of Greek wine even more.

I consider the visit of the Institute as a golden opportunity to consolidate Greek wine as the ultimate 'alternative' proposal for someone who is looking beyond the standard options of France, Italy, and Spain. The effort is to take advantage of the influence of these people by communicating the distinctive characteristics of Greek wine, the stories of producers, and the authentic taste the wines have. But, we also have to be honest about our weaknesses.

Tune in to karakasis.mw for daily (as much as possible) up-to-date information in both Greek and English.