Aidani Furmint Nero D'avola Syrah
One of the most ancient of the Greek grape varietals, Aidani has been cultivated on and around the Cyclades for millennia for its versatility and gently pleasing aromatic qualities. Wines made primarily with Aidani grapes tend to have a milder alcohol content than other classic Greek wines, and relatively low acidity. This makes Aidani wines a perfectly pleasant accompaniment to a wide range of traditional Greek foods, and equally pleasant to drink chilled at any time under the Greek sun. Nowadays, Aidani grapes are mostly likely to used as a blending grape, often being mixed with Assyrtiko grapes to balance out and mellow the acidity and high alcohol content found in them.
As a blending grape, the Aidani offers light, delicate floral tones, often reminiscent of a Muscat. On the island of Naxos, it has been traditionally blended with the Athiri grape to produce the island's signature sweet wine, Apiranthos, where the subtleties of the Aidani grape are really allowed to shine through. However, elsewhere in Greece you are far more likely to find the blend of these two distinctive grapes in dry white wines, where the Aidani is used primarily not for its flavor, but for its aroma and mellowing effect.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?
Italy’s largest island, Sicily, has a wine producing history that can put most other European regions to shame. It was producing quality wines before the days of the Roman empire, and even the Ancient Greeks were not the first to cultivate vines on the island. For as long as anyone knows, the key grape varietal of Sicily has been Nero d’Avola, the beautiful, deep blue skinned grape which produces the region’s characterful, powerful red wines. While in the past, Nero d’Avola was mainly used as a blending grape, due to its deep color and intensely full body, it is today being increasingly celebrated as a single varietal wine grape, and is perfect for those who like their wines boisterous, loud and strong.
Nero d’Avola is grown pretty much everywhere on Sicily, as demand for wines made from this grape have never been higher. Despite its power and body, it is quite a versatile grape - it can be aged in oak barrels, which produces a dense and dark wine which puts its intense characteristics to good use, but it is also often drunk quite young, which allows its jammy, plummy character to come forward. It is also used to make rose wines in some appellations of Sicily, demonstrating a softer side to this otherwise heavy, deeply flavorful grape.
Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet's most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn't easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.