We arranged to meet at our friend Aris’ house. A place where people from all walks of life seem to congregate, old, young, rich and poor alike. This is where i met Mr. K.
About a year ago Mr. K came for a drink to the Green Frog, the conversation had the usual revolutionary-microeconomic tone. As the wine poured freely he began expressing the idea of having only a few good, local wines from small producers on our menu and thereby being able to give visitors an authentic experience. It was a thought that struck me as a great, honest and positive idea.
Aboard the green machine (mark 2.0) and off we went on our journey down the rabbit hole to find the wine we had talked about all those months ago. Upon our arrival we were greeted first by the big, bear dog and then, the producer, who showed us through to his beautiful porch area overlooking the vineyard, the cellar and those cloudy majestic mountains to the north.
After a brief introductory chat, it was time for the wine. We began with a soft, clear and crisp rose, in which he took great pride in saying he “sacrificed” his pride and joy, the “Avgoustiatis” (a Zakynthian red grape) in order to give the rose its color and I imagine, aroma. Secondly came the Goustoulidi (white), it had a beautiful rounded flavor, not too sharp not too crisp with a hint of sweetness at the end. I remember Mr. K saying, “all we need now is a nice sea bream to go with this wonderful wine”. That’s when I got really excited with the thought of being able to serve this encapsulating experience to our customers this summer coming.
The sun began to set and it was finally time for the pièce de résistance, a deep red slightly fruity and dry wine, the Avgoustiatis. It’s one of those experiences where any words seem underwhelming, a taste, an idea that needed time to grow. After my first, second and third visit I slowly began to understand the magic of this red and the spell of this vineyard under the mountain. The spirit of nature takes over, if you let it, you become one with your surroundings and gain a deep understanding of where it is exactly that you are in this beautiful world.
I very much look forward to sharing this seed with you, and to someday compare the shade giving trees under the blistering sun.