A Greek Bearing Gifts: The Many Talents Of The Moschofilero Grape | Hannah Crosbnie On Drinks

Greek wines get a batch of praise from me, and I’m not going to extremity immoderate clip soon. This week, nan peculiar drum I’m beating has “moschofilero” written each complete it. Yes, mos-ko-FIL-ero, because this is simply a grape assortment to research if you’re aft a caller vino that tin beryllium had for very competitory prices.

It’s an ancient grape that’s grown predominantly successful nan Peloponnese and connected the Mantinia plateau, wherever nan cool ambiance and mean elevation thief this delicate grape ripen. While nan wines it makes are agreed by a dependable acid, they tin besides scope from nan intensely aromatic to nan cleanable and zesty.

So, what’s it like? I tin comparison it to a fewer things, which I ever find adjuvant to my knowing of immoderate grape. First, overmuch for illustration pinot grigio/pinot gris, moschofilero has a gorgeous, sunset-pink skin, contempt it being a achromatic grape. This intends that, erstwhile nan vino is near successful interaction pinch those skins, it turns a gorgeous blush pink. While specified wines are marketed arsenic rosés, technically they’re really orangish wines, because they’re produced pinch achromatic grapes.

The different grape I’d comparison it to is gewürztraminer, which is to say, moschofilero is besides utilized to make intensely aromatic whites: deliberation roseate petals, blossoms, jasmine, chromatic fruit, et cetera, et cetera. That’s why it’s known arsenic a chameleon grape, a explanation that hints astatine its versatility and nan galore styles it tin beryllium utilized to produce, which is conscionable 1 logic modern sommeliers emotion it so.

Emily Acha Derrington, who helped create nan vino database for London’s smash deed Greek Oma (she’s now vino purchaser astatine Manteca), attests to its shapeshifting qualities: “It tin beryllium successful much than 1 class connected a edifice list, truthful it’s perfect for playing astir pinch different styles to find what useful pinch nan nutrient you navigator astatine home.”

As a achromatic wine, it has an acidity that useful good pinch herby starters and Greek-style flaky filo pastries, but erstwhile it’s pink, it goes pinch lighter nutrient dishes, specified arsenic lamby salads. Emily’s favourite, however, is erstwhile it’s turned into an orangish vino pinch much tegument interaction than accepted ray rosés: “They tin beryllium rather powerful, some successful position of colour and successful tannin texture, but nan pithy orangish aromatics equilibrium truthful good pinch nan savoury, tea-like hints and barren finish.” These are wines that activity particularly good pinch chargrilled skewers, zesty salads and dips pinch breadstuff for mopping them up.

Those who bargain their vino astatine nan supermarket will beryllium pleased to study that a fewer of nan large boys person astatine past embraced moschofilero arsenic portion of their own-label ranges (I propose a mates below), but if you’re keen to shop independent, past whitethorn I urge master retailer Maltby & Greek, which doesn’t person conscionable moschofilero aliases moreover conscionable Greek wines, but besides oliva oil, cheese, nutrient and breads.

Four faces of moschofilero

Loved & Found Moschofilero Rosé £9.25 Waitrose, 12.5%. A perfumed pinkish vino pinch lychee and roseate notes.

Bosinakis Mantinia PDO £20 Maltby & Greek, 12.5%. A bone-dry achromatic that’s each blossom and flint.

Other Danaon Gea Moschofilero Blend £13.99 The Wine Flyer, 12%. From a task championing under-represented grapes, this one’s blended pinch muscat and roditis.

Zacharias Moschofilero 2023 £10.50 The Wine Society, 12.5%. A soft and peachy iteration.