Metaxa Shop

Dear readers a new entry for the first all Metaxa Shop.Find all the Metaxa products available with woldwide shipping options and secure payments via Paypal.

Here is the link :

http://www.metaxa-shop.com

Kind Regards

Benjamin Deneke

Examiner.com About the Greek wines

While Greek wines haven’t made big headlines in recent years, Greece has a long vinous history dating back 4,000 years and is actually considered to be the birthplace of food and wine as a culture. Among its more well-known wine exports is Retsina, which owes its unique flavor to its infusion with pine resin. While not most people’s preference, traditionally, this process actually served a purpose, acting as a preservative and preventing oxidation long before the advent of refrigeration and other modern technology. Other additives, such as opiates, were also common in ancient Greece, which gave rise to those bacchanalian parties. As further evidence of its forward thinking, Greece also pioneered the concept of using specific vessels for specific wines long before Riedel crafted his first crystal stemware. Moreover, antique amphorae also sported the first wine labels, with seals indicating the vintner, vintage, etc

But, it wasn’t until more modern history that Greece has once again become a world class producer of wine. Previously, wines were high in alcohol, low in acidity and prone to oxidation due in part to poor winemaking, high yields and over-oaking. Conversely, today, Greek wines are clean and fresh, with balanced structure and acidity and are quite food friendly. Combining Old World tradition with New World technology, many producers are using indigenous grapes grown at low yields and applying new technologies such as refrigeration to produce high quality wines.

Geographically, Greece resembles an outstretched hand, reaching into the water. Located within the Mediterranean Sea, Greece is a country primarily made up of volcanic islands and qualifying as the third most mountainous country in Europe. Not surprisingly, this is a country whose vineyards are made up of small plots of land with ancient soils, in isolated areas and at high elevations (among the highest in the world, second only to Argentina). Given its maritime location, it has a Mediterranean climate, with a heavy influence from the sea. In fact, low rainfall plagues most of Greece, with moisture coming from fog instead.

Home to over 300 indigenous grapes that have been cataloged, Greece provides great diversity and originality in its wines. Yes, you can find the usual suspects – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – but more importantly, and more significantly, are grapes such as Roditis, Assyrtiko, Agiorghitiko and Xinomavro.

Amidst the Aegean Islands, Santorini seems like an unlikely place for wine production. Here, soils are a mix of volcanic and minced rock while the climate is extremely dry and windy, so much so that vines must be trained low to the ground in a circular pattern, resembling a woven basket. Yet despite this inhospitable climate, Assyrtiko thrives, producing wines with vibrant acidity and minerality that develop a beautiful richness over time. Among other whites, Athiri grapes are grown in Rhodes and Santorini, providing wines with low acidity, good weight and high aromatics. Roditis is the grape best known for the wines from Patras, which are elegant, light white wines, displaying notes of citrus flavors.

Red grape star Agiorgitiko provides dark color and soft tannins and results in wines with a roundness and balance similar to Pinot Noir. Found in Nemea (the largest red wine appellation in Greece), on the Peleponnese, these wines can be aged and have nice acidity and good aromatics. Another well-respected red variety is Xinomavro, which loosely translates as sour black. This grape is grown in Naoussa within the region of Macedonia, and is responsible in part for the blend in Rapsani on Mount Olympus.

Greece is also known for its dessert wines. Mavrodaphne grapes are generally used to produce sweet, fortified wines that are similar in style to ruby Ports. Other sweet Greek wines include Muscats of Samos as well as those from Rion and Patras, with notes of apricot, honey, orange peel and spice.

The wine renaissance taking place in modern Greece is long overdue, but well worth the wait. And, just in time, too, as Greek food has become an important trend in Metropolitan restaurants. In fact, in recent years, one magazine declared that “octopus is the new calamari.”  But, regardless of what you order, Greek wines are food friendly wines that can pair easily with a wealth of cuisines. And, with your newly acquired knowledge, reviewing a list of Greek wines should no longer have you saying, “It’s all Greek to me.”

source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5719-NY-Wine-Shopping-Examiner~y2009m9d9-Its-all-greek-to-me

IamaTrade Group network of wine sites

IamaTrade Group who owns Iama Wine Store among other wine sites , announces the new Greek online shop with the name Athens Wine Store.

This site is still under construction but soon it will be ready to lounge.Athens Wine Store is being prepared only for the Greek market and therefore the only language will be Greek.Iamatrade Group has created that site because of the growing requests of Greek consumers that claim not to be able to locate their favorite wines at all times in good prices and service.

The Athens Wine Store will have about 80 Greek wineries listed with their wines , a huge number of premium spirits from all over the globe and selected imported French , Italian, German, United States ,Chile , New Zealand and more wines.

The target of IamaTrade Group  is that the site will be ready for the winter holidays with amazing gift boxes that are already in stock and stunning Xmas offers that will blow the “competition” away!

IamaTrade Group has a very big share on all Greek wine related keywords that generate traffic from the web mainly by Google ,Bing ,Yahoo and more

By the end of the year the first up to date Greek wine portal will be lounged by IamaTrade Group.

The Greek wine portal called “Greekwine.biz” will be a website that will allow wine producers to comment on their wines and also visitors will be able to ask or review on them.The plan is to bring the Greek wines as simple as we can to the international wine market.A small group of Greek sommeliers are already informed of the idea and are very happy about it, they will be able to have their own space on the site to post thoughts and suggestions.The main character of the site will be informational and less commercial.

Iama Wine Store listed in the one-millionpounds.com website

The one-millionpounds.com website launched 48 hours ago, and Iama Wine Store is listed…

We hope that this website will have the half of the onemilliondollar.com website success.

We will see what the future has to show.

Best Regards

Benjamin Deneke

Iama Wine Store, wine tasting on the 6th of June 2009

Here are some picture of our event.We would like to thank all the people attenting our wine tasting.We have wine tastings in our store every Saturday all summer long.

The wines tasted …

Atlantis white(Santorini) – Estate Argyros Assyrtiko (Santorini) – Domaine Sigalas Santorini – Chardonnay Lantides – Lantides Rodochous Rose (Peloponissos) – Cava Lantides (Peloponissos) – Chateau de Tinge (Loire France) – Domaine Sigalas Vinsanto (Santorini).

Kind Regards

Benjamin Deneke

Iama Wine Store in Oia Santorini

New York stores, restaurants must pay more taxes on wine that’s already been purchased

Cazenovia, NY — Richard Hubbard paid an excise tax when he bought a bottle of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild French Bordeaux for The Brewster Inn 24 years ago.

Now the state wants Hubbard and other retailers and wholesalers to pay an additional excise tax on the bottles they already own.

The one-time excise tax is called a “floor tax.” The state says its purpose is to equalize the excise tax rate across all of the inventory on the floor of a store, restaurant or warehouse.

Hubbard calls it illegal, even though New York and other states have enacted such taxes before. The state’s most recent floor tax was on cigarette inventories when taxes increased, said Matt Anderson, speaking for the Division of the Budget.

 

Even so, Hubbard said the tax is unfair.

“We bought it once from a state-controlled place. We paid the tax. There’s no way (the state) can come back and say we made a mistake and we need to charge you more money,” he said.

The floor tax, last used on wine in 1989, prevents retailers and wholesalers from buying wines under the wire to avoid paying the higher tax, and makes the tax consistent across all inventory, Anderson said.

The tax increase works out to about 2 cents on the average bottle of wine and 1.5 cents on a six-pack of beer, he said.

The state notified retailers and wholesalers to inventory their beer and wine as of May 1 and pay the increased tax on the amount.

Hubbard would not say how much the tax, which he must pay by July 20, will cost his restaurant.

Chuck Pascale said he will need to write a check for thousands of dollars to cover the floor tax for the inventory in the six liquor stores and restaurants he co-owns in the Syracuse area.

“It’s like we’re getting nickeled and dimed by Albany,” he said. “We paid it once and now you’re coming back and charging us again?”

Adding to the headache, the state calculates the tax based on gallons, while sellers measure wine metrically in liters, Pascale said.

–You can contact Charley Hannagan at 470-2161 or channagan@syracuse.com

Vinitaly 2009

VINITALY – ANOTHER RECORD FOR INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITORS

 

Figures indicate 45,000 international professional operators (even better than the record attendance of 43,000 set last year) from more than 110 countries. Preliminary closing results indicate more than 150,000 visitors: with one in three international. Vinitaly expressed its solidarity with the Abruzzo Region and its exhibitors, and also confirmed its availability to promote effective action in support of the people struck by the earthquake.

 

Verona, 6 April 2009 – Another record for international visitors at Vinitaly. So much so that the 43rd edition has been defined by exhibitors as the most surprising and important ever.

The most important International Wine Exhibition closed today with 45,000 international operators (the absolute record for the event) compared to 43,000 last year.

Attendance was confirmed from more than 110 countries and closing data indicate an overall attendance total in excess of 150,000 visitors; There were about 4,200 exhibitors from around thirty countries, occupying a net area of 91.000 thousand square metres. Impressive figures also for journalists, with more than 2,400 from around fifty countries.

“VeronaFiere and Vinitaly,” said Luigi Castelletti, President of VeronaFiere, “express profound solidarity to producers from Abruzzo attending the event and the Abruzzo Region as a whole for the dramatic earthquake that struck their homeland. We are extremely willing to promote effective action in support of people struck by this tragedy”.

In commenting the results the event Piero Antinori – President of Marchesi Antinori and the Italian Quality Wine Major Brands Institute – said “there was excellent attendance and a great deal of interest among operators. It can safely be said that we saw an atmosphere that was far better than expected, with the sensation that Vinitaly 2009 may truly represent a turn-around in current trends”.

“Vinitaly,” said Gianni Zonin, “is increasingly establishing itself as the world landmark for wine and I am very satisfied by this edition of the exhibition. The Vinitaly World Tour also plays an important role for the internationalisation of the exhibition and to launch Italian wine-makers in new market niches.”

“Given the current situation,” said Antonio Virando, export manager at Tasca D’Almerita, “it was natural to expect a low-key Vinitaly – yet on the other hand it fully confirmed its status as a business exhibition. I saw many international operators interested in continuing investments in order to be ready when the economic recovery gets underway. As far as we are concerned, this was the best Vinitaly ever.”

An optimal summary was also expressed by Michele Bernetti  of Umani Ronchi, with “very good attendance by international operators, in particular from South America, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Seoul and Japan”.

The exhibition was also positive for Castello Banfi and  Enrico Viglierchio, who highlighted “optimal attendance by national and international operators, the latter in particular from Europe and Asia. There was a drop, as was to be expected, from the USA, although our main partners of course attended the appointment.”

Important, qualified and serious contacts were seen in particular with Scandinavian countries, China and even Aruba for Anna Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo. “We saw not only enthusiasm but also no requests for lower prices and discounts: this is a sign of a healthy market.”

“Even better than last year,” was the comment on this edition of Vinitaly by Jacopo Biondi Santi, who said he closed more contracts than in 2008, thanks to the very many international operators present.

“In times of economic crisis,” said Pia Donata Berlucchi of Fratelli Berlucchi, “seeing such astonishing and important  attendance by Italian and international operators, importers, retailers and experts in any case experts in the wine sector was truly far beyond every forecast. Negotiations were even more surprising, since these people were ready to launch projects and innovations, with hope and optimism for the near future. An injection of entrepreneurial spirit that stimulates the intellect and a more positive approach.”

Sandro Boscaini,, President of Masi, said “Vinitaly performed very well, especially because of the evident enthusiasm and desire to overcome the crisis – that still has to be monitored but at least today we know its perimeters. The situation is perhaps not so dramatic now and we must not be frightened. Naturally, we saw a drop in attendance by operators from the ‘crisis areas’ (USA, England, Germany and Japan) but our sector still performed well. The last three years,” Boscaini commented, “have been vital for the wine business and inasmuch restructuring was in the air – but the enthusiasm at this Vinitaly was a signal that we can emerge from these difficulties stronger than ever. Over the last few years, we have lived on the borderline luxury of widespread consumption. Now consumers are beginning to say ‘It’d be nice but I can’t’, while wine holds on: a luxury where one can still say ‘It’d be nice and I can’.”

“Vinitaly can by no means cancel the general crisis,” said Fausto Peratoner,  Managing Director of La Vis Cellars, “but despite this there are strong positive signals for the future of wine: from the USA and northern Europe, to countries in the East and Asia; we met buyers from these countries during the exhibition.”

This analysis continues with Emilio Pedron of GIV, who said that the crisis affecting wine more likely arises from a need to re-organise the sector rather than from the international situation.

Moreover,  Antonio Motteran, Director General of Carpenè Malvolti, said “We had meetings with our importers and distributors and an encouraging general situation emerged, since – despite obvious caution over business and sales programmes – 2009 is sustainable and substantially in line with 2008. At times like these, it is much more important to follow up clients and monitor current activities every day rather than to worry about a negative general market situation, that must absolutely must not prevent the search for new ideas, new strategies and new opportunities for growth.”

“Precisely such difficult times put our convictions and our values to the test,” said Vittorio Moretti, owner of Bellavista, Contadi Castaldi and Petra (Moretti Group), “and we must be bold in moving forwards and believing in the progress and growth of the wine sector.”

“The perfect organisational machine at Vinitaly,” said Gianluca Bisol, Director General of Bisol, “managed to astonish us yet again: we hardly expected this year to meet so many professionals and such great international interest from historic markets, such as the USA, Europe and South America and especially from China, Russia and South Korea.”

 

 

 

 

Press release  – VeronaFiere Press Office

Tel.: + 39.045.829.82.42 – 82.85 – 82.10 – 82.90 – 83.78 fax: + 39.045.829.81.13

E-mail: pressoffice@veronafiere.it – www.vinitaly.com

Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2006

A rich, exotic-tasting white, with aromas and flavors of beeswax, apricot, tropical fruits and spice. Very creamy, this is filled with custard notes, which extend on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2012.

Score: 90 Wine Spectator

Release Price: $22

Country: Greece
Region: Greece

Issue: Sep 30, 2007

Designation: Smart Buys

Estate Argyros Vinsanto 1987

Estate Argyros Vinsanto

A very thick and seductive dessert wine from Greece, with rich flavors of ripe apricot, vanilla, spice, cream and honey. Has a beautiful amber color, with a long finish featuring exotic flavors of dried tropical fruits, including mango and hints of ginger. Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani. Drink now through 2020. 20 cases imported. –Kim Marcus

Score: 93 Wine Spectator

Release Price: $130

Country: Greece
Region: Greece

Issue: Nov 15, 2007

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Kim Marcus from WineSpectator about the Greek wines.

Greece boasts a wealth of indigenous grapes with tongue-twisting names that are beginning to deliver very good quality on a consistent basis. In the past few years, the progress of the white wines, such as those made from the Assyrtiko or Moschofilero grapes, has outpaced that of the reds. But that may be starting to change.

A majority of the wines in this report are red. They show distinctive flavors and improving quality. The Xinomavro grape reaches its zenith in the Naoussa appellation of northern Greece; I find better versions are reminiscent of Italian reds from the Piedmont region with elegant fruit flavors backed by fresh acidity.

The Agiorgitiko grape finds its home on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, in the Nemea district near Corinth. The best are medium-bodied and quite juicy.