Wine expert Britta Wiegelmann’s monthly recommendation. Today: Tanja Grandits’ sea bass recipe – paired with a distinctive Greek speciality.
It’s easy to feel sorry for Greek wine – forever associated in this country with Udo Jürgens’ eponymous 1974 pop song. So unfair. After all, Greece boasts one of Europe’s greatest – and most unsung – wine-producing traditions. Few other countries are so dedicated to nurturing such a diverse array of ancient indigenous varietals. I for one always have a stash of Greek wine in my cellar. Assyrtiko is my Hellenic favourite – a grape native to the volcanic island of Santorini, where the oldest vines date back up to 200 years. Trained in ground-hugging, basket-shaped fashion to protect the grapes from the wind, Assyrtiko vines are a unique piece of cultural heritage. Assyrtiko is a wine born of the ash, the sea and the southern sun: wild and mineral-laden with iodine and salty notes along with a refreshing, juicy citrus personality – characteristics that make it the ideal accompaniment to Tanja Grandits’ herb-inflected lime and green-tea sea bass recipe. Taste it yourself – then listen to that Udo Jürgens song if you’re that way inclined.