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Taste
of the Danforth is not all Greek to me!
In fact, Greek drinks are hard to find!
©
Michael Vaughan 2006
National Post
Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday,
August 12, 2006
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With
all the weekend happenings in Toronto, I am trying to plan ahead and
figure out what to drink and where. First, there is Taste
of the Danforth (see www.tasteofthedanforth.com
to check out this event). I touch base with the event publicist; I am told
that the Skyy Vodka Martini Lounge and
the Dandurande wine garden are this
year's beverage sponsors. While I like this American grain vodka, what
does a vodka martini have to do with dining on the Danforth? According to
the website, Taste supposed to
be "a celebration of Hellenic cuisine and Hellenic culture".
If that's the case, then surely they should feature some of the great
Greek mixed drinks based on inexpensive Mataxa
Brandy and/or the intense, licorice-flavoured Ouzo
12?
As for the 28 wines being served by Dandurande, my suggestion is that you buy a wine "passport" at $8, which will give you a chance to taste five different wines. Keep in mind, however, there isn't a Greek product in the group.
Great Greek Beer
Moving
on to a staple beverage for Greek cuisine: beer. My favourite Mythos
Hellenic Lager (516252 - $1.70 per 330 ml
bottle), which has been praised in previous columns, is nowhere to be
found. Instead, I am told that the most popular brews in Greece are
Heineken and Amstel Light. And so we have three beer gardens paid for by
Molson with all revenues going to the local Greektown BIA (business
improvement association) all serving non-Greek brews. Perhaps this is a
good thing because those wishing to taste the real thing can visit the
various Greek restaurants lining the venue.
Greek Wine Finds
Not
to be outdone, there is even an Ontario wine & jazz garden featuring
Reif, Vincor (Inniskillin) and Black Prince wines at $7.50 a glass. Just
when I was about to give up all hope, I discovered that there will
actually be a Greek wine garden. Organized just four days ago, I am
pleased to report that you will be able to taste Domaine
Dereskos 2005 Chardonnay (642454 - $13.95),
which was last week's Vintages release highlight, along with another
worthwhile white Santo
2005 Assyrtico Santorini (627760 - $15.95) also
from Vintages. A 5-ounce glass goes for $6. To match grilled meats should
try the newly-listed Ampelou
Gis 2002 Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon (619593)
at $13.95 on the general list.
For some discerning diners, much of the street food fails to live up to expectations. Many incorrectly believe that a shish kabob (meat on a stick), aka souvlaki, was invented in Greece. In fact, it originated in Asia. This relative newcomer is named after "kalamaki" meaning stick. It is the gyro, which is also confusingly referred to as souvlaki, that is the real Greek invention. A terrific website to check various dishes is greecefoods.com Those wanting to get a real taste of Greece should visit Mezes Restaurant (mezes means taste) at 456 Danforth, which has the best Greek wine list in the country.
While
this massive street party is fun, you might want to consider doing your
own thing in your garden, cottage or campground. Kick things off with a
frosty glass of 2004
Kouros Patras (144584) at $9.10 with a 75-cent
LTO (limited time offer). Move quickly, because it (along with thousands
of other LCBO items) jumps from $9.85 to $10 next Monday due to the recent
increase in federal excise tax. Made from the indigenous Roditis grape,
here is a dry, light, crisp, wide-appeal quaffer with fresh honeydew melon
flavours.
As
for buying the best Ouzo on the market, you can forget about Plomari
Ouzo (721050) at $22.95. This Vintages selection
is supposed to appear twice a year, but the LCBO dropped the ball and this
summer's order never materialized. "It's the height summer demand and
the phone has been ringing off the hook" says importer Alex Patinios
and says that it will be not be reappearing until the end of October. In
fact, if you are really desperate there are a few bottles left in a few
Vintages outlets.
Exclusive Destination Website Update
Palace Restaurant & Consignment Greek Wines
Last Wednesday I was able to check out
The Palace Restaurant, a fine
family-owned establishment at 722 Pape Avenue (just a bit north of
Danforth) that has been going strong since 1983. I dined with sommelier
John Hadjis, who is the owner's son, has worked in the restaurant since he
was 14. He is an extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable wine lover. Joining
us was importer Steve Kriaris whose company Kolonaki Group accounts for
some of the best Greek wines available in Canada.
I was impressed many of the dishes served especially
Octapodi Skaras
($12 - grilled octopus topped with olive oil, lemon and oregano, served on
a bed of organic greens), 
Hot Mezze Platter ($14 - four classic hot
appetizers, calamari, grilled octopus, loukaniko and bifteki), Cold Mezze
Platter ($12 - tzatziki, taramosalata, melitzanosalata, kalamata olives
and pickled beets served with pita bread) and Sea Bass/Tsipoura ($21 -
broiled whole with herbs and extra virgin olive oil served with roasted
potatoes and market fresh vegetables). I strongly suggest that you give
Palace a try. To see the full Palace menu and wine list click here
They have some terrific Greek wines at reasonable prices. The house
white Skouras 2005 Cuvée
Prestige, at $25 ($6 a glass) can't be beat. It
is dry and well balanced with very gently spicy, ripe lemon-melon flavours
with hints of pear on the tangy finish. This fine blend of Moscofilero and
Roditis from the Peloponnese is delightful and is one of the best values I
have come across in quite some time.
Even better is the well-structured, flavourful
Gaia Estate 2002
Thalassitis ($52 on the wine list). This stunning white comes from
Santorini Island. This 100% Assyritico is made in stainless steel and aged
on the lees for six months. It has bright, lime lemon and wintermelon
flavours that take on Chablis nutty notes when allowed to breathe.
Absolutely first class, there are a number of vintages available at the
restaurant.
If you want a great value red, try
Skouras 2005 Cuvée Prestige at $25
($6 a glass), which is a perfect partner to the white mentioned above. If
you are looking for something special, Papaioanniou Estate 2000 from the
Nemea region of the Peloponnese. This old vines estate 100% Agiortiko (aka
St. George) has a truly classic nose reminiscent of a great Bordeaux. It
is bright, slightly spicy and well structured with ripe plum flavours and
just a hint of garrigue on the lingering finish. A bargain at $68!
Owner/winemaker Thanassis Papaioannou has 52 ha and was one of the
pioneers of this region. His wines have great finesse.
Finally, those wanting to explore the fine wines of Greece should contact importer Steve Kriaris at 416-630-7392. You can check out his website at www.kolonakigroup.com
The only recently published book on Greek wines is the 486-page hardcover The Wines of Greece by the first Greek MW, Constantinos Lazarakis. As part of the voluminous Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library series, it sells for $26.76 at chapters.ca (vs. $50 list). Although it is a bit dryish, it is indispensable to anyone trying to understand Greek wines.
Other Happenings
Moving south to the slightly cooler climes of Harbourfront, we have the Hot & Spicy Food Festival, which continues until Sunday. I had hoped that there might be some great drinks on hand, but alas pickings are slim. No thirst-quenching tastings of Caribbean brews, tequila and/or rum-based drinks! There are 20 cooking demos, 6 music concerts, 5 dance performances, 6 films, 2 performance art shows and 2 make-and-take projects for the kids - but nada on drinks front. My suggestion: try the fresh coconut water sold at Joe's Fresh Fruits and Coconuts. Bring your own cold milk to quell the burning mouth blues.
You won't have to worry about what to drink at the annual Toronto Festival of Beer, which offers over 200 major, macro and micro brews from the palest pilsners to the deepest stouts. Held at Historic Fort York, tickets are $30 today and $25 Sunday and include five 4-oz tasting vouchers (each additional voucher is $1). For information go to thebeerstore.ca
Out of town, today's Hillebrand Blues at the Winery is sold out, while some tickets remain for Sunday, August 13th Canadian Smooth Jazz and Wine featuring Rick Emmett at Chateau des Charmes in Niagara-on-the-Lake, starting at 2 pm. Tickets $35.00 - call 1-866-234-2360.
Pick of the Week
Greek owner Konstantinos Tsolis planted Cabernet Sauvignon in Messinia in the mid-1980s. The newly-listed
Ampelou Gis 2002 Tempranillo Cabernet
Sauvignon (619593) at $13.95 is the second most expensive Greek
wine on the general list. This blend of 60 Tempranillo and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon has been aged in oak for 8 months. Look for a complex, earthy,
baked cherry-plum nose. On the palate, it is dry and rustic with robust, lingering, roasted plum
and tangy sun dried tomato flavours. Try with a rare bbq rib
steak.
LCBO Delisting Sale
This coming Monday, August 14th will be the start of the latest LCBO General List Delisting Sale. This time prices on 29 products will be reduced, with discounts varying from 11% to 34%. National Post readers click here to see the list of products on sale.
2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2006
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