 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomás Lígas
|
After returning to Greece, he worked for Tsantali, but still was not satisfied. He began his winemaking venture in Goumenissa, but was drawn to the historic Pella, where Phillip ll, father of Alexander the Great, had been the first to cultivate the vine in the region and where, Ligas believes, the terroir is especially deserving of expression. Not far from where a stone tablet, an ancient contract for the purchase of wine, was found in a temple to Dionysos, and within view of an 1851 church financed in its entirety from profits from the sale of wine, he founded a small, picturesque estate among the rolling hills of Pella. "If Burgundy were farther south," he says, "it would be Pella." The Pella region had a profusion of vines until the 20th century. French soldiers encamped along the banks of the Gallikos (French) river in the previous century were pleased to find local wine to their liking. Phylloxera and the draining of a lake that fed the ecosystem and microclimate, however, forced farmers to seek alternate crops. Lígas takes great pride in his efforts to revive winemaking in the region. He produces 60,000 bottles per year, 10,000 from his own property and the remainder from grapes sourced from local growers. "I was pleasantly surprised when all my growers volunteered to farm organically. It created a great model for cooperation and enabled the winery to receive organic certification." We spent a rare, rainy afternoon with Ligas. Although the winery was completed in 1996, a worker was busy doing construction on an area that will soon be a new visitor center. So we moved a table to the landing at the top of the stairs leading to the winery, tasted his wines, enjoyed a traditional Greek lunch and watched the weather descend over the hillsides. The favorite part of his avocation, one suspects, are moments such as these, when he can look out over the land, ponder its history and feed the soul with good food,wine, and company. He seemed entirely satisfied with his life as he inhaled the perfume wafting from the dense patch of rosemary and lavender at the bottom of the steps. Lígas is married to a Frenchwoman and drifts, at times, into perfect French, especially when the universal language of wine is the only solution to a conversational impasse. There is an irony in the proliferation of French influences upon his life: they do not extend, by his own measure, to his wine. Although he employs Merlot, Savignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc, along with native cultivars, he does not strive after French style. He seeks depth over style. "Sauvignon Blanc in France," he believes , "is a fairly empty flavor. I like to give it as much body and personality as possible. It is the Mediterranean way. If wine doesn't go with everyday food, what use is it? Do we have to drink wine only with special foods and on special occasions? At the beginning of this new era, Greeks tried to make French wines. It didn't work. You cannot make French wine in Greece." The wines:
This steel-fermented Roditis is good evidence to support Ligas' assertion that the nearby slopes of Païko produce distinctly different fruit than the better-known neighboring regions. His version is notably less ripe and more complex than Naousan Roditis. His has more subtle aromas. This wine is lively, minerally and woody with a hint of green, both in its appley finish and on the edge of the glass. For all of that it is a soft wine, too, a placid lake with deep waters. Playies Païko 2000 This blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Ugni and Roditis is of solid body, despite medium alcohol. It is an informative wine, in the sense that it pinpoints the distinction Ligas makes between the French and the Greek. For it is not, as this wine proves, a distinction between climates—Pella is firmly within Greece's continental zone. Rather it is the amalgam of latitude, topography and soil that distinguishes central Makedonia from any similar climate in Europe. If anything, I found this wine somewhat alpine. The Sauvignon Blanc in it is intense, but crisp, the Roditis, according to Ligas, is meant to add "tone." This, in keeping with his philosophy, is food wine extraordinaire.
This is a wine of great balance. Fruit is well preserved during oak ageing, to which the effects of oak, limited mostly to pleasant vanilla aromas, are highly complementary. It is rare Chardonnay for Greece, a simple and unpretentious balancing act of primary colors, subtle and unadorned winemaking. Rosé 2000 In the wide spectrum of Greek rosé, this occupies the garden zone. Rosé is the winemaker's true personality test—in Greece and everywhere else. After spending an hour or two talking with Ligas about his botanists appreciation for the earth, nothing in this wine came as a surprise. The fruitful restraint apparent in his whites is wholeheartedly abandoned here. Xynomavro, whose acidity and phenolics produce some of the best rosés I have tasted, is blended with Merlot to create stunning floral aromas and rich fruit of every stripe, a fruit salad of cherries, strawberries and clementine, well supported by ample residual sugar and the soft acidity that is a Ligas trademark. This wine is a party, one to which many colorful characters—but no riff-raff—have been invited. Merlot/Xynómavro 1999 This is a blend of Xynómavro with 55% Merlot. Merlot in neighboring Naousa is increasingly employed to augment middle fruit in the potentially thin Xynómavro. In this case, the tables are turned. The Xynómavro contributes some acidity as well as vinous fruit. This is a remarkably elegant wine, displaying the best features of both varieties. It spends 6-8 months in old oak, though Ligas says he will use new oak next time. It will be interesting to see whether the Merlot is sufficiently dominant to prevent the bad reaction Xynómavro often has with new oak. Ligas, however, has credentials in this department, so we are less concerned than we might otherwise be. Merlot 1998 This wine competes for best Greek Merlot honors. It has good strength (13%) and body to match. It spends 12 months in new oak and 14 months in bottle. It is fruity, but mature, chewy, but ultimately soft. This is precisely the bold, but well-structured wine that appeals to the American palate these days. Ligas' assertions concerning the the viability of Merlot in this region are well supported. Ligas has no grand ambition beyond continuing to hone his facility with Pella terroir and achieving a wider audience for his wines. "I will die poor," he says, "but happy." More than likely, this smart but humble producer will soon be discovered. If things go as we suspect they will, he will at least have a comfortable pension. One future plan of note is the introduction of Asyrtiko to his repertoire. "The slopes of Mount Païko are cool at night, bathed in warmth during the day. I believe Asyrtiko has even more potential here than it does on Santorini." Ligas' skill as a winemaker leaves no doubt that the region's first Asyrtiko will be worth waiting for. By the way, Ligas earns top honors in one other category: supplying us with the best photo opportunity of our trip:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
