An Authority of Greek Wines - Nico Manessis

We've found a true expert in the world of Greek Wine - and his name is Nico Manessis. He's the published authority on Greek wines, having published several books on the subject - and continuing to produce wine reviews, regional Greek wine education and news, and also making unique Greek travel videos along the Greek wine routes.

If you want to know what a true wine expert thinks of a particular Greek wine, breeze through his posts for real reviews and opinion on most Greek wines. For example, this excerpt from his review on Naoussa Diamantakos (read the whole thing here):

...Dark ruby. Slowly opens up to earth, sous bois. It then blossoms to strawberry scents. Cocoa. Depth. Tannins reminiscent of Renato Ratti's Nebbiolos, with increased volume, firework aromatics and an intense palate. "Sweet" strawberry and graphite on the bitter-almond, edgy, rich in glycerol finish. A highly strung thoroughbred. At this juncture, three hours of decanting, and all parts meet in harmony. Serve at cellar temperature. Best 2012-2018.

And with the review, you can find expert writing and opinion on the region, and in many cases - a video or photograph of the winery or area. If you're not a wine expert, or an expert on all things Greek - you will be after perusing his very informative and helpful site.

His book is several years old now, but we're pretty sure the content still holds true, and Mr. Manessis has made it very clear he's not slowing down on touring Greece and testing the wines to produce well-written and informative reviews on all things "Greek Wine".

If you haven't been able to get to Greece yet for a tour of your own, and you're a wine lover - you must check out Nico's site, where you can read up on the Greek wine regions, and view videos of exclusive wineries and wine tastings.

Learn more at Greek Wine World

Ziziki's is Proud to Offer Hahn Wines

Ziziki’s has two wonderful fall wines brought to you from the Hahn Winery in beautiful Soledad,Callifornia. The Hahn winery practices sustainability and is the proud recipient of the SIP Certification for its use of natural farming techniques and use of natural pest controls to maintain a low impact on the environment.

Hahn Winery’s is also a member of the Monterrey Area Green Business Program. Hahn has been in the vineyard business since 1980 and is constantly expanding the wine operation in Monterrey County.

Please come and join us in a glass of Hahn Winery’s Chardonnay or the flavorful Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay is a medium bodied wine with crisp acidity and with subtle layers of peach, pineapple and a touch of vanilla. The Pinot Noir has aromas of dried plums, black currants and cola. On the Palate you will be surprised with hints of black cherry and well integrated oak flavors and vanilla and spice. Each of these wines is a perfect complement to Ziziki’s signature Greek Meat and the very popular Cheese Board. Each of these are regular menu items priced at $18.00 each.

Great Greek Wines

Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, and the origins of winemaking in Greece go back almost 7000 years. The spread of Greek civilization and their worship of Dionysus, the god of wine, helped to spread the love of wine throughout all Mediterranean areas. Greek wines and their varieties were well known and traded throughout the Mediterranean soon after it was discovered, and Hippocrates even used wine for medicinal purposes and gladly prescribed it to anyone in need of some quick help.

The most reputable wines of ancient Greece were Chian, Coan, Corcyraean, Cretan, Euboean, Lesbian, Leucadian, Mendaean, Peparethan wine, Rhodian and Thasian. In 1937, the Ministry of Agriculture established a Wine Institute, which was established to devote time to researching Greek Wine and to preserving and improving the country's winemaking. During the 1960s, Retsina suddenly became the national beverage. Retsina is a Greek white wine that has a unique flavor and is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo Pine resin in ancient times. With rapidly growing tourism, Retsina became associated worldwide with Greece and Greek wine.

How the GREEKS Perfected Wine

Summer wines can be a delicious addition to any summer time meal. Isn’t it nice to sit outside, dine on the patio in warmer weather, enjoy decadent food and sip on a delicate red or white wine while enjoying the company of friends or family?

Wine is a great addition to nearly any meal, but do you know some history behind our favorite
(Greek) beverage?

History tells us that Greece is the 2nd oldest wine-producing region in the world. Early records
indicated that grape wine remnants and evidence of squashed grapes to produce wine began
in Greece nearly 6,500 years ago. Early evidence of wine production, potentially dating back to
the third century BC, was found on the Greek island of Crete, one of the largest islands in the
Mediterranean Sea.

The history of wine and Greece intertwine beautifully.
Early Greek physicians like Hippocrates were said to have prescribed wine for their patients
to treat a variety of illnesses. Trade materials often included Greek wines as currency when
bartering for food, livestock or clothing with others. Religious ceremonies included wine for
communal purposes as well as in large gatherings and celebrations with friends and family.

We’d like to think not much has changed.

Celebrate with Ziziki’s Restaurant for your next special occasion and taste the delicacy of Greek
wine like the popular Cabernet Sauvignon, one of Greece’s first vineyards or try and of our other
popular wines.

So - join us in “studying” history. We’ll have a glass waiting for you.

The History of Happy Hour

The term Happy Hour actually has its roots in Navy slang from the 20s, when the time for the scheduled period of entertainment on-ship was referred to as the happy hour. After the National Prohibition Act was instituted in 1919, speakeasies adopted the term for the hours patrons arrived to drink illegal cocktails prior to eating at restaurants that observed the prohibition. The term then began to be applied to the consumption of illegal liquor before dinner in the home as well.

Happy Hour really kicked into gear thanks to an article in a 1960s Saturday Evening Post issue where the Navy's scheduled entertainment time was mentioned. Bars and restaurants latched onto the concept to increase alcohol sales. 

Typically held between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Happy Hour evolved into an after work event where co-workers would get together at the end of a work day to socialize and relieve stress. Every local tavern and popular restaurant boasted a happy hour of sorts, often offering cocktails at a discount for those hours.

The best Dallas happy hour is here at Ziziki’s is Monday through Friday from 4-6pm. Come blow off some steam with us.

A Little Greek Culture: The Cretan Wine Festival is No More

For years, the Touring Club of Rethymnon, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rethymnon, organized the Rethymnon Wine Festival – a 2-week celebration of Cretan wine, music and dance. You bought a carafe and some glasses, and you could drink as much wine as you wanted, whilst listening to some very good Cretan music and watching some fantastic dancing. Sounds like heaven (or maybe Mt. Olympus), yes?

In 2008 the municipality of Rethymnon made the decision to stop organizing the Wine Festival, at least in the same format.

In 2009 the Wine Festival was re-introduced, but with a completely new identity and format. Then again, in 2012 the identity of the festival was changed-the 1st Cretan Diet Festival was born. 

Now, don’t let the word diet scare you off. This isn’t a festival that centers around diet food. Rather it’s a cultural experience that goes beyond wine and music to include food, crafts and other traditional Greek food products. 

Thinking it’s time to hunt up those tickets to Greece you purchased a while back? Oh. No tickets to Greece? Well, that’s alright. We can give you a taste of Greece here at Ziziki's…bring your appetite!

Mary's Wine PIck

I am always looking for that new unique wine to offer at Ziziki’s and…WOW…you will fall in love with the two wines that we are featuring this week from Patagonia Argentina.  Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and Italy.  Located in the province of Neuquen, is a young and innovative new winery…Bodega NQN…which was established in 2001.  The winery is situated in a modern, chic, low-lying building set into the Patagonian landscape…a setting truly representative of the creativity of owner, Lucas Nemesio, who has an architectural background.  The unique wines NQN is producing from this cool climate in the Southern Hemisphere are truly superb.  When I tasted these wines last month with Lucas, I thought they would be a great match with our flavorful Greek cuisine.

Malma Sauvignon Blanc 2010    $8/glass

This Sauvignon Blanc rivals the best from Marlborough, New Zealand.  It is fruity and crisp with a more rounded mouthfeel and nice acidity on the finish which makes this wine a perfect food wine or just great on a hot Dallas summer day.

Malma Malbec 2009    $8/glass

This malbec has intense red color and aromas of red fruit, fresh raspberry, plum and cherry.  The bright fruit has vanilla hints from its oak aging.  This Malbec has good structure and a slight spice on the finish which stands up well to our great lamb dishes, including our Greek meatballs.

NQN brings the kind of passion to wine that gets your attention…these two wines certainly got my attention!