Wine is on a streak of success in Greece. Over the last 10 years, a plethora of good wine-bars have appeared all over Greece, while sophisticated restaurants now boast long wine lists of very high standards.
Thessaloniki, which flies the flag for great Macedonian wines, is home to a number of addresses where one can embark on an experience where wine reigns supreme.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki
The Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki hotel has earned the reputation among Thessaloniki’s culinary community and the city’ s visitors as a gastronomic destination for both its excellent restaurant and its wine cellar – one of the most remarkable in the city.
For 20 years, the catalogue has been curated by Athanasios Danis, who, having passed through all levels of the food and beverage departments, became F&B Manager in 2017.
What preparation should someone in charge of the wine cellar of a hotel that sets the bar high do?
“I try to keep up to date with the latest developments in the wine world”, he tells Travel.gr and adds, “Labels-equipment-wineries-exhibitions-competitions etc., so that I have a good overview when it comes to wine and also have an idea of how to put together the hotel’s wine list. Visits to wineries, participation in wine events, but also – almost on a weekly basis here at the hotel – meetings with wine people. Many of the wine events take place here at the hotel’s restaurant, Ambrosia, as we are driven by our love of wine”.
Could you give us a brief overview of the cellar?
“The hotel’s wine list consists of 167 labels from Greek and foreign vineyards of all kinds of white – red – rosé – sparkling – dessert wines and champagnes. We strongly believe that the right choice of wine can turn a meal into a unique experience”.
And what is the rationale behind the choice of labels?
“Before compiling the list, what I have in mind is the following:
To honour the Greek vineyard. That’s why only a small part, 25%, of the labels come from foreign – international vineyards.
Customers reading the catalogue should be able to travel oenologically throughout Greece and taste the variety of the region they want. For example, from the region of Macedonia they can taste a fine Xinomavro, from the Peloponnese an Agiorgitiko, from the South Aegean islands an Athiri, from Crete a Vidiano or a Kotsifali, from Goumenissa a Negoska and many others from all the vineyards of Greece.
We support our country and the region of Macedonia and this shows in the list, which includes a wide variety of wines from Macedonian estates.
The labels of the estates we choose for the list from a particular geographical area, we want them to be the ones that best match the cuisine we offer at our hotel. So, after many tastings, we settle on the label that we feel has more to offer our guests from a gastronomic perspective.
We renew our list twice a year, in April and October, and my idea is to have new labels. More rosés and whites in the summer catalogue and more reds in the winter.
On the last page of the list there is a section dedicated to large bottles, Magnum (1.5 litres) & Jeroboam (3 litres)”.
What is the presence of the foreign vineyards in the cellar of the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki?
“Although it represents a small percentage of the list, one can find wines from France (Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Provence, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Alsace), from Italy (Piedmont, Tuscany, Venice), from Spain (Rioja), from Chile (Rappel Valley), from South Australia and New Zealand (Blenheim), from the USA (California), even from Argentina (indicatively I mention Meursault 1er Cru Perrierew Blanc AOC Albert Grivault & Echezeaux Grand cru Orveaux rouge AOC, Domaine Mugneret & Chateauneuf du Pape Jerome Quiot & La Bastide, Chateau Dauzac AOC & Trapiche OAK Cask, Mendoza & Koonunga Hill, Penfolds).
Of course there are the champagnes too – we have all categories from Veuve Clicquot and Moet & Chandon to Perrier Jouet, Dom Perignion and the legendary Salon “S” Salon Le Mensil”.
Over the years, have you developed some solid partnerships with specific wineries?
Of course! A hotel of such high quality standards as the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki, with a presence of more than two decades, constitutes an important reference point over time and creates long-term partnerships and relationships. This is also the case with wine, wine producers and their estates. For example, the house wine of our hotel is “Politia”, from the homonymous Estate Politia, in Naoussa, while we have excellent partnerships with other renowned wine producers and estates, such as Gerovassiliou, Iatridis with the Alpha Estate, Boutaris, Tsantalis, etc.
But we always want to make space for less well-known estates, which also do remarkable work and people should get to know them better.
All these labels require proper maintenance and management.
“At the hotel we have a constant temperature cellar to better preserve the wines, as there are older date labels, as well as wine preservation systems in the restaurant to ensure that an excellent product ends up the customer’s glass.
The staff after the training is able to provide the necessary information about the wine chosen by the customer and to direct the customer in order to choose the right wine for the selected dish.
For each type of wine we use the appropriate glass and of course we follow the serving sequence of wine, i.e. if the customer chooses red wine we will present it next to him with the trolley, we will pour it into a jug, etc.”
Alfredo’s Grand Dining, Regency Casino Thessaloniki
12th km Thessaloniki – Airport highway, inside the Regency Casino Thessaloniki Reservations: +30 2310 491199
The award-winning Alfredo’s Grand Dining restaurant at Regency Casino Thessaloniki welcomes its customers in a sophisticated and luxurious environment. This is a given, part of Alfredo’s reputation, as is the quality and style of service. There is, however, one feature that reveals the amount of thought and meticulous work that lies behind a restaurant. This is Alfredo’s wine list, one of the top lists available in Greek restaurants today. The label selections have been made in such a way that each region of Greece and the world is represented by its most acclaimed and representative wines.
According to Lina Kotta, F&B Manager of Regency Casino Thessaloniki, “here haute gastronomy meets a wide variety of wines from all wine regions of the world, which transform the restaurant’s creative Mediterranean cuisine into a multi-sensory experience. Alfredo’s Grand Dining’s seasoned oenologists select wines from Greek and international vineyards, often modifying the wine list according to demand and new labels released. After all, our primary goal is to create a wine list that meets the high standards of Alfredo’s Grand Dining. Based on the dishes our guests choose, we recommend the wine that will further enhance their dining experience. The wine list is award-winning with 400 labels from all wine producing regions of the world, fulfilling the wishes of every guest. At Alfredo’s Grand Dining, enjoying a fine wine is affordable, as the wine list includes labels starting at €18”.
Winebars
Alea
One of the oldest wine bars in town, with a fanatical following. Clad in red and black colours, with lots of photos of old actors adorning the walls, it’s very atmospheric and laid-back. Its strong point, however, is its impressive wine list from Greece and abroad, among which you will find many rare and special labels worth trying. Of course, it also offers a number of delicious dishes to accompany your wine. So if you belong to those who love good wine, a visit here is almost mandatory.
112, Isavron street, +30 2310 281614
Souel wine concept bar
Many have described it as a small “treasury” of wine, as its shelves house over 200 labels of Greek and foreign wines. Its relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere makes it one of the favorite places for wine lovers in the city. So come here to enjoy a glass of wine with your friends, forget the burdens of everyday life and have a delicious bite. Of course, wine is the protagonist at the elegant Souel, something that is evident from the very first moment.
16, Pavlou Mela street, +30 2310 262827
Methi bistro & wine bar
One of the most famous wine bars of Thessaloniki, located in Kalamaria. Despite its small size, the wine cellar will definitely impress you. It offers over 500 wine labels (Greek and foreign), many of which are available by the glass. Here, you will also be introduced to the Coravin method, which allows you to taste even the most expensive wine by the glass. Of course, the list does not lack some savoury options to harmoniously accompany your wine.
65, Ethnikis Antistaseos street, Kalamaria, +30 2310 482401
Blé Vin
The first impression you will get is of a small, welcoming space dedicated to wine. But once you enter and discover the staircase leading to the underground wine cellar, you will find that it holds hidden charms. The wines here, which amount to around 300 labels, are sorted by geographical indication. Of these, 50 (more or less) can be ordered by the glass. Interestingly, however, the list changes four times a year, as does the menu, to follow the seasonality.
14, Georgiou Stavrou street, +30 2310 231201
Read also:
Love Thess: Wine tastings and culinary delights in Thessaloniki
Love Thess: 7 top patisseries in Thessaloniki
Love Thess: Apostolos Altanis, the head chef of two top Thessaloniki restaurants
