£14.50–£16.25, The Daily Drinker, Maltby & Greek, Strictly Wine
Let's start by unpacking the name. This is a dry red wine made from the Liatiko grape by Nikos Douloufakis, the leading light in the Dafnes region, a PDO in the middle of Crete, in the Heraklio prefecture.
What's interesting about it? Tell me what isn't. It's quite a pale ruby red, medium-bodied and has distinctly fresh acidity and fine, sandy tannins. That's the basic shape that wraps around one beguiling flavour after another – raspberries and savoury, earthy spice on the nose, sweet red cherry and raspberry on the palate, a stony earth note, orange zest and a dab of toffee.
It would appeal to fans of red wines from Etna, Savoie's Mondeuse, Marcillac, lighter styles of Mencía, mountain-vineyard Garnacha, Beaujolais Crus (not least Régnié, Chénas and Chiroubles) and expressive, individual domaine Bourgogne Pinot Noir.
You can drink it on its own, but the fresh acidity, light grip and tapestry of flavours make it versatile with food, as long as you don't overpower it. Smoked duck breast, cured and air-dried hams, wild salmon, rabbit, lightly spiced lamb, duck or quail, and salads are all in its orbit. 13.5%
Douloufakis Winery Dafnios Liatiko 2017, Dafnes, Crete, Greece
£14.50, The Daily Drinker; £16, Malby & Greek; £16.25, Strictly Wine
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