Clochard ★ 4.6
Clochard's wine programme anchors its bistronomic identity: monthly menus are written around the cellar's strength rather than the reverse. At Mitropoleos 11.
Wine focus: Greek and French, bistronomic pairings, Xinomavro focus
History
Xinomavro has been cultivated in Macedonia since antiquity; its name means 'sour black' in Greek, describing its high acid and deep colour when young. The Naoussa PDO established quality standards in the 1970s; the contemporary revival by producers including Thymiopoulos and Kir-Yianni has brought international attention to the variety.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1 bottle young Xinomavro (Thymiopoulos Young Vines or Kir-Yianni Paranga)
- 1 bottle aged Xinomavro, 8 to 10 years old (Boutari Grande Reserve Naoussa)
- 200g aged Greek kefalotyri or kasseri cheese
- 200g cured loukaniko sausage, sliced
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
- 200g black Kalamata olives
- 1 loaf country sourdough
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano
Method
- Stand both bottles upright for 24 hours before serving so any sediment settles.
- Decant the aged Xinomavro through a coffee filter into a wide-bottomed decanter 90 minutes before drinking. Decant the young Xinomavro 30 minutes before.
- Both wines serve best at 16 to 18C, slightly cooler than a Bordeaux temperature. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge if the room is warm.
- Slice the cheese into 1cm batons. Arrange on a board with the sliced loukaniko, sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
- Tear the country sourdough into rough pieces, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with oregano.
- Pour 80ml of each wine into Burgundy-bowl glasses. Smell both first without sipping.
- Taste the young wine first. Note the bracing acidity, the tomato-and-olive aromatics, the dusty tannin.
- Move to the aged wine. The colour fades to brick; aromas of dried cherry, leather and orange peel emerge. Sip both with the kefalotyri to see how acid and salt change the wine.
Tip from the editors. Decanting is non-negotiable for Xinomavro. The tannin is aggressive on first pour and needs 30 to 60 minutes of air to soften into the dried-herb profile that defines the grape.
Where to eat xinomavro wine
Xinomavro Wine in Thessaloniki
Super Ioulios ★ 4.6
On a secondary street between the waterfront and the main pedestrian zone, Super Ioulios looks like a neighbourhood coffee bar until 6pm when it becomes one.
Why locals love it: Obscure street, no signage, looks like a coffee shop
Charoupi ★ 4.7
Charoupi runs a Sunday brunch in Ladadika that blurs the brunch-to-lunch boundary in the most satisfying way. At Doxis 4. Booking recommended.
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