104 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018
SOMMFOUNDATION, with the help of The Wines of Greece, gave a
group of sommeliers, restaurant professionals, and wine journalists an
opportunity last year to touch the nest of the wine world. On the Greek
island of Santorini, an adherence to long-held traditions dating back to an
-
cient times means local wines and food continue to be deeply integrated
into the lifestyle there.
Incredibly beautiful and romantic, Santorini is a unique locale of volcanic
origin. The hidden treasures behind its narrow, cozy streets—with their
abundance of small whitewashed houses with blue windows and doors
the color of seawater—are the ancient vineyards and dedicated modern
wineries, which served as the focal point of this trip.
Dinner at the Skala restaurant in the company of enologist/Greek
wine ambassador Soa Perpera and her family served as the highlight
of the arrival evening. Multiple courses of traditional local dishes from
Greek salad and grilled octopus to the lesser-known fava me koukia
(fava puree) and ntomatokeftedes (tomato fritters), seemed to emerge
endlessly from the kitchen. Dozens of regional wines—mainly Assyr tiko,
The Nest of the Wine World
A SOMMELIER'S
TAKE ON A
SOMMFOUNDATION
TRIP TO SANTORINI
story and photos by Julia Dixon
An afternoon view of Santorini.
