Assyrtiko van Santorini is de meest veelzijdige witte druif van Griekenland. Ik proef vier totaal verschillende Assyrtiko's met winemaker Stella Papadimitriou van Artemis Karamolegos: van een frisse Santorini tot de Ftelos 2021 uit de Great Greek Wines.

We praten over het kouloura-mandsysteem tegen de wind, ongeënte stokken van 80 tot 150 jaar oud, de vulkanische aspa-bodem, de vierendertig eeuwen wijnbouw achter de wijn 34, en de droge oogst van 2025. Eén druif, vier verhalen, en toch overal die herkenbare Assyrtiko-ruggengraat.

De flessen kwamen via importeur Oenopolis (NL/BE/DE).

Lees het hele verhaal en het transcript:

https://vinovonk.com/sparks/stella-papadimitriou-artemis-karamolegos

Hoofdstukken:

00:00 Welkom op Santorini

02:06 Kouloura: manden tegen de wind

03:05 Vulkanische bodem en terroir

05:00 Het familiehuis Artemis Karamolegos

07:16 De droge oogst van 2025

09:56 Waarom zoveel wijnen van één druif

16:28 Proeven: Santorini Kouloura 2020

21:00 Proeven: de 34

24:30 Proeven: Pyritis

29:18 Proeven: Ftelos 2021

35:32 Waar koop je deze wijnen

Sparks #038 | Deze aflevering is Engelstalig.

Gauthier Monmarthe is de zevende generatie op het familiedomein in Ludes, op de noordflank van de Montagne de Reims. Hij stuurde me twee flessen uit zijn single-plot reeks. Allebei braken ze met iets wat ik dacht te weten.

De eerste, Le Nid d'Agace 2018 ("eksternest"), komt van een gecomplanteerd perceel: oude Chardonnay bovenop de helling, jonge Pinot Noir op klei onderaan, samen geplukt en samen geperst. Geen malolactische gisting, zes jaar op de gist, vergist op foudre. Vol in de mond, en toch fris.

De tweede trok me echt naar binnen. De Solera Blanc de Meunier komt uit een eeuwigdurende reserve uit 2015, bewaard in de oudste betonnen tank van het domein. Meunier op krijt, zonder dosage, 4.188 flessen. Een Solera ken je van Jerez. Hier gaat hij naar de druif die de Champagne jarenlang als minste behandelde.

We praten over onafhankelijk zijn als wijnboer, over het CIVC en de dalende opbrengsten, over HVE-landbouw, over de 70 plukkers die tien dagen op het domein wonen, en over waarom z'n vader overtuigd moest worden van een Meunier zonder een grammetje suiker.

In Nederland en België importeert Vinétique [checken] de wijnen van Monmarthe.

Shout-out naar Louise de Sadeleer. De toffe B-roll in de intro is gevonden met haar b-roll-finder: github.com/louisedesadeleer/b-roll-finder

Champagne Monmarthe: https://champagne-monmarthe.com

VinoVonk: https://www.vinovonk.com

Minder drinken. Beter kiezen.

— English below —

This episode is in English. Gauthier Monmarthe, seventh generation at his family estate in Ludes, sent me two single-plot wines. Le Nid d'Agace 2018 is a co-planted Extra Brut: six years on the lees, no malolactic, vinified in foudres. The Solera Blanc de Meunier comes from a perpetual reserve started in 2015, kept in the estate's oldest concrete tank. 100% Meunier on chalk, zero dosage, 4,188 bottles. We talk grower independence, the CIVC, HVE farming, and why his father took some convincing on a Meunier with no sugar at all.

Shout-out to Louise de Sadeleer — the b-roll in the intro was sourced with her b-roll-finder: github.com/louisedesadeleer/b-roll-finder

Champagne Monmarthe: https://champagne-monmarthe.com

Samos is supposed to mean sweet dessert wine. Evmorfia Kostaki and her partner Lorenz Immerfall are trying to change that from a vineyard above Karlovasi that has been Muscat for more than a hundred years.

The vineyard has been certified organic since 2000, the first organic vineyard on Samos. The vines are propagated by massal selection, cutting buds from the next terrace over, so the plant material is unique to this site. Evmorfia studied Chemistry at the University of Athens, then Viticulture and Oenology with Vinifera Euromaster between France, Italy and UC Davis. She picked up the WSET Diploma alongside the masters and is now in stage two of the Master of Wine programme.

We taste three wines.

The Prototype sparkling is traditional method but uses no commercial yeast or sugar. The 2023 base wine was aged in barrel for a year, then blended with actively fermenting must from the next vintage. That fermenting must brought its own sugar and its own indigenous yeast for the second fermentation. 500 bottles, all sold through their Greek distributor.

The Kostaki Dry is the most complex wine in the range. Floral, Mediterranean herbal, faintly hazy. A touch of orange-wine grip on the gums even though it is a clean white.

The Early Harvest is 9 percent alcohol with grapes picked early. Off-dry sweetness against sharp acidity creating tension. Closest in spirit to a Mosel Kabinett, but with a Greek herbal accent and a Muscat lineage.

We also cover why Muscat does not get taken seriously, why organic farming on Samos is harder than on Santorini, the meltemi wind, gobelet bush vines as natural umbrellas, lightweight UV-protective brown bottles, screwcaps, women in Greek wine, and what the next five years of Samos winemaking could look like.

The wines are not yet imported into the Netherlands. If you are an importer, this episode is your nudge.

Kostaki Winery: kostakiwinery.gr

Instagram: instagram.com/kostakiwinery

VinoVonk: vinovonk.com

In het Glas newsletter: vinovonk.com/nieuwsbrief

Chapters

00:00 Why Samos is not just sweet wine

01:30 Welcome to Samos and Karlovasi

03:30 From chemistry to winemaking

06:00 The 100-year-old massal-selection vineyard

08:00 More rain than London, the climate of Samos

11:00 Why Muscat is so hard to grow well

14:00 Organic since 2000

17:00 Reductive winemaking, screwcap and lightweight bottles

19:30 The three styles of Muscat at Kostaki

22:00 Tasting Prototype Sparkling

26:00 Tasting Kostaki Dry

31:00 Tasting Early Harvest at 9%

35:00 Master of Wine, year five

38:00 Women in Greek Wine

41:00 The future of Samos and a call to Dutch importers

43:00 Where to find these wines

800 tot 1.000 basiswijnen. Drie oogstjaren. 282 verschillende dorpen. Eén fles Brut Impérial. Benoît Gouez is al twintig jaar de man die deze beslissingen neemt voor Moët & Chandon. In deze aflevering laat hij zien hoe.

Benoît Gouez is chef de cave bij Moët & Chandon sinds 2005. 2025 is zijn 28e oogst voor het huis. Ingenieur van opleiding, blender van instinct.

In deze aflevering:

- Waarom blenden het hart is van Champagne, niet de uitzondering

- Hoe 1.000 basiswijnen één fles Brut Impérial worden

- 2003 als kantelpunt voor klimaatverandering in Champagne

- Het opnieuw opbouwen van het Champagne-genenarchief

- Een fles Rosé uit 1872 die in de kelder werd teruggevonden

---

At Moët & Chandon, a single bottle of Brut Impérial can pull from up to 1,000 base wines, three harvests, and 282 of Champagne's 319 villages. Benoît Gouez has been the person making those calls for the past 20 years.

Benoît Gouez has been Chef de Cave at Moët & Chandon since 2005. 2025 is his 28th harvest with the house. Engineer by training, blender by instinct.

In this episode:

- Why Champagne developed through houses rather than growers

- How 1,000 base wines become one bottle of Brut Impérial

- 2003 as Champagne's climate turning point

- Rebuilding Champagne's genetic library

- A 1872 Rosé bottle found in the cellars

Volg Sparks by VinoVonk / Follow Sparks by VinoVonk:

🌐 vinovonk.com

📸 @vinovonk

De fles opende ik buiten. Ik kende de video's op Instagram — kurk eraf, alles spat.

Roza Brito stuurt me een proxy vanuit de Mazovian regio in Polen. Fles 708 van 770. Gefermenteerde kruiden van het eigen familiebedrijf: hyssop, tijm, oregano, artisjokblad, jalapeño. Geen extracten. Geen alcohol. Geen categorie die er al een naam voor heeft. Maar we noemen het een proxy.

We proeven samen. We praten over wat een proxy is en waarom dat antwoord bewust opengelaten wordt. Over drie jaar testen op een boerenmarkt in Polen, tussen de eieren en de groenten. Over een prototype dat ze een "red" noemt: diep, warm, en de nasmaak die ze zoekt zit er nog niet in. En over de droom om ooit in dezelfde ruimte te staan als wijnmakers op een festival. Nu staat ze nog in een aparte zaal.

Dit is Sparks by VinoVonk — innovatieve dranken, eerlijke gesprekken, kennis zonder pretentie.

🇬🇧 ENGLISH

I opened the bottle outside. I'd seen the Instagram videos.

Roza Brito sends me a proxy from the Mazovian region of Poland. Bottle 708 of 770. Fermented herbs from the family farm: hyssop, thyme, oregano, artichoke leaf, jalapeño. No extracts. No alcohol. No category with a proper name yet.

We taste together. We talk about what a proxy is and why the answer is deliberately left open. About three years of testing at a farmers' market in Poland, next to the eggs and vegetables. About a prototype she calls a "red" — deep, warm, and not finished. And about the dream of standing in the same room as winemakers at a festival. Right now, she's still in a separate hall.

This is Sparks by VinoVonk — innovative drinks, honest conversations, knowledge without pretension.

🌿 Brito's Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brito_farm_/

Almost everyone has had a bad Retsina. Sharp, cheap, that unmistakable resinous coat on your teeth that put you off for years. But what if the problem was never the resin — it was the way the resin was harvested?

In this episode, I taste three bottles with Eleni Kechri, the founder of 1979 Wines and one of Greece's most rigorous Retsina researchers. All three made from Assyrtiko from her own vineyard in Emathia, northern Greece — but each produced with resin from a completely different pine forest. The result is a masterclass in what forest terroir actually means.

In this episode:

• Why sustainable resin harvesting (without sulphuric acid) fundamentally changes the wine
• How coastal pines in Halkidiki produce different aromas than inland forests in Attica or Corinthia
• 7,000 years of Retsina history — and how shortcuts almost destroyed its reputation
• What it meant when Julie Harding MW awarded 18/20 to a Greek Retsina
• Where Eleni is heading next: rosé, claret, and more forests to explore

Eleni Kechri holds degrees in chemical engineering (University of Thessaloniki) and oenology (Bordeaux), worked in Germany and France, and founded 1979 Wines — named for the year Retsina received its official denomination, which is also her birth year. And mine also :-)

Wines discussed:

• 1979 Kalos Thalassino 2022 — Assyrtiko, coastal Pinus halepensis from Halkidiki (iodine, lemon zest, sea spray) — approx. €16 in Greece
• 1979 Kalos Stergianos 2022 — Assyrtiko, Megara plateau, Attica (herbal, rounder, rosemary) — approx. €16 in Greece
• 1979 Kalos 2020 — Assyrtiko, assemblage of three forests (hazelnuts, citrus marmalade, petrol) — approx. €25 in Greece

1979 Wines: https://1979.gr/en/

Connect with Jeroen:

• Instagram: @vinovonk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeroenvonk
• Website: vinovonk.com

What if the future of Barolo isn't about perfecting monoculture—but about rebuilding biodiversity? Fourth-generation winemaker Enrico Rivetto is doing exactly that on his Piedmont hill, with 1,000 trees, five kilometers of biological corridors, and Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards that produce wines unlike any others in the region.

In this episode:

• Why Enrico calls himself a "caretaker of agricultural organisms" rather than just a winemaker
• The brutal first five years of converting from conventional to biodynamic viticulture
• How his daughter's childhood drawings became his wine labels (and why the consortium initially rejected them)
• What co-plantation means and why it's his next big experiment
• Tasting Nascetta Borea and Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Lirano—two wines that express terroir through biodiversity

Enrico Rivetto is the fourth generation of his family's Barolo winery, based between Serralunga d'Alba and Sinio in Piedmont. Seventeen years ago, at 30, he began transforming his estate into a complex ecosystem—one that prioritizes biodiversity, soil health, and authenticity over standardization. His wines are Demeter-certified biodynamic and his approach challenges everything the Barolo monoculture represents.

Wines discussed:

• Langhe DOC Nascetta "Borea" – Indigenous white grape, early harvest, eastern exposure, floral and herbal with minerality
• Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC "Vigna Lirano" – From the estate's first biodynamic vineyard planted in 2009, high acidity, terroir-driven

Links & resources:

• Rivetto Winery: https://www.rivetto.it/en
• Nascetta Borea: https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/langhe-doc-nascetta-borea
• Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Lirano: https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/nebbiolo-dalba-doc-vigna-lirano

🍷 Welcome to Sparks by VinoVonk - where beautiful wine stories come to life

In this fascinating episode, host Jeroen Vonk travels (virtually) to Greece to meet Stamatis Mylonas, the third-generation winemaker behind Mylonas Winery in the Attica region. Located just 35 miles south of Athens, this UNESCO-protected terroir holds secrets that date back to ancient times.

What makes this conversation extraordinary? Stamatis reveals how the indigenous Savatiano grape - often underrated due to its association with Retsina - can produce world-class white wines that age for 10+ years while maintaining remarkable freshness. This isn't theory - Jeroen tastes a 2016 Gran Reserva that spent 2.5 years in oak and 5 years in bottle, and the results are mind-blowing.

🔑 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Discover why Attica's soils contain 750 of the world's 5,500 known minerals - the same earth that funded the construction of the Parthenon through ancient silver mining.
• Learn how 55+ year-old bush vines, all hand-harvested, create intensity and complexity that rivals wines three times the price.
• Stamatis shares his family's journey from bulk wine producers (since 1917) to internationally recognized winemakers, with wines featured on the prestigious Great Greek Wines list curated by Master of Wine Yiannis Karakasis.

💡 KEY INSIGHTS:

• Why indigenous Greek varieties are the future of Greek wine (300+ varieties to explore)
• How old vines on mineral-rich soils create age-worthy wines
• The value proposition of Greek wines in today's market
• Building quality partnerships with growers (Stamatis prunes alongside them at 6 AM!)
• Strategic use of oak: large casks and old barrels to highlight terroir, not overpower it
• Why people are "drinking less but better" - and how Greek wines fit perfectly

🍇 WINES DISCUSSED:• Mylonas Savatiano 2024• Mylonas Assyrtiko 2024• Mylonas Cuvee Vouno Savatiano 2020This episode is perfect for:

✓ Wine enthusiasts seeking discoveries

✓ Professionals in the beverage industry

✓ Anyone interested in Mediterranean culture and history

✓ Fans of terroir-driven, authentic winemaking

🎁 SPECIAL THANKS:

Oenopolis, the leading Dutch importer of Greek wines, provided wines for this episode. Visit: https://oenopolis.vin

🌐 LEARN MORE:

Mylonas Winery: https://www.mylonas-wines.gr/en/

Great Greek Wines List: https://greatgreekwines.com/

🎧 SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:

Love Sparks by VinoVonk? Subscribe and leave a review to help others discover great wine stories!

Host: Jeroen Vonk - Wine writer, educator, and content creator from Amstelveen, Netherlands

Next episode coming soon - join us for more beautiful wine stories from around the world!

Welcome to another episode of Sparks by VinoVonk! Today, we're heading to Kent, England, to explore Gusbourne—one of the pioneers putting English sparkling wine firmly on the world map.

My guest is Laura Rhys MS, Gusbourne's Global Brand Ambassador and one of only 300 Master Sommeliers in the world. Laura brings incredible expertise from her years working in Michelin-starred restaurants to her current role crafting and promoting world-class English sparkling wines.

In this conversation, we taste through four exceptional wines from Gusbourne: the Brut Reserve 2019, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, and Blanc de Noirs from 2018. We dive deep into what makes English sparkling wine so distinctive—from terroir and winemaking philosophy to the challenges of producing wine in a cool climate.

We also discuss Gusbourne's prestige cuvée, Fifty One Degrees North, which just made history as the first English wine to enter Wine Enthusiast's Top 100, landing at #2 and becoming the world's top-rated sparkling wine.

Whether you're curious about English sparkling wine, interested in traditional method production, or love exceptional bubbles, this episode is packed with insights.

What we discuss:

• Laura's journey from Michelin-starred sommelier to Master Sommelier
• What makes English sparkling wine distinctive compared to Champagne
• Gusbourne's winemaking philosophy: quality over quantity
• Traditional method of production and extended lees aging
• Terroir: chalk soils, cool climate, and Burgundian clones
• Climate challenges and opportunities in English viticulture
• The historic Wine Enthusiast #2 ranking for Fifty One Degrees North
• Food pairing tips for different styles of sparkling wine
• Aging potential: why these wines can develop for 10-20+ years
• Sustainability practices at Gusbourne

Big thanks to Vinites (www.vinites.com) for providing the bottles for this tasting, and special shout-out to Rose at Vinites for making this happen!

About Laura Rhys, MS: Laura is Gusbourne's Global Brand Ambassador and earned her Master Sommelier qualification in 2010. She previously worked as head sommelier at La Trompette (Michelin-starred) and Hotel TerraVina, where she won UK Sommelier of the Year in 2009. At Gusbourne since 2015, Laura works closely with the winemaking team on base wine tasting and blending while championing English sparkling wine globally.

About Gusbourne: Founded in 2004, Gusbourne has 90 hectares of vineyards across Kent and Sussex, producing exclusively from their own fruit. They're the only three-time winner of IWSC English Wine Producer of the Year and have established themselves as one of England's premier sparkling wine producers.

Links:

• Gusbourne website: www.gusbourne.com
• Vinites (NL importer): www.vinites.com
• VinoVonk website: www.vinovonk.com
• Follow VinoVonk on Instagram: @vinovonk

🎙️ Subscribe to Sparks by VinoVonk for more in-depth conversations about sparkling wines from around the world.

⭐ Rate and review if you enjoyed this episode!

#SparklingWine #EnglishWine #Gusbourne #MasterSommelier #WinePodcast #TraditionalMethod #WineEducation #VinoVonk

Griekse wijn is zoveel meer dan retsina! In deze aflevering van Sparks praat ik met Yiannis Mylothridis, oprichter van Oenopolis - Nederlands grootste importeur van authentieke Griekse wijnen.

Het verhaal van Yiannis begon in 2012 toen zijn jeugdvriend - wijnmaker van Kir-Yianni - hem een malagousia liet proeven. Deze wijn opende zijn ogen voor de kwaliteit van moderne Griekse wijn. Van sommelier in het restaurant van zijn ouders groeide Yiannis uit tot specialist in wijnen van kleine Griekse producenten.

IN DEZE AFLEVERING:

→ Waarom Griekse wijn zo'n slechte reputatie heeft (spoiler: het ligt aan retsina en phylloxera)→ De fascinerende wereld van 300+ autochtone Griekse druivenrassen→ Hoe Yiannis zijn assortiment opbouwde tot bijna 300 wijnen→ Waarom steeds meer Michelin-restaurants Griekse wijn op de kaart zetten→ De unieke smaken van Griekse terroirs: eilanden, bergen en kusten→ Het belang van kleine producenten en authentieke wijnbouw

GEPROEFDE WIJN:Jima Plein Soleil Day 22 (2023) - een bijzondere wijn gemaakt van de Debina druif. Fris, mineraal en perfect als apero of bij vis. €27 via Oenopolis.vin

Yiannis deelt ook zijn nieuwe passie: Cypriotische wijn! Met ongeveer 40 topwijnen van kleine Cypriotische producenten heeft hij onlangs CypriotischeWijn.nl gelanceerd. Een nieuw avontuur in zeldzame druivenrassen en unieke terroirs.

LINKS:

• Oenopolis: oenopolis.vin
• Cypriotische wijn: cypriotischewijn.nl
• VinoVonk: vinovonk.com

Sparks by VinoVonk is dé podcast waar wijnverhalen inspireren. Elke aflevering een intiem gesprek met wijnmakers, sommeliers en wijnexperts die hun passie delen.

Abonneer en ontdek wekelijks nieuwe wijnverhalen!

Contact: [email protected] | Instagram: @vinovonk