Diamantakos 2019 Preknadi White 750ml

My wine discovery of the year is this fascinating white made from an almost extinct local grape in Naoussa, a wine region in northern Greece best known for reds. The wine’s floral honeyed aromas, yellow fruit flavors, and round texture resemble viognier, but with a drier, chalkier, brighter side. Grape rescuer George Diamantakos poured it at the WineParis trade show in February, alongside 11 producers who champion unusual varieties that may hold the secret to great wines in a warmer future.

-- Elin McCoy, Bloomberg News, 2020