What’s the best wine for a Greek Dinner? I’m not answering that question. What you should be asking is where can I find a good selection of Greek wines. Like where did we find this brilliant white wine from Florina, Macedonia.
Oh, and if you were wondering where to get great Greek food in the area. We love Stamna in Little Falls.
The Wine: Alpha Estate Axia Malagouzia 2012 $$
The Food: Greek Comfort
The Place: A welcoming house with a long porch in Little Falls, home to Stamna Greek Taverna.
There’s something about the unique flavors of Greek cuisine that drive me to find great Greek wine. They just go so well together. Yes in a pinch I’ll settle for something with a Mediterranean influence from Southern Italy. But Greek wines are really the best.
The thing is that they are not so easy to find, yes most wines stores will have one or two low priced Greek wines, but that’s not what I am after.
We started our dinner with these delicious Gigantes and some slabs of perfectly grilled Halloumi Cheese.
So where did I get the wine?
It wasn’t far, Gary’s Wines on Route 23 wine has a nice selection of better quality Greek wines.
I picked out a Malagouzia, that’s the grape, from Alpha Estate. Mark Squires of Wine Advocate described this wine as having “a lovely mouthfeel, nice texture and well integrated components, finishing with crispness and purity.” And gave it a 90 point rating.
Malagouzia was almost extinct until the winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou, at Domaine Carras, begin experimenting with it and rediscovered its beautiful potential for elegant full bodied wines, with medium acidity and enticing aromas of exotic fruits, citrus, jasmine and mint.
The Malagouzia we had was produced by Alpha Estate that was named Winery of the Year 2013 by the Wine & Spirits magazine.
It was very fulfilling through two more dishes. Stamna’s Karpathian Makarounes, a recipe of whole wheat Greek pasta, with sautéed onions and Greek cheese from the home island of the Nissarios family, Stamna’s owners. It is the ultimate in comfort food.
And these succulent Lamb kabobs with Peppers and Spinach.
We have always been fans of Stamna’s Broad Street location, but the Little Fall’s place is even nicer. Especially in the warmer months.
I just have one complaint, the TVs. They are kind of fun when showing Greek Soccer or news, but the grueling boxing match playing the night we were there was not at all appetizing.
Nevertheless, the dinner was exceptional, food amazing and service impeccable.
Stamna Greek Taverna
66 East Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424, (973) 256-6400
1045 North Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003, (973) 338-5151
2nd klm Amyndeon – Ag. Panteleimon
PO 53200 Amyndeon, Greece
1308 Route 23 North. Wayne, NJ 07470 973-633-3900
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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