The local cheeses of Nemea with the local wines that suit them, and why they work.
The cheeses of Nemea with the wines made beside them. Pairings marked as a local tradition are the ones a regional source names; the rest are our own picks, and say so.
An aged graviera is hard, rich and slightly sweet. Its fat and salt soften the tannins of a barrel-aged Nemea Agiorgitiko, and its sweetness sits well with the wine's ripe fruit and the spice the oak brings.
Bottles to try:
Zireiotyri is hard, salty and lightly spicy, ripened at least three months. An Agiorgitiko raised without barrels keeps oak out of the way, so the wine's fruit meets the salt and spice directly.
Bottles to try:
Fresh mizithra is soft, snow-white, creamy and almost sweet. A dry, aromatic Moschofilero with high acidity lifts the milky curd without covering it, and with the salted, grated kind the acidity cuts the salt.
Bottles to try:
Graviera is semi-hard, slightly sweet and rich, and melts a little in the mouth. A dry Malagousia white, aromatic with ripe fruit and high acidity, matches that richness and cuts the fat between bites.
Bottles to try:
Fresh anthotyro is sweet, creamy and unsalted, and is eaten with honey and fruit. A light-bodied dry rose with high acidity and fresh fruit or floral notes sits beside it without weighing it down.
Bottles to try:
Fresh mizithra is soft, snow-white and almost sweet. A dry rose of medium body and high acidity brings red-berry fruit and a clean finish; with the salted, grated kind, the acidity cuts the salt.
Bottles to try:
An aged kefalotyri is hard, brackish and lightly spicy, with a creamy texture. Oak-aged blends of Agiorgitiko with Cabernet Sauvignon are full-bodied and structured, and the cheese's salt and fat soften their tannin.
Bottles to try:
Graviera is a rich, semi-hard sheep's and goat's milk cheese, slightly sweet or spicy. A full, oak-aged Agiorgitiko from old vines, with medium tannin and tart red fruit, meets its fat and cuts the richness.
Bottles to try:
Aged kefalotyri is hard, brackish and lightly spicy, with a creamy texture. An oak-aged Peloponnese Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah has the structure to meet that salt, and the cheese's fat rounds the wine's grip.
Bottles to try:
Graviera is semi-hard, rich and slightly sweet, and melts a little in the mouth. A Peloponnese Chardonnay given some time in oak has the round texture to match it and enough acidity to cut the fat.
Bottles to try:
Graviera is a hard sheep's and goat's milk cheese, rich and slightly sweet or spicy. A full, oak-aged Peloponnese Merlot with ripe fruit has the round tannin and weight that the firm, fatty paste can soften.
Bottles to try:
Hard, salty kefalotyri, lightly spicy with age, suits a full Agiorgitiko with peppery, leathery notes and vivid acidity: the acidity cuts the salt and the pepper meets the cheese's spice.
Bottles to try:
Feta is soft, crumbly, salty and tangy. A dry Assyrtiko-based white has the high acidity to stay fresh against the brine and cut the cheese's fat, whether the wine is raised in steel or partly in oak.
Bottles to try:
Feta is crumbly, tangy and salty, ripened in brine. A dry Kydonitsa with high acidity and fresh fruit answers the salt and the tang, and keeps the palate fresh between bites.
Bottles to try:
Explore the ancient site of Nemea, taste local wines, and visit the Corinth Canal on a guided tour from Athens. Walk through the original tunnel used by athletes 2,300...
Enjoy a relaxed wine picnic in a big table by the river in Nemea. Taste local wines, enjoy snacks, play a fun game, and capture beautiful moments surrounded by nature ...
Discover the wine wonderland of Nemea on a luxury tour. Savor the rich, velvety flavor of Agiorgitiko, a world-famous Greek grape, and pair fine wines with delicious l...
Yes. The Greek application filed with the EU register lists Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Central Mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and the Lesbos prefecture as the production area.
The Greek application says ripening continues until a total period of not less than 2 months is completed, in brine.
Sheep milk, or sheep milk mixed with goat milk, with the goat milk not exceeding 30 percent of the milk's net weight, according to the Greek application.
Regulation 1829/2002 says Greece protected the production area in 1988. A ministerial decision of 11 January 1994 recognised the PDO, and the EU registration in force dates from 2002.
Only three versions are, from Crete, Naxos and Agrafa, according to English Wikipedia. A graviera from Corinthia is sold under the plain name with no PDO.
Stymfalia sells it as a table cheese. English Wikipedia adds sliced, fried as saganaki, grated over pasta, in casseroles or in salads.
English Wikipedia says kefalograviera is a similar cheese sometimes sold outside Greece and Cyprus as kefalotyri. Kefalograviera has been an EU PDO since 1996; kefalotyri is not a protected name.
Katsouli suggests it on a cheese platter, grated over pasta or salads, or fried as saganaki.
