THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside VEMA Greece SEPTEMBER 2012 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] WINDOWS TO ORTHODOXY On His Head Were Many Crowns PAGES 16/34 - 17/35 GREEK BEACHESGOLD AMONG THE BEST OF COASTAL & MARINE UNION! Greek visions grow roots in Clare Clare Valley (South Australia) winemakers Jim AWARDS Barry Wines took a step towards a more sustainable Australian viticultural industry ear- lier this month, by planting the first cuttings of Assyrtiko A Gold Medal was award- Greek white wine grape variety in Coriva Beach in Ierapetra Australian soil. ed to Ierapetra, Samothrace and Allonisos, for their out- PAGE 2/20 standing beaches, by the Quality Coast Association. These three Greek desti- nations stood out in the top 20 among 1000 popular places in Europe. Ierapetra came 2nd, Samothraki 7th and Alonnisos 17th. The ceremony of EUCC took place in Torres Verdas in Portugal. The panel of crit- ics evaluated 1000 interna- tional tourist destinations from Finland to the Mediter- ranean including all tourist countries. Alexander the Great exhibition rides into Full story, page 7/25 the Australian Museum An exhibition of cultural objects which speak of the history and influence of Alexander the Great is coming to Sydney, and will open at the Australian Museum on November 24. PAGE 19/37 The Holy Monastery of Saint George Northern Drama This Macedonian district boasts stunning forestland and rare natural habitats. and Panagia of Yellow Rock PAGES 10/28 - 11/29 PAGE 20/38 SEPTEMBER 2012 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Greek visions grow roots in Clare Clare Valley (South Australia) winemak- “The laborious process of importation ers Jim Barry Wines took a step towards a and quarantine has discouraged many more sustainable Australian viticultural in- growers in Australia from trying something dustry earlier this month - and the launch new,” Peter said. of an exciting new white wine - by plant- “As an industry we all support that - we ing the first cuttings of Greek white wine don’t want pests such as phylloxera or grape variety Assyrtiko in Australian soil. other diseases. A chance tasting by managing director “But I don’t think it would have been pos- Peter Barry while holidaying on the Greek sible without the assistance and encour- island of Santorini in 2007 started what agement from Robert Hill Smith and his has been a long journey of quarantine ap- team at Yalumba. proval. “The Yalumba nursery in the Barossa is “Assyrtiko immediately stood out as a fully accredited for quarantine and they ad- variety suited to the modern Australian vised and assisted us with the whole palate,” Peter said. process.” “The fresh, crisp acidic qualities of the Wine from the Jim Barry Wines Assyrtiko wine are perfect accompaniments to con- vines is still five years away, but is well temporary Australian food - it is a natural worth the wait, according to Peter. partner for our climate and cuisine.” “To make fine wine, you must exercise Embracing innovation in viticulture and patience. By the time we release this wine, winemaking is a hallmark of Jim Barry I will have committed 20% of my life to this Wines. Founder, the late Jim Barry was a project - at least 10 years - but it is prefer- pioneer of Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, able to passing from this world and won- Shiraz and Malbec in the Clare Valley re- dering ‘what if’!” Peter enthuses gion, and actively encouraged other wine- l-r Sam Barry (Commercial Manager), Peter Barry (Managing Director), Tom Barry More than 60% of the world’s 1200 makers to follow suit. Peter is proud to fol- (Winemaker) planting Australia’s first Assyrtiko hectares of Assyrtiko are grown in Santori- low in his father’s visionary viticultural ni. In fact to be labelled under the Santori- footsteps, and sees the planting of Assyr- water scarcity and adapt our management torini clone,” explains Peter. The cuttings ni classification, the wine must contain 75% tiko as a step toward growing grapes that appropriately. were planted at the family’s Lodge Hill or more of the Assyrtiko grape variety with have a sustainable future for the region. “Varieties which can grow on minimal ir- property in the Clare Valley on an east- the remaining 25% made up from Athiri “Assyrtiko is grown predominantly on rigation and still produce contemporary facing slope at 480 metres, and celebrated and/or Aidani. Santorini in arid, windy and hot conditions,” wine styles is what we all look for. appropriately with a Greek-style feast of The remaining 400 hectares are grown Peter said. “We’re beginning with half a hectare of grilled lamb. in places such as Drama, Greece. “Clare is a cool district with good rainfall Assyrtiko using two dormant cuttings from Peter describes the process as a “labour The Clare Valley is the first Australian but we must face up to climate change and a single vine - a true mother vine and San- of love” and an exercise in patience. planting. From Russia with love: Record arrivals Record arrivals and excellent prospects for Russian tourism in Greece were the main points recorded at the Greek-Russian Tourism Forum held in Hersonissos, Crete, under the title Chartering The Fu- ture. Tourism arrivals from Russia are expected to register a new record this year, exceeding 1,000,000, according to the head of the Greek Tourism Enterprises Association (SETE), Andreas Andreadis. The data presented shows rapid growth in arrivals, as they have almost quadrupled since 2009, when 275,000 Russian tourists visited Greece. Andreadis further added that that the average per capita expendi- ture by Russian tourists amounts to 1,005 euro. Addressing the forum, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Chkhikvishvili said that Russian tourism amounts to $700 million of annual revenue for Greece. The two-day forum was organized by the Greek-Russian Chamber of Commerce and was also addressed by the Tourism ministry sec- retary general Tassos Liaskos and attended by the leading Russian tour operators. SEPTEMBER 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial The last squall By Alexis Papachelas - Kathimerini, Athens change of tone in the international press, with even the announcements are those in Berlin who so passionate- British media, which used to see Greece through the ly and systematically planned for a Greek exit from the The signs coming from Europe are very encouraging. prism of its own hostile relationship with the euro, ad- euro in the belief that such an eventuality would delight Greece’s EU partners appear to have decided that mitting that the adjustments made have been huge and the markets and curb contagion. Greece must stay in the eurozone and get back on its have come at a great cost. It is clear that Germany and the rest of Europe wants feet. The government is expected to first approve and Greece’s case has also been helped by the revelation Plan A to work for Greece and for the country to stay in then implement a painful package of measures that will of cases of massive graft and overspending in Spain the euro area. This may be because they have not man- affect the lives of millions of Greeks. and other countries, while, for the first time, Europe is aged to come up with a Plan B to deal with the fallout of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is determined to beginning to discuss the role played in the crisis by ma- a Greek exit. shoulder the burden as he realizes that there is no al- jor international lenders and by Brussels, which saw that Now the only real danger is that we in Greece let the ternative solution. He will have to be strong, while the the level of lending to the countries of Southern Europe momentum die down and allow the critics of the bailout people will have to be understanding. For their part, our was unjustified but opted to say nothing. Then there is deal to believe that we can bully Europe into lending us EU peers will have to extend a hand to the government also the fact that everyone has started to realize that the more money now that it has expressed its desire to see and give hope to a frustrated people. Our foreign sovereign debt crisis is a tsunami that started in Greece us stay in the eurozone. If Greece wants to be included lenders should know that if they force the government and has now hit the entire south, but no one knows in Europe’s future plans for the bloc and convince voters to start a war with workers in the private sector, it will where it will stop. in Germany and the Netherlands that it deserves to be a make the prospect of political collapse all the more like- The French are terrified of being swept along, while part of developments, it cannot go back on its commit- ly. the Americans will face their own fiscal abyss unless ments. Paying back its private lenders, accelerating the big some very brave decisions are made in early 2013. But how do you explain to the beleaguered people of projects and recapitalizing banks must follow as soon Developments at the European Central Bank, mean- Greece that they must ride out another round of auster- as possible or the real economy will sink deeper into while, showed that for the meantime at least, the ity? recession. “hawks” in Berlin lost the first round in the bout with the This is the mission that the country’s political leader- Greece should be encouraged by the optimistic sig- more realistic and moderate representatives of the Ger- ship now faces: to convince the people that we cannot nals coming from its foreign partners, but it should not man establishment.