Boutz Cellars releases Paso’s first Greek varietal wines

The Boutzoukas family has firmly set its ‘Boutz on the ground’ by pioneering the planting of Greek wine grape varieties in Paso Robles. And this summer marks the first release of Boutz Cellars Greek varietal wines by James Boutzoukas and his son Manoli. 

At one of their Adelaida District vineyards, the father and son team has planted five Greek varieties which bumps up Paso region’s portfolio that already boasts 40-plus wine grape varieties.Boutz Cellars’ debut of the 2023 vintages of three whites are Moschofilero, Assyrtiko and Vidiano, all three bottled as 100% varietal wines. The red wines, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro, are set for a Fall 2024 release. 

“We are on a journey,” James reflected. “We started off with 300 cases and now up to 1200 cases,” he noted of Boutz Cellars’ annual production. “We are in the development stage and sold only through our website,” Manoli added.

On a warm summer afternoon, I enjoyed savoring their debut vintage of the white wines and getting to know James, Mia and Manoli at their Adelaide District ranch. 

“All three varieties took really well to Paso and were able to survive the heat of 2022,” James reflected on the white wines. Indeed, the crisp and vibrant whites will be crowd-pleasers with wine aficionados during Paso’s intense summer heat.

Greek wine grape varieties like Assyrtiko and Moschofilero, although rare in California, were imported in 1948 by the late Dr. Harold Olmo, the noted Professor of Viticulture at UC Davis.

Here in Paso, Manoli informed me, there is a small planting of Assyrtiko used mainly for blending purposes. There’s also some planting of Assyrtiko at the Paicines Ranch Vineyard in San Benito County AVA.

 Of the other two varieties Manoli asserted: “I know for sure no one has Moschofilero and Vidiano in Paso.”

I have long been a fan of Greek wines — the zesty whites and earthy spicy reds. So I was delighted to experience Boutz Cellars’ current white portfolio which has a minuscule production of 175 cases.

A thread of exuberant freshness and acidity runs through the trio of Boutz Cellars’ 2023 whites each with its distinctive characteristic, from minerally Assyrtiko and the fragrant Moschofilero to the lush Vidiano.

We began our tasting with Assyrtiko, which expresses its signature flinty minerality, enhanced with notes of pear and green apples. Native to the idyllic island of Santorini, this is a popular and flagship wine of Greece.

The perfumy Moscholfilero variety, grown mainly on the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece, is reminiscent of Gewürtztraminer and the Muscat family of wines. The Moscholfiero variety according to Manolo has taken well to Paso’s hot summers. “Maybe it’s the diurnal shift.”

The Boutz 2023 Moschofilero is aromatic and perfumy on the nose; it seduces you with an enticing floral fragrance. Its brilliant acidity enhanced only by the vibrancy of apricot and tangerine on the palate further elevates the deliciousness of this wine.

Vidiano conversely delivers a richness on the palate. “There’s no way to compare this with any other grape,” Manoli commented on this variety indigenous to Crete. The wine showed a nuttiness with a breezy acidity, highlighted with notes of stone fruit almost mimicking a Chardonnay. “It drinks like a red wine,” said Manoli of this delicious white which is enjoying a renaissance in Greece.

Fifty-two acres are planted between Kendros and Boutz Ranch in the Adelaida District. Acquired in 2017, the 16-acre Kendros Vineyard (which means center in Greek) scaling 2,200 feet in elevation is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Grenache.

The Boutz Ranch acquired in 2019 has 36 acres under vine of which four acres are dedicated to six Greek varieties — four whites and two reds; and the rest are planted to Bordeaux and Rhône varieties along with Zinfandel. “We sell 92 percent of our fruit,” said James. Labyrinth, a third property, was added in 2023. “Not sure whether it will be a planting site just yet,” noted Manoli. “It has lots of potential.”

The non-Greek Boutz portfolio includes Labyrinth Grenache, Angira Cabernet Sauvignon, Dasos Mourvedre, Tavros Petite Sirah, Labrys — a Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend — and Melisses Rosé. Winemaking is currently done at Caelesta Winery.

Born in Jackson Heights, New York, James grew up in Dunedin, Florida and first visited Greece at age nine. Witnessing the tradition of winemaking as a family event at his grandparents’ home in Crete made an impression on him at that time. Years later James, his wife Mia and their children Manoli, Maria and Joanna would continue that tradition in Florida. In 1994, the first vintage was produced in the garage to mark Manoli’s baptism. The family continued until 2017 with grapes shipped from California. 

“The priest would come to bless the grapes, 30 to 40 family and friends would gather in the garage and Mia would cook with family helping,” recalled James. Every family member was relegated to a job including sorting grapes on folding tables. 

“My laundry room was turned into his lab,” added Mia, of the assorted equipment that James would acquire with each vintage. The 75-case wine production would be shared with the community for baptism, weddings and birthdays. 

Retiring after 32 years in the bridge repair industry, James has come full circle realizing his dream as a vintner, from crushing 200 gallons of grapes in a garage to acquiring vineyards in Paso’s prestigious Adelaida District AVA. Not to mention the pioneering planting of Greek grape varieties in Paso. In his humble way, James noted: “Our whole journey has grown organically.”

PASO ROBLES PRESS MAGAZINE

Copies of Paso Robles Press Magazine are directly delivered to 23,000 readers in zip codes 93446, 93451, and 93465 and 2,000 dropped with support from advertisers and subscribers. Together, we are Making Communities Better Through Print.™

To subscribe or advertise, click here.