Konstantinos Lazarakis

James Tidwell @winejames: Super excited one of my wine world heroes @Lazarakis MW on #sommchat 2day 12 noon ET! The @cwl_wine Wines of Greece book when 1st published opened whole new (or old) world of wine for me. Update is even better. Get Q’s ready!

K Lazarakis MW@Lazarakis: How can your hero call you his hero? Is that ever possible? Thank you so much dear!!!!

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: we are counting down the minutes @winejames here on #SommChat and know UR Qs for @Lazarakis will be insightful!

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from Master of #Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis @Lazarakis!

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: We’d like to introduce you to Master of #Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis @Lazarakis #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Konstantinos Lazarakis @Lazarakis to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: As we ask our Qs, you can ask Konstantinos your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: Glad to be here - I have been waiting to do this #SommChat since 1994 when I got my first job as a #Sommelier.

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @PELaramore 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Let's start talking #wine with Master of #Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis @Lazarakis about #greek Wine #WineWednesday #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @Lazarakis Konstantinos, how did you start in the #wine business?

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: I saw a real expensive bottle of #wine in a local wine shop & got puzzled why the hell a bottle of wine should be so expensive in 1992 when I was 22 yrs old. The owner invited me to a party to meet the #winemaker. I walked away from the party totally amazed.... #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: Of course U would want 2 know who the #winemaker was-it was George Skouras of @DOMAINESKOURAS & #wine was Megas Oenos 1987 - it turned out it wasnt realldy expensive but 1of the best wine values in the world. But at 22 yrs old, this seemed to me like DRC (2 me now) #SommChat

James Tidwell @winejames: Can you speak to aging Greek wines? Which grapes/regions/producers do you like for aging? Some of the older wines you have served were revelations. Utterly delicious and fascinating. Want to know more! #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: We have a @mastersofwine tip in #greece back N 2013 & @boutari served '97 Mantinia, a #wine that most #greeks barely touch if it is > 18 mths old. IT was a revelation. we dont really know how long greek #wines age. We cant keep them long enough - we just drink them! #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: I have an epiphany moment from an old bottle of #greek #wine at least every month. So often I get across of a wine that I say to myself this is going to be really dead then taste it & go out to get some more!.... #sommchat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarkis: I cannot really come up with a specific list of #wine and #grapes to age. I buy widely & try to resist drinking. 1st part is easy bc #greek #wines are amazing values - don't ask me abt the latter part. #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: @Lazarakis You have written four Greek publications as well as #writing Wines of #Greece which is available in the Classic Wine Library @cwl_wine! Can you tell us about the book? #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: my #greek #wine book @cwl_wine is designed to appeal to serious #wine lovers but I am sure everyone will break a smile browsing through it. #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: the @cwl_wine #greek #book can be considered as an anomaly. It is not a buying guide. it doesn't have a single score across 400 pages. It tries to be a detailed account of where I believe Greek #wine stands at the moment.... #SommChat

James Tidwell @winejames: How long did the update take to write @Lazarakis, and what was your process for writing? #sommchat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: I presume these are the advantages of being older but wiser. But is also shows the vast improvement of #greek #wine across all regions.... #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: Writing the 1st @cwl_wine #greek book took me 18 mths & almost killed me financially, professionally, & family-wise. The update took abt 6 mths & I enjoyed every single moment... #SommChat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: My writing process was pretty simple. I live in the world of #greek #wine - i breathe greek wine - i dream greek wine. So all I had to do was pause for a moment and collect my thoughts! not as easy as it might seem. I had also a fantastic Asst @NPanidis #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @Lazarakis Right after U Bcame a #Somm U were hired at a restaurant in Athens named Jajazzo, 1st restaurant in Greece to hire FT sommelier and the first to be awarded a Michelin star. What kinds of challenges did you face being the first? #Sommchat

K Lazarakis MW @Lazarakis: How do you know all of this? #SommChat #Somm are you my wife? the restaurant was Bajazzo & the experience was horrific. #greeks can put up w/ a lot of things, but not with 3 things: telling them how to drive, how to make love, and what 2 drink. I was there, a 24 yr old twat, telling them what to drink in front of the person that went about to make love later on! Can you imagine the implications - a struggle to do so even 25 years later. #SommChat

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: @Lazarakis Please talk a little more about your #greek book available on the Classic Wine Libraries @cwl_wine and the special offer of 30% off with the code LazaChat30 Can you tell us more about your book? The inspiration and the #wine of #Greece!

Keeper Collection @keepercoll: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #greek #wine talk with Master of #Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis @Lazarakis #WineWednesday #SommChat