I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the underdog…the little guy…the dark horse…the black sheep…the red herring—wait, nix that one. With the World Cup trending like mad on Twitter, gaining the attention of viewers who watch no other fútbol the rest of the year, much less know that we’re the only idiots who call it soccer, I thought I’d shine a little light on the wines of Greece—Assyrtiko in particular. Given the beating Greece took from Argentina a few days ago, I’m thinking the country could use a little positive PR.

Assyrtiko (or Asyrtiko), which grows mainly on the Greek island of Santorini, can thank the volcanic-ash-rich soil for a lot of its personality—its acidity in particular. While many other wine-making regions struggle to gain that “new world” ripeness in their wines, often at the sacrifice of balance and elegance because they wind up obliterating any semblance of acidity, Assyrtiko manages to hold on to its acidity, even when it’s really, really ripe. That gives it an edge—one of minerality and grace—over many other white wines that push the envelope of ripeness in an attempt to maximize flavor profiles and end up with high-octane messes.

Santorini is home to very ancient vines, some reaching 150 years in age, and though Assyrtiko is grown all over Greece, its best expressions are no doubt from Santorini where their earthy, mineral and citrus notes stand them apart from the more perfumed and floral varietals made elsewhere. These essences make Assyrtiko the pefect pairing not only for fish, seafood and chicken, but also for spicy dishes. And though the hot, dry climate makes for really low yields per acre (10 to 20% of the yields that are common in France or California) Santorini’s Assyrtiko is about quality over quantity—kinda like Greece’s World Cup performances, I guess. One of its brightest examples is SantoWines’ 2008 bottling. Retailing at about $22, this varietal spends no time in oak and clocks in at about 12.8% ABV so it won’t kick your ass in the heat. It was full bodied but elegant and well balanced, with loads of citrus notes and a crisp backbone of minerality.

With summer enveloping us, and more barbecue invites in our schedules than we know what to do with, stopping at the liquor store for that ubiquitous bottle of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio is utterly predictable…plebian…commonplace—it’s someone else, not you. And after all, isn’t it that very intense feeling of novelty and inexperience that drove us to fall in love with wine in the first place? What fun is it to stand on solid ground when that ground doesn’t extend very far? So much of having a passion for wine is the passion for life, culture and spirit. How better to know the spirit of a country and its people, than to know the wines that are native to them? As you sit and watch Brazil kick everyone’s ass all over the soccer—errr, fútbol—field, crack a bottle of Assyrtiko and for the love of all that’s holy, please leave the chardonnay on the store shelf.