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GreeceWine History
Wine has been made in Greece since very ancient
times, and a tradition of fine wine stretches from Homer to the fall of
Byzantium. But the centuries spent as part of the Ottoman Empire, followed by
the battle for independence which finally ended in 1913, left an exhausted
country with no defined wine culture.
The history of modern Greek wine therefore really starts in the 1960s when
modern technology was first applied in the Greek wineries, although the seeds
had been sown earlier, with the establishment of two large concerns during the
latter part of the 19th century and the creation of the Wine Institute in 1937.
During the 1970s large and small companies began to employ people who had gained
expertise abroad, while a quality wine structure for EEC status was established.
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Information
Greece has just over 150,000
hectares under vine, of which about 77,500 are devoted to wine producing grapes.
Total annual production varies, but is in the region of 4.5 million hectolitres
of which about 60% is white and 40% red or rose.
Unlike most other European wine producing countries, the vineyard areas in
Greece are very far apart. There are 27 wines with an appellation of origin
scattered throughout Greece.
For the sake of clarity this booklet has subdivided the Greek vineyards into
four zones.
The zones are Northern Greece (comprising Macedonia and Thrace), Central
Greece (Epirus, Thessaly and Attica), The Peloponnese, and the islands.
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Grape Varieties
There are about 300 native grape varieties
grown in Greece, but many are extremely local or used for table grapes or dried
fruit. The most important Greek varieties are described here.
White
Assyrtlko. An excellent variety which retains its
acidity in hot conditions. Mainly found on the island of Santorini, but now
being grown successfully in other regions such as Halkidiki in the north.
Moscophllero.
This pink-skinned variety has a pronounced muscaty aroma
and makes the delicate, aromatic, light, white wines of Mantinea in the
Peloponnese.
Rhodltis.
A pink-skinned variety grown extensively in the Peloponnese,
but also now in Northern Greece. It ripens well at altitude and keeps reasonably
good acidity. The Rhoditis is the sole grape in the appellation wine of Patras.
Robola.
A much admired grape, exclusive to the lonian island of
Cephalonia. An early ripening grape with good acidity.
Savatlano.
Found mainly in Central Greece, Attica in particular. It
has good drought resistance, but tends to lack acidity. Most frequently used for
retsina, it can, on the right sites, make excellent quality dry wine.
Other important white varieties include: Athiri, Aedani and Vilana.
Red
Agiorgltiko.
Known as the St George grape, it grows in
the region of Nemea. Very fruity, but with a tendency to lack acid, particularly
if grown at a low level. The best Nemea wine comes from the higher vineyards. It
can produce wine which ages well.
Limnio.
Originally from the island of Lemnos, this grape is grown very
successfully on the peninsula of Halkidiki. Full-bodied with sufficient acidity.
Mandelaria.
A widely planted island variety, notably found on Paros,
Rhodes, Crete and Santorini. Good colour, but rather light in body and
alcohol.
Mavrodaphne.
Mainly found around Patras. it gives Immense colour to
the wine. Used mostly for the lightly fortified, sweet, red wine Mavrodaphne of
Patras.
Xynomavro
. A high quality variety, widely planted In Northern Greece. A grape
giving good colour and high acidity. The young wines seem harsh, but age well.
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Climate
The Greek vineyards lie roughly between 33" and 41"
latitude, very much in the hotter wine producing regions. Climatic conditions
tend to be stable, with the main problems being too much sun and, except for the
northern areas of Macedonia
and Thrace, too little rain for perfect growing conditions.
However most vineyards are helped by being close to the sea, with its cooling
effect on overall temperature, and many are also planted at altitude which also
helps to counteract the excess of sun.
Soil
There is no particular soil type in Greece. In general the
soil is poor and rocky, with outcrops of chalk, sandy clay, loam, clay, schist
and marl, and there is much volcanic subsoil, particularly in Santorini.
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Northern Greece
Northern Greece
Since ancient times the northern regions
of Macedonia and Thrace have been noted for red wines. Today red, white, rose
and sparkling wines are made. The major appellation areas are:
Naoussa.
The vineyards here lie between about 200 and 350 metres above
sea-level on the south eastern slopes of Mount Vermio, often on terraced
vineyards. The winter is cold, and there is abundant rainfall. The grape variety
is Xynomavro, trained on wires. The wines are matured in oak for at least one
year, but in practice usually longer.
Goumenlssa.
This area to the north east of Naoussa and near the border with
the old Yugoslavia, gained its appellation in 1981. The wines are red, and based
on Xynomavro with a percentage of Negoska. The wines here are slightly softer in
style, and require less maturation .
Amindeo.
The vineyards are only about 20 miles from Naoussa but lie on the
opposite side of Mount Vermio at about 650 metres above sea-level. A continental
climate combined with the altitude sometimes give ripening problems for the
Xynomavro, and the red wines benefit from the maturation. A rose sparkling wine
is made from the Xynomavro here.
Cotes de Mellton.
This is appellation for the wines from the vineyards of
Domaine Carras. A mixture of grape varieties is grown, both red and white. White
wines are made basically from the Athiri, Rhoditls and Assyrtiko, with some
Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni plane, and red wines from the Llmnio, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The vineyards lie on the slopes of Mount Meliton
in Sithonia, the middle peninsula of Halkidiki, overlooking the sea.
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Central Greece
Adjacent to Albania, this area has two main vineyards, the
quality wine of Zitsa, and the highest vineyards in all Greece, those of
Metsovo. No appellation wine comes from Metsovo, but the Cabernet Sauvignon
grown here, blended with other Greek varieties, Is used to make some interesting
high quality vins de table, such as Katoi.
Zitsa
lies to the Northwest of Ioannina and produces a very
lightly sparkling white wine from a local grape variety, the Debina. Zitsa can
be dry or medium in style.
Thessaly
The two main major wine areas here are Rapsani and
Ankialos. The beautiful Rapsani vineyards lie on the foothills of Mount Olympos.
The wine produced is red, and made from a blend of the Xynomavro, Krassato and
Stavroto, with a long maturation in wood.
Ankialos is an appellation for dry white wine. The vineyards are near Volos
at sea-level and just above, and on the Gulf of Pagasikos. The grapes are mainly
Rhoditis with some Savatiano.
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The Pelloponese
Separated from mainland Greece by the
Corinth Canal, the Peloponnese has the largest number of individual appellations
as well as many interesting vins de pays and table wines.
Mantlnla.
Situated in Arcadia, near the town of Tripolis, these vineyards lie
high, at 600 metres, giving a cooler temperature and long, slow ripening. The
light dry white wine is made from the Moscophilero, a pink-skinned variety
giving wine of delicacy and with a very aromatic character.
Nemea.
An area near Corinth which makes red wine from the Agiorgitiko (St
George) grape. There are three distinct zones in the vineyard area which
stretches from 250 metres to 800 metres above sea-level. The wines from the
vineyards situated between 450 and 650 metres are considered the finest. Those
grown higher have too much acidity and those from the lower area make too much
sugar. The appellation is normally for dry wine, but sweet red wine is also possible.
Patras.
The vineyards situated around Patras make both dry and sweet wines.
The appellation Patras refers to dry white wine made from Rhoditis grapes grown
on the hillsides of this very hot region. Muscat of Patras, or Rion of Patras
are dessert wines made from the Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, or White Muscat.
Mavrodaphne of Patras
is a lightly fortified, red wine of about 15% alcohol
made from the Mavrodaphne grape (at least 51%), blended with the black
Korinthiaki grape, normally grown for dried fruit, and matured in oak. The best
can be aged for many years.
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The Islands
lonian Islands
Wine is made on a number of these islands, but the
important appellations are all on Cephalonia. There are two appellations for
sweet wines, Muscat and Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia, though scarcely made these
days. The important appellation for dry wine is the Robola of
Cephalonia.
Grown mainly on high vineyards with stony soil, the vines are
individually trained and make a powerful tasting dry white wine, much
appreciated in Greece. The vines are mainly ungrafted, but phylloxera has just
been found on the island.
Aegean Islands
The most famous wines produced here come from two
islands, Lemnos and Samos.
Lemnos. Although this rather flat island was originally home to the
red Limnio grape, the appellation is for white wine from the Muscat of
Alexandria, but the Limnio is still grown here. The appellation allows both
sweet or dry styles, but by far the better known is a vin de liqueur, Muscat of
Lemnos.
Samos. A very mountainous and beautiful island, the appellation wines
are all made from the white Muscat grape, often grown on steep, terraced
vineyards from sea-level to about 800 metres, leading to a long vintage from
August to October, depending on the height of the vines. The appellation wines
are all sweet. There are many styles from Samos Doux, made by adding wine
distillate to unfermented grape juice - to Samos Nectar, made from sun-dried
grapes, and Samos Vin Doux Naturel Grand Cru made by stopping fermentation with
addition of wine distillate. The finer wines mature for long periods in wood.
The Cyclades are again two islands are pre-eminent and have appellation wines, Paros and Santorini.
Paros. Today Paros produces a dry red wine based on two grapes, the red
Mandelaria and the white Monemvassia. In spite of lack of rain during the vine's
growing season, the climate is quite humid, and the vines are grown low, the
individual bushes spreading over the poor, strong soil in order to survive the
strong winds of the area.
Santorlni.
A unique volcanic island with a sub-soil of chalk
covered with ash, lava and pumice stone from the various eruptions. Although
climatically very dry, the soil itself absorbs and holds moisture. The main
grape is the white Assyrtiko, trained into a basket shape to protect the grapes
against the very high local winds.
The appellations are both white, mainly a big powerful, dry wine called
Santorini, from the Assyrtiko with some Athiri and Aedani in the blend. A sweet
wine called Vissanto is made by sun-drying the grapes before pressing.
Rhodes
A major producer of wine since ancient days, Rhodes today
has three appellations, one of which is for a sweet Muscat wine only made in
tiny quantities.
The important appellations are for a dry white wine made from the Athiri
grape, and a dry red from the Mandelaria, here called Amorgiano.
The best grapes for wine are grown on the north/north eastern slopes of the
mountains and well above sea-level where the temperature is slightly cooler.
Only wines from these northern slopes are permitted to carry the appellation.
Crete
Crete is a long, narrow island, at most only 60 km. wide from
north to south, divided by a mountain range which protects the northern part of
Crete from the hot winds blowing from North Africa. Only recently attacked by
phylloxera, the vineyards are still being replanted.
With the exception of the Mandelaria, the other grapes for appellation wines
are unique to Crete. The Vilana is an aromatic white variety, while the very
characterful Kotsifali, and the Liatiko, a very early-ripening grape with high
natural alcohol, are the red varieties. The appellations are mainly for dry red
wines, dark and powerful - Archanes, Daphnes and Siteia. These three
appellations also produce sweet reds. The fourth, Peza, makes both dry red and
dry white, the latter from the Vilana grape.
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