Vineyard in Naoussa, Central Macedonia, Greece

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

is one of the oldest

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

- producing regions in the world and among the first wine-producing territories in Europe. The earliest evidence of Greek wine has been dated to 6,500 years agoMashed grapes find re-write history of wine
Zeenews where wine was produced on a household or communal basis. In ancient times, as trade in wine became extensive, it was transported from end to end of the Mediterranean; Greek wine had especially high prestige in Italy under the Roman Empire. In the medieval period, wines exported from

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

Monemvasia Monemvasia ( el, Μονεμβασιά, Μονεμβασία, or ) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese, surrounded by the Myrtoan Sea. The island is connected t ...

and other Greek ports fetched high prices in northern Europe.

History

Banquet Louvre Kylix G133 by Cage Painter

The origins of

-making in Greece go back 6,500 years6,500-year-old Mashed Grapes Found in Greece
. Discovery News. and evidence suggesting wine production confirm that Greece is home to the second oldest known

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

wine remnants discovered in the world and the world's earliest evidence of

crushed Crushed may refer to: * "Crushed" (''Ms. Marvel''), a 2022 episode of the American television series ''Ms. Marvel'' * "Crushed" (Roland Lee Gift song) a 2009 single by Roland Lee Gift * "Crushed" (''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' episode), an ...

grapes. As

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

civilization A civilization (or civilisation) is any complex society characterized by the development of a state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). Ci ...

spread through the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

, wine culture followed.Introduction to Wine Laboratory Practices and Procedures, Jean L. Jacobson, Springer, p. 84. The Ancient Greeks introduced

vine A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselv ...

s such as

Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are curre ...

and made wine in their numerous colonies in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

,The Oxford Companion to Archaeology, Brian Murray Fagan, 1996 Oxford Univ Pr, p. 757.

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

,Wine: A Scientific Exploration,

Merton Sandler Merton Sandler (28 March 1926 – 24 August 2014) was a British professor of chemical pathology and a pioneer in biological psychiatry. Education and career Sandler studied at the Manchester Grammar School and the University of Manchester. In 1 ...

, Roger Pinder, CRC Press, p. 66. southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

,Medieval France: an encyclopedia, William Westcott Kibler, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 964. and

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. In 1937, a Wine Institute was established by the Ministry of Agriculture. During the 1960s,

retsina Retsina ( el, Ρετσίνα) is a Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, which has been made for at least 2,000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Alepp ...

suddenly became the national beverage. With rapidly growing tourism, retsina became associated worldwide with Greece and Greek wine. Greece's first

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...

vineyard was planted in 1963. In 1971 and 1972, legislation established appellation laws.

Wine regions

A system of

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

s was implemented to assure consumers the origins of their wine purchases. The appellation system categorizes wines as:Yachting paradise Greece, the yachting paradise
planaco.gr
wein-plus.eu * ''Protected Geographical Origins'' (''P.D.O''), i.e. an Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality * ''Protected Geographical Identification'' (''P.G.I.''), i.e. a Quality wines of Origin * ''Epitrapezios Oinos'', i.e. a ''

vin de table Table wine (rarely abbreviated TW) is a wine term with two different meanings: a style of wine and a quality level within wine classification. In the United States, the term primarily designates a wine style: an ordinary wine which is not forti ...

'' – Not certified wine in a region of Greece (that does not reflect the real wine quality) ** ''Epitrapezios Oinos'', regular table wine which usually comes in screw-top containers ** ''Cava'', more prestigious, aged "reserve" blends (minimum aging: one year for whites; two years for reds) ** ''

Retsina Retsina ( el, Ρετσίνα) is a Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, which has been made for at least 2,000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Alepp ...

'', a traditional wine, flavored with pine

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on natu ...

The main wine growing regions – so called appellations of Greece – are:

Aegean Islands

* Lemnos * Paros * Rhodes * Samos *

Santorini Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera (English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is the ...

Crete

* Archanes * Dafnes * Peza * Sitia

Epirus

* Zitsa * Metsovo

Ionian Islands

* Kefalonia * Corfu * Zakynthos * Lefkada

Macedonia

* Amynteo (Amyndeon) * Epanomi Winemaking region Macedonia
. All about Greek wine. * Goumenissa * Naoussa * Chalkidiki

Central Greece

* Atalanti

Peloponnese

* Mantineia * Nemea * Monemvassia-Malvasia * Patras

Thessaly

Nea Anchialos Nea Anchialos ( el, Νέα Αγχίαλος) is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated southwest ...

* Rapsani * Messenikola

Grape varieties

Red wine *

Agiorgitiko Agiorgitiko ( el, Αγιωργίτικο; also known as Aghiorghitiko) is a red Greek wine grape variety that, as of 2012, was the most widely planted red grape variety in Greece, ahead of Xynomavro. The grape has traditionally been grown in the ...

("St. George's grape") is a variety native to Nemea that grows mainly in the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...

area, producing a soft, fruity red in many styles. Its sensory attributes are similar to

Beaujolais Nouveau Beaujolais nouveau ( , ) is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is a '' vin de primeur'', fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November. Distributo ...

but, unlike its French counterpart, the St. George ages well for about five years. *

Kotsifali Kotsifali ( el, Κοτσιφάλι) is a red Greek wine grape that is indigenous to the island of Crete.Kots ...

is a variety mainly grown on Crete. It is blended with Mandilaria or

Syrah Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse B ...

to enhance its color. *

Liatiko Liatiko ( el, Λιάτικο) is an old red Greek wine grape varietyLiatiko

is a red variety native to Crete. It is characterised by flavors of red fruit and spices, and is deemed to be at its best when made as a sweet wine. Historically, the grape was used in blends with Mandilaria and Kotsifali to produce Malvasia, a highly regarded, sweet red wine that was widely exported by Venetian traders during the Middle Ages. *

Limnio Limnio (LIM-nee-oh) is a red Greek wine grape variety that is indigenous to the Greek island of Lemnos. The grape has had a long history of wine production that may extend back to Ancient Greece with wine historians widely believing it was the gr ...

, or Kalambaki, is an important red grape variety that is indigenous to the Aegean island of

Lemnos Lemnos or Limnos ( el, Λήμνος; grc, Λῆμνος) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region. The p ...

and has been used in red wine production for more than 2000 years. As a

varietal wine A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape Variety (biology), variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000 ...

, Limnio is full-bodied, high in alcohol and very herbaceous, with a distinctive taste of bay leaves. *

Mandilaria Mandilaria ( el, Μαντηλαριά) is a red Greek wine grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete li ...

, also known as amorgiano, is mainly cultivated on the islands of

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...

and

. Wine from this grape is often very tannic and frequently blended with other grapes to soften the mouthfeel. *

Mavrodaphne Mavrodaphni, Mavrodaphne, or Mavrodafni (Greek: Μαυροδάφνη ''lit.'' 'black laurel') is both a black wine grape

, or "black laurel", is a variety that grows in the Peloponnese and the Ionian Islands. It is blended with the

Black Corinth Zante currants, Corinth raisins, Corinthian raisins or outside the United States simply currants, are raisins of the small, sweet, seedless grape cultivar Black Corinth (''Vitis vinifera''). The name comes from the Anglo-French phrase "raisins ...

currant grape to produce a prized fortified dessert wine made in the

Solera ''Solera'' is a process for aging liquids such as wine, beer, vinegar, and brandy, by fractional blending in such a way that the finished product is a mixture of ages, with the average age gradually increasing as the process continues over many ...

style. * Mavroudi is one of the oldest Greek grape varieties and supposedly the one on which Odysseus got Polyphemus drunk. It is found in

Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to t ...

but also in

central Greece Continental Greece ( el, Στερεά Ελλάδα, Stereá Elláda; formerly , ''Chérsos Ellás''), colloquially known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη), is a traditional geographic region of Greece. In English, the area is usually called Central ...

and the

Negoska Negoska is a red Greek wine grape variety (''Negushka'') that is grown primarily in Central Macedonia. Around the town of Goumenissa the grape is blended with Xynomavro to produce very fruity wines with high alcohol levels.J. Robinson ''Jancis ...

is found in Northern Greece and also produces rose and red wines of carbonic maceration worth mentioning, with the expected aromas. blended into the PDO

Goumenissa Goumenissa ( el, Γουμένισσα ) is a small traditional town in the Kilkis regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. It was the capital of the former Paionia Province. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality ...

wine. * Romeiko is a red grape generally found on Crete, most prominently in the region of

Chania Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion. The muni ...

. * is a thick, dark-skinned grape variety, best known for single-varietal wines produced on the Ionian island of

Lefkada Lefkada ( el, Λευκάδα, ''Lefkáda'', ), also known as Lefkas or Leukas ( Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς, ''Leukás'', modern pronunciation ''Lefkás'') and Leucadia, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of G ...

. It is also grown in central Greece and Peloponnese, where it is often blended with other Greek wines, and Cyprus, where it is known as "Lefkas". * Xinomavro ("sour black") is the predominant grape variety in Macedonia, centered on the town of Naousa. This variety has great aging potential with a palate reminiscent of tomatoes and olives, and a rich tannic character. It is often compared to

Nebbiolo Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the '' Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero ...

White wine *

Assyrtiko Assyrtiko or Asyrtiko is a white Greek wine grape indigenous to the island of Santorini. Assyrtiko is widely planted in the arid volcanic-ash-rich soil of Santorini and other Aegean islands, such as Paros. It is also found on other scattered re ...

is a multi-purpose variety which maintains its acidity as it ripens. It is similar in character to

Riesling Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...

, and is mostly island-based, being a native variety of the island of

, whose old vines have been resistant to

Phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belong to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs ...

. *

Athiri Athiri ( el, Αθήρι) or Athiri Aspro is a white Greek wine grape used to make Retsina on the island of Rhodes. The grape is noted for its lemon character and in other parts of Greece it is often blended with Assyrtiko. J. Robinson (ed) ''" ...

is a lower acid variety and one of the most ancient. Originally from Santorini, it is now planted in Macedonia,

Attica Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capital of Greece and its countryside. It is a peninsula projecting into the Aegean Se ...

, and

. * Debina is a white Greek wine grape primarily in the

Zitsa Zitsa ( el, Ζίτσα) is a village and a municipality in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Eleousa. The municipality has an area of 565.566 km2, the municipal unit 65.868 km2, the ...

region of

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...

. The grape's high acidity lends itself to sparkling wine production. * Lagorthi is a variety mainly cultivated on high slopes (850 meters) in the Peloponnese. The grape produces a very malic and fruity wine. *

Malagousia Malagousia or Malagouzia (Greek Μαλαγουζιά) is a white Greek wine grape that was virtually extinct until Professor of Oenology Vassilis Logothetis re-discovered it in Nafpaktia and presented it to one of his students, Vangelis Gerova ...

is a grape growing mainly in Macedonia, with a special aroma leading to elegant full bodied wines, with medium-plus acidity and exciting perfumed aromas. * Moschofilero is a ''Blanc de gris'' variety from the

AOC Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of ...

region of

Mantineia Mantineia (also Mantinea ; el, Μαντίνεια; also Koine Greek ''Antigoneia'') was a city in ancient Arcadia, Greece, which was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek history. In modern times it is a former municipality in ...

, in

Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...

in the Peloponnese. Its wines offer a crisp and floral character in both still and sparkling styles. * Robola is most grown in the mountainous vineyards of the Ionian Island of

Cephalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia ( el, Κεφαλονιά), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallenia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It i ...

. It has a smokey mineral and lemony character, excellently complementing seafood. * Roditis (the "pink" or "rose" grape) is a grape that is very popular in Attica, Macedonia,

Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thes ...

, and the Peloponnese. This variety produces elegant, light white wines with citrus flavors. *

Savatiano Savatiano (or Savvatiano) is a white Greek wine grape used primarily in the wine Retsina. It is one of Greece's most widely planted grape varieties and is known for its resistance to drought condition. It is mostly planted throughout central Gree ...

(the "Saturday" grape) is the predominant white grape in the region of Attica, where it displays excellent heat resistance and shows a distinct floral and fruity aroma when cold fermentation is practised.Shara Hall, Lisa, "Guide to Greek Wine", ''Epikouria Magazine'', Spring/Summer 2006 When fermented without cooling, it makes

or rustic unresinated wines that complement Mediterranean dishes well. *

Vidiano Vidiano ( el, Βιδιανό) is a white Greek wine grape variety indigenous to Crete,Vidiano

is a white grape indigenous to Crete. It has complex aromas of peach, apricot, melon, honey and herbs, along with moderate acidity. The grape is difficult to cultivate and is grown in small scale, chiefly around Rethymno and Heraklion.

References

External links

Greek Wine NewsGreek Wine: all you need to knowThe Greek VineyardEARTH (Lefkaditiki Gi) WineryWine in Ancient GreeceGreek wine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greek Wine