Greek wine is an aromatic note of Greek culture and inheritance

Wine is an important part of Greek culture and historical attribute for over 4000 years yet it is not possible for anyone to write about the history of Greek wine in few words. It’s been more than 4000 years when the ancient Greek realized the nutritional value of the wine as a gift from the gods and worshiped Dionysus as God of wine. Then they started organizing an intellectual gathering called ‘symposia’ where they ate, talked and enjoyed wine of their choice.

Greeks introduced grape viticulture to Sicily in south Italy during the early Roman times and traded the Greek wine inside sealed amphorae throughout the world and even created their own appellations of Origin of Superior Quality and control.

More than 300 grape varieties are available in Greek that make Greek wine the most unique and discriminating wine in the world. The flavor of these grapes is so distinct therefore it’s very difficult to find the same aroma in any other type of wine. Besides this, when varied climate, sunshine, low average rainfall and different combination of the soil get mingle up with grapes, result in production of different high quality Greek wine.

Greek wines can be categorized according to their color (white, red and rose), their degree of sweetness (dry, semi-dry, and sweet), and their richness in carbon dioxide (sparkling). According to the varieties of grapes, cultivated in the areas in Greece where wine makers use local tradition for the production of superior quality wines, the main categories are white, red and rose.

Agiorgitiko and Xynomavro are the most distinguished grape qualities of Greece's dry and sweet red wines rich in color and very fruity and aromatic. Kotsifali, Mandelaria and Mavrodaphne are other famous grape varieties of red Greek wine.

White wine production in Greece is spread more evenly over the range of predominant species. Assyrtiko is one of Greece’s finest multi-purpose white grape varieties and Athiri is one of the most ancient of Greek grape varieties. Aidani, Lagorthi, and Malagousia are the other grape varieties of white Greek wines with medium acidity and exciting aromas of exotic fruits, citrus, jasmine and mint.

Kyratsouda, Moschofilero, Razaki Rodochromo, Roditis and Sideritis are the rose grape vatieties. Greece is fortunate as it has an important Blanc de gris cultivar in wine production in Greece – Moschofilero, which is the only true blanc de gris grape of indigenous origin.

In Northern Greece covering Naoussa, Goumenissa, Rapsani Thessalia and Nemea, red, dry or rose sparkling wines are produced. In Central Greece constitutes areas like Zitsa Epiros, Rapsani Thessalia, Ankhialos Thessalia, white or dry wines are produced. And, rose, sparkling wines are generated in Zitsa-Epiros, and Amyntaion, other regions of grapes origin are Samos, Paros, santorini and many more.

It has usually been noticed that wine takes names either from the place of origin or grape variety. Some of the Greek grape varieties are Xynomayro, Negosko, Debina, Stavroto, Rhoditis, Agiorgitiko etc. by their names some Greek wines have obtained their names. The Greek wines produced from these different varieties of grapes marks a long lasting effect on wine-lover’s heart and mind.

The product range of Greek wine has broadened, as some innovative wine manufacturers have introduced foreign grape varieties such as merlot, chardonnay and sauvignon in the form new tastes alongwith indigenous favorites such as the xinomavro, the assyrtiko, and the muscat. According to Skouras, "international varieties are the passport for Greek wine."

For the last few years it has been noted that Greek has undergone many revolutionary changes in terms of technology to make Greek wine one of the best wine produced in other countries. As the new wine makers of the Greek wine are trained in the best wine schools that are really helping Greek to come up in the map of world as the topmost manufacturer of the wine.



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