15. Eastern Mediterranean

Question 1

Greece produces a unique wine flavored with pine resin. What is the name of that wine?

Answer 1

Retsina

Pine resin can serve as a preservative in wine.

Question 2

The climate of Greece is: ___________.

Answer 2

Mediterranean

Question 3

What are the three key red grapes used for wine production in Greece?

Answer 3

Agiorgitiko
Xinomavro
Mavrodaphne

Question 4

Xinomavro is the sole variety permitted in this PDO.

Answer 4

Naoussa

Question 5

Which of the three key red grape of Greece (Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro, and Mavrodaphne) is primarily used to produce sweet, fortified wines?

Answer 5

Mavrodaphne

They produce wines often compared to ruby or tawny Port.

Question 6

Name 3 of the 5 more prolific white grapes of Greece.

Answer 6

Moschofilero
Assyrtiko
Muscat
Athiri
Roditis

Question 7

Describe the quality system used for wine in Greece.

Answer 7

EO (table wine) - half of production
PGI = TO
PDO = OPE for sweet wines, OPAP for dry, unfortified wines

“PDO Wines of Greece” most commonly seen on PDO wine labels for export.

Question 8

Because many Greek wine makers are frustrated with the current specifications of the quality system, some of the most interesting wines being made today are often labeled with: _________________.

Answer 8

TO or even EO

Question 9

What are the three key, better known wine regions in Greece?

Answer 9

Macedonia
Peloponnese
Aegean Islands

Question 10

These sub regions are part of what larger region in Greece?

Amyndeonn
Cotes de Meliton
Goumenissa
Nasussa

Answer 10

Macedonia

Question 11

These sub regions are part of what larger region of Greece?

Mantinia
Mavrodaphne of Patras
Nemea
Patras

Answer 11

Peloponnese

Question 12

Nemea is the largest appellation in Greece for:

Red Wine
White Wine

Answer 12

Red Wine

Nemea produces highly regarded reds - both dry and sweet - from Agiorgitiko

Question 13

Nemea, a subregion of Peloponnese, is the largest red wine appellation in Greece, making highly regarded reds from which grape?

Answer 13

Agiorgitiko

Question 14

What is the sole grape allowed for production in Naoussa PDO wines?

Answer 14

Xinomavro

Question 15

Assytyiko thrives in the volcanic island of: _________________.

Answer 15

Santorini

Question 16

Santorini (part of the Agean islands is dry and windy. What kind of vine training is used here?

Answer 16

Vines are trained into a basket or wreath shape, known as Stefani.

Question 17

The dry wines of the Santorini PDO must be produced using 75% of which kind of grape?

Answer 17

Assytriko

Question 18

What is Commandaria? Where is it made?

Answer 18

Commandaria is a sweet, amber dessert wine made using sun dried Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (White) grapes - made in Cyprus.

It matures in a complex aging system similar to a solera system, known as the mana system.

Question 19

What is the name of the sweet dessert wine produced in Cyprus?

Answer 19

Commandaria

Question 20

Turkey is one of the largest grape growing countries in the world. Why is it not one of the largest wine producing countries?

Answer 20

Most of its grapes are sold as table grapes or raisins.

Question 21

Lebanon’s wine industry is largely based on the reputation of which producer?

Answer 21

Chateau Musar

Question 22

Where is Chateau Musar based?

Answer 22

Lebanon

Question 23

What is the connection between Israel’s wine industry and Chateau Lafite?

Answer 23

One of the owners of Chateau Lafite (Baron Edmond de Rothschild) invested in the region in the late 1800s/early 1900s, founding Carmel Winery.

Carmel Winery is the largest producing winery in the region.

Question 24

Most vineyards in Lebanon are planed at high elevations in which part of the country?

Answer 24

Bekaa Valley

Question 25

Where is the Bekaa Valley?

Answer 25

Lebanon (western part of the country)