General Flashcards
Vidiano and Kotsifali are grape varieties thought to be indigenous to what island?
Crete
Monemvassia-Malvasia
PDO for sweet wines, southern Pelopennese
- Naturally Sweet White (Vin Liastos/Sun Dried)
- Fortified Sweet White (VDN)
- min 51% Monemvassia, plus Assyrtiko, Asproudes, Kydonitsa
Retsina
Most common white grape
Saavatiano
T/F: Retsina cannot be labeled with a vintage.
True
Greece
Number of indigenous varietals
over 300
Two large producers who dominate the Greek wine industry
Boutari
Tsantali
Greece wine laws
Year 1st implemented
1969 and 1970
- Most of the country’s appellations were established in 1971
- Laws refined in the 1980s
- Overseen by the Greek Wine Institute
- Conform to EU standards and resemble the French model
Year most of Greece’s appellations were established
1971
2 levels of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) quality wine
-
Controlled Appellation of Origin
- status reserved for traditional sweet wine
- Appellation of Superior Quality
* While these 2 separate categories remain, “PDO Wines of Greece” will appear on current and future bottles of wines featuring a designation of origin, especially those destined for export.
“Reserve”
- White - min. 1 yr, 6 mo barrel, 3 mo bottle
- Red - min. 2 yrs, 1 yr barrel, 6 mo bottle
“Grand Reserve”
- White - 2 yrs, 1 yr barrel, 6 mo bottle
- Red - 4 yrs, 18 mo barrel, 18 mo bottle
Verdea
Oxidative white wine produced on the island of Zakynthos of the Ionian Sea
3 other categories of wine quality below PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) level
- PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)
- Varietal - still awaiting its official unveiling in 2011 due to bureaucratic delays, comprises table wines that carry a vintage and variety on the label, whereas ordinary “Table” wines cannot
- Table
PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) zones
3 levels
- Regional - equivalent to the major regions of Greece, such as Pelopnnese and Crete
- District
- Area - so small they may include a single estate
Regions of the Greek mainland
- Thrace
- Macedonia
- Epirus
- Thessalia
- Peloponnese
- Cental Greece (Sterea Ellada)
Region known as Sterea Ellada
Central Greece (Sterea Ellada)
Region home to some of Greece’s best red wines
Macedonia
Thrace
Number of PDO appellations
None
Sole grape for red wines of Naoussa and Amynteo
Xinomavro (“acid-black”)
- Firmly tannic
- vs. Macedonia’s Goumenissa PDO, which produces lighter Xinomavro wines with min. 20% Negoska
Goumenissa PDO
Style
- Xinomavro + min 20% Negoska
- Lighter profile
Min. % of Negoska added to Xinomavro in Goumenissa PDO
20% Negoska
“Cava”
- Aging indication for PGI wines
- White and rosé - min 1 yr, 6 mo oak
- Reds - min. 3 yrs, 1 yr oak
What term may be added to the label of Cava, Reserve, or Grand Reserve wines to indicate oak aging beyond the required minimums?
“Palaiomenos se vareli”
Greece’s coolest region
Amynteo PDO
- Within Macedonia
- Only PDO to allow the production of rosé wines (?); these may be dry to semisweet, and still or sparkling
What is the only PDO to allow the production of rosé wines?
Amynteo
- In Macedonia
- Rosés may be dry to semisweet, and still or sparkling: 100% Xinomavro
Rhodes
* Red/Rose: minimum 70% Mandilaria
PDO in Macedonia that is a single appellation for Domaine Carras
Slopes of Meliton (Plagies Meltiona)
Domaine Carras - a trailblazing, ambitius Greek estate
Red PDO wines from Domaine Carras are a blend of what grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- and native Liminio
Who nurtured the native white Malagousia grape from the brink of extinction and now produces varietal wines of high aromatic intensity from the grape at his own domaine in the PGI district fo Thassaloniki in northern Macedonia?
Evangelos Gerovassiliou
- Winemaker who launched Domaine Carras to international acclaim
Southernmost appellation for Xinomavro
Rapsani PDO
- Within Thessalia
- Xinomavro’s tannins and acid structure are softened by the warmer climate and mandatory blending with the lighter Krasato and Stavroto grapes
Rapsani PDO
(w/in Thessalia)
2 grapes required in the blend with Xinomavro
- Krasato, Stavroto
- Lighter red grapes
PDO in Thessalia for only white wines
Anchialos PDO
- Blended from Roditis and Savvatiano grapes from higher-altitude vineyards
Zitsa PDO
(wihtin Epirus)
- Styles
- Grape
Zitsa PDO
- Dry White
- Sparkling White Dry / Semi Dry
- 100% Debina
Most prominent region for Retsina
Central Greece, or Sterea Ellada
- Attiki, the region surrounding Athens, is the center of production
Year Naoussa was established as an appellation
1971
PDO home of Boutari
Naoussa PDO
(within Macedonia, est 1971)
- Boutari - one of Greece’s two largest producers and a major force in the modern rejuvenation of Greek winemaking
Winemaker that launched Doamine Carras to international acclaim
Evangelos Gerovassiliou
- Under the guidance of Émile Peynaud
Domaine Carras
Slopes of Meliton PDO
Grapes for white blends
- Assyrtiko
- Athiri
- Rhoditis
Epirus
1 PDO
Zitsa PDO
- Dry still white
- Sparkling white dry / semi dry
- 100% Debina
Crete
Most planted white grape
Vilana
- Vidiano (higher acidity, more character) grape is challenging Vilana in popularity with high-quality producers
Wine-producing islands in the Ionian archipelago
- Cephalonia
- Kerkyra (Corfu)
- Lefkada
- Zakynthos
Ionian island that contains all the PDOs in the group
Cephalonia
Robola of Cephalonia
- Styles
- Grapes
Robola of Cephalonia
- Dry White
- 100% Robola
Muscat of Cephalonia
- Styles
- Grape
- Sweet White (sun dried), White VDN, White VDL, VDN Grand Cru
- 100% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Moschato Aspro)
Muscat PDOs
Grand Cru
Muscat PDO’s Grand Cru
- Wines produced from estate vineyards with “low yields per ha”
Muscat appellations
Must weight levels
- Sweet Wine: 300 g/l (after drying)
- VDN: 238 g/l
- VDN Grand Cru: 252 g/l
- VDL: 221 g/l
Ionian Islands
PDO zones
- Robola of Cephalonia
- Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia
- Muscat of Cephalonia
3 PDO zones est in 2012
- Candia
- Malvasia Candia
- Malvasia Sitia
Most widespread red varietal in the Aegean
Mandilaria
Sitia
- Styles
- Grapes
Sitia
- Dry White, Dry Red
- Red VDL, Red VDN, Vin Liastos
- White: min 70% Vilana, + Thrapsathiri
- Red: min 80% Liatiko, + Mandilaria
- Vin Liastos is 100% Liatiko
Peza
- Styles
- Grapes
Peza
- Dry Red and White
- White: 100% Vilana
- Red: Kotsifali, Mandilaria
Dafnes
- Styles
- Grapes
Dafnes
- Red only
- Dry, VDL, VDN/Grand Cru, Vin Liastos
- 100% Liatiko
Archanes
- Styles
- Grapes
Dry Red Kotsifali and Mandilaria
Candia
- Styles
- Grapes
Candia
- Dry red and white
- White: min 85% Vilana, Vidiano, Assyrtiko, Thrapsathiri, Athiri, Liatiko (vinified white), + Muscat Spinas, Malvasia di Candia
- Red: Kotsifali, Mandilaria
Malvasia Candia PDO
- Styles
- Grapes
- Aging requirements
Malvaisa Candia
- Vin Liastos, VDN
- Assyrtiko, Athiri, Vidiano, Thrapsani, Liatiko, + max 15% Malvasia di Candia Aromatico and/or Muscat Blanc a Petits Grain
- 2 yrs oak
Malvasia Candia, Malvaisa Sitia, Malvasia Paros
Vin Liastos
- Min must weight
- Min RS
- 320 g/l
- 80 g/l
Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO
Grapes
min 51% Malvassia, plus Assyrtiko, Asproudes, Kydonitsa
Zitsa PDO
Sparkling RS
Zitsa PDO
- Sparkling White Dry: 17 - 32 g/l
- Sparkling White Semi Dry: 32 - 50 g/l
Key grapes of Thrace:
Roditis = white
Limnio = red
Key grape of Macedonia:
Xinomavro = red
Key grape of Epirus:
Debina = white
Major grape of Thessalia:
Xinomavro = red
Major grape of Central Greece (Sterea Ellada):
Savatiano = white
Major grapes of the Peloponnese:
Agiorghitiko = red
Moschofilero = white
Major grapes of the Ionian Islands:
Robola = white
Tsaoussi = white
Major grapes of the Aegean Islands:
Athiri = white
Mandelaria = red
Muscat = white
Assyrtico = white
Major grapes of Crete:
Vidiano = white
Vilana = white
Liatiko = red
Kotsifali = red
PDO regions of the Aegean Islands:
Santorini PDO
Paros PDO
Rhodes PDO
Lemnos PDO
Samos PDO
Muscat of Rhodes PDO
Muscat of Lemnos PDO
Malvasia Paros PDO
PGI Traditional Appellation Retsina Designations in Central Greece:
PGI District Retsina: Attiki (Attica), Evia, Viotia
PGI Area Retsina: Karystos, Megara, Mesogeia, Markopoulo, Koropi, Pallini, Peanea, Pikermi, Spata, Ritsona, Thebes (Thiva), Yaltra, Chalkis
PDO regions of Crete:
Sitia PDO
Peza PDO
Daphnes PDO
Archanes PDO
Candia PDO
Malvasia Candia PDO
Malvasia Sitia PDO
PDO region of Epirus:
Zitsa PDO
PDO regions of the Ionian Islands:
Robola of Cephalonia PDO
Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia PDO
Muscat of Cephalonia PDO
PGI Regions of Ionian Islands:
PGI Verdea (Traditional Appellation of Zakynthos)
Main Varieties: Min. 50% Skiadopoulo, plus Pavlos, Robola, Goustolidi, Avgoustiatis (up to 34 varieties are planted on the island of Zakynthos)
PGI Regional Wines: None
PGI District WInes: Corfu (Kerkyra), Lefkada, Zakynthos
PGI Area Wines: Halikouna, Metaxata, Mantzavinata, Slopes of Enos, Kerkyra
PDO Regions of Macedonia:
Amynteo PDO
Goumenissa PDO
Naoussa PDO
Slopes of Meliton PDO
PDO Regions of Peloponnese:
Nemea PDO
Mantinia PDO
Patras PDO
Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO
Mavrodaphne of Patras PDO
Muscat of Patras PDO
Muscat of Rio Patras PDO
PDO Regions of Thessalia:
Anchialos PDO
Messenikola PDO
Rapsani PDO
Where is Boutari located?
Macedonia
What styles of wine are produced under the Malvasia Sitia and Malvasia Candia PDOs? How long must they be aged?
Sweet white and vin doux naturel
Min 2 years in oak
What district surrounds Athens and is the center of production for Retsina in Central Greece?
Attiki
Where is the village of Koutsi?
Nemea- is is the most famous village for Agiorgitiko.
What are the red and white grapes for the Slopes of Meliton PDO?
Red: Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Limnio
White: Assyrtiko, Athiri and Rhoditis
On Samos, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains produces what types of wines?
- Vin de liqueur
- Vin doux naturel
- Samos Nectar- a naturally sweet version, similar to vin de paille and aged for 6 years
What PDO of Thessalia produces whites only? From what grapes?
Anchialos PDO from Phoditis and Savvatiano
What is Retsina flavored with?
Aleppo Pine Resin
What are the 2 area PGIs of Thrace?
Avdira and Ismaros
Where is Domaine Porto Carras located?
Slopes of Meliton
What is Limnio?
A red grape that originated on the island of Lemnos. Its importance on the island has diminished. Domaine Porto Carras produces Limnio in the Slopes of Meliton.
What Island of Greece is the farthest East?
Rhodes- located closer to Turkey (Asia Minor)
What are the 4 PDOs of Peloponnese?
- Namea
- Mantinia
- Patras
- Monemvassia-Malvasia
Where is the Namea PDO? What styles of wine are produced and from what grapes?
- Peloponnese
- Dry and sweet
- Exclusively Agiorgitiko
What are the red only PDOs of Crete? What grapes are used?
Archanes- Mandilaria and Kotsifali
Dafnes- Liatiko
What two PDOs are located on the island of Rhodes? What color wines are produced and from what grapes?
- Rhones PDO
- Muscat of Rhodes PDO (rarely encountered)
Red- Mandilaria
White- Athiri
What are the red and white PDOs of Crete?
- Sitia
- Peza
- Candia
What is unique about the Liatiko grape?
- Found only on Crete and a handful of neighboring islands
- One of the most ancient varieties under cultivation
- Ripens in mid-July and delivers a distinctively ‘orange’ wine
What is Samos Nectar?
- Produced from Moscato Aspro (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)
- Similar to vin de paille; produced from dried grapes
- Aged for 6 years prior to release
Where is Santorini PDO located?
Santorini Island, part of the Cyclades Islands, North of Crete
What is the only PDO of Epirus?
Zitsa PDO
What are the 3 dessert wine PDOs of the Patras PDO?
- Muscat of Patras PDO
- Muscat of Rio Patras PDO
- Mavrodaphne of Patras PDO
What statement appears on all PDO wine featuring a designation of origin?
‘PDO Wines of Greece’
Where is the Paros PDO located?
Paros Island, part of the Cyclades Islands, north of Crete
What quality levels are below PDO?
- PGI
- ‘Varietal’ wines
- ‘Table’ wines
What styles of wine are produced under the Paros PDO and from what grapes?
- Red- Mandilaria
- White- monemvassia
- Only Greek appellation that mandates a white grape (Monemvassia) in a red blend
What does ‘Palaiomenos se Vareli’ mean on a label? What wines may this be added to?
- It indicated oak aging beyond the required minimums
- Cava, Reserve, Grand Reserve
Who is to progenitor of Mavropdaphne of Patras?
Achaia-Claus Estate
Has a Mavrodaphne solera dating to 1882
Where is Monemvassia-Malvasia located? What style of wine, from what grape? Aging?
Peloponnese
Must be 51% Monemvassia (AKA Malvasia)
Sweet
Must be aged in an oxidative environment for at least 2 years
What are the four wine producing islands of the Ionian Islands?
- Cephalonia
- Kerkyra (Corfo)
- Lefkada
- Zakynthos
What are the 2 most planted grapes in Central Greece (Sterea Ellada)?
Savvatiano
Roditis- the common name for a closely linked family of pink skinned grapes
What PDO includes four villages on the lower slopes of Mt. Olympus?
Rapsani PDO
What two PDOs are on the island of Lemnos? What styles and from what grapes?
- Lemnos PDO
- Muscat of Lemnos PDO
- Dry to sweet
- Muscat
Where is Vinsanto produced in Greece?
- Santorini Island
- it was probably named by the Venetians when they ruled the island in the Middle Ages
- A dried grape wine
What does ‘Grand Reserve’ indicate for a PDO wine?
- White: min 2 years (1 yr in barrel & 6 m in btl)
- Red: min 4 years (18 m in barrel & 18 m in btl)
Where is the Patras PDO? What styles of wines, from what grape?
- Peloponnese
- Dry whites
- 100% Roditis
What does ‘Reserve’ indicate for a PDO wine?
White: min 1 year (6 m in barrel & 3 m in btl)
Red: min 2 years (1 yr in barrel & 6 m in bottle)
The white wines of Santorini PDO are produced from what grapes?
Assyrtiko sometimes blended with Athiri and Aidani
What are the two broadly categorized island regions of Greece?
Aegean and Ionian islands
Can ‘Varietal’ and ‘Table’ wines carry a variety and vintage on the label?
‘Varietal’ wines may.
‘Table’ wines may not
Where is the Mantinia PDO? What is the major grape?
Peloponnese
Moschofilero
What is the Greek synonym for St. George?
Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko performs differently throughout the wide range of elevation and terrain of Nemea. What is the most famous village for it?
Koutsi
Where is the Candia PDO? What grapes are used?
- Crete
- White: Vilana
- Red: Kotsifali and Mandilaria
What are the 6 main land regions of Greece?
- Macedonia (north)
- Epirus (NW)
- Peloponnese (S; a peninsula only by virtue of the isthmus of Corinth)
- Thessalia (central, just north of Sterea Ellada)
- Thrace (NE)
- Central Greece (Sterea Ellada)
What are the two levels of PDO?
- Controlled appellation of Origin (AOC/OPE)- reserved for sweet wines
- Appellation of Superior Quality (AOSQ/OPAP)
What is Crete’s most cultivated white grape?
Vilana
-Many talented winemakers prefer Vidiano as it retains more acidity
What quality level is Retsina? Verdea?
Both are PGI and classified as Traditional Appellation Wines
What are the styles and grapes of Cephalonia PDO?
Dry whites- Robola (unrelated to Ribolla)
Sweet- Mavropaphne and Muscat
What is Verdea? Where is it located? What grapes?
A Traditional Appellation of Zakynthos Island
May share similarities with Jura’s vin juane or sherry
Grapes: Skiadopoulo, Pavlos, Avgoustiatis
Often unknown to Greeks
What PDO received appellation status as early as 1934? (It is Greece’s most famous wine)
Muscat of Samos
Where is Goumenissa PDO? What style of wines are produced and from what grapes?
Macedonia
Lighter reds from Xinomavro, must contain at least 20% Negoska
What styles of wine and from what grape are both Muscat of Patras PDO and Muscat of Rio Patras PDO?
Both may either be vin doux naturel or naturally sweet
Produced from Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains
How did Retsina develop its signature flavor?
Wine was transported in amphorae in ancient Greece. Often sealed with pine resin to prevent spoilage. Over time the resulting flavor became an acquired taste
What grape is Retsina generally produced from?
Savvatiano (white)
When was Greek wine law initially implemented? When were most of the country’s appellations established?
Implemented- 1969/1970
Appellations- 1971
Where is the Sitia PDO located? What grapes are used?
Crete
White: Vilana
Red: Liatiko
Can Retsina be labelled with a vintage?
No, because it’s flavored/manipulated
What 2 large producers dominate the Greek market?
Boutari and Tsantali
What is Verdea? Where is it located? What grapes?
- A Traditional Appellation of Zakynthos Island
- May share similarities with Jura’s vin juane or sherry
- Grapes: Skiadopoulo, Pavlos, Avgoustiatis
- Often unknown to Greeks
What PDO received appellation status as early as 1934? It is Greeces most famous wine.
Muscat of Samos
Where is Goumenissa PDO? What style of wines are produced and from what grapes?
Macedonia
- Lighter reds from Xinomavro, must contain at least 20% Negosk
What is the only red PDO of Peloponnese?
Nemea PDO
Where is the Peza PDO located? What grapes?
Crete
White - 100% Vilana
Reds - Mandilaria and Kotsifali
What is unique about the vine training on Santorini?
The vines are trained close to the ground in the shape of a “stefani” (basket)
In order to protect the grapes from fierce Aegean winds and to collect the little moisture in the form of Morning Dew
What grapes are used for Mavrodaphne of Patras? Aging? Can it carry a vintage?
Produced from Mavrodaphne and Mavri Korinthiaki (a currant grape, used for enriching the sugar content)
Aging - 1 yr in wood, some may remain in cask for a decade or more
May be vintage or non-vintage
Sweet, fortified red
What is the grape of Naoussa PDO? Where is it located?
Xinomavro
- Macedonia
What is “Cava” in Greece?
It indicates at least one year of aging, w/ 6 mos in oak, for white and rosé PGI wines
Reds are min 3 yrs (1 yr in oak)
What is the PDO for Domaine Carras? Where is it located?
Slopes of Meliton in Macedonia
What quality level integrated the wines of Greece’s former “Vin de Pays” category?
PGI
What 2 mainland regions of Greece do not have any PDOs?
Thrace
Central Greece
What is Greece’s coolest wine region?
Amynteo PDO
What is the district PGI of Thrace?
Evros
What is the only PDO allowed to produce rosé in Greece?
Amynteo
What are the 3 new PDOs of Crete that were added in 2012?
Candia
Malvasia Candia
Malvasia Sitia
What is the southernmost outpost for Xinomavro? What 2 lighter grapes must it be blended with?
Rapsani PDO
- Kirasoto and Stavroto
Where is Amynteo PDO located? What grape and what style of wine?
Macedonia
Xinomavro (100%)
Red and Rosé
Dry to semisweet, still or sparkling
Where is the Messenikola PDO? What color wines are produced?
Thessalia
- Red - min 70% Mavro Messenikola, plus Carignan and Syrah
When did phylloxera strike the Peloponnese? Crete?
Peloponnese - 1960s
Crete - 1970s
What is the only PDO of the Ionian Islands?
Cephalonia PDO
What is the local synonym for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains on Samos?
Muscato Aspro