Greece Flashcards
history of wine in greece
- 5000 years ago, ancient greek symposium, and golden age. During Greek empire first wine writings, laws to prevent fraud and raise taxes, usually infused with herbs, spices, flowers, honey and oils.
- Decline for Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empire (only domestic consume) the Balkan Wars, WW1 and 2, civil war and philloxera, famous only for cheap wines such as Retsina
- rapid rise of high quality during the 80s, slow down on 2008 crisis now slight increase
2 general climates of greece
- coastal: mediterranean (long hot summers, and short mild winters)
- inland: continental (hotter, winters temperatures are going below freezing)
latitude of greece
34/42
influences moderating climate in greece and threats
- cold temperature inland - spring frost risk/grapes doesn’t reach ripeness
- mountains - altitude
- sea - moderating influences in flatter areas
- high winds - stop photosynthesis, interrupt flowering, berry set and delay ripening
rainfall levels in greece and problems
400 to 700mm little or no rain, water stress high risk, irrigation is common
over what kind of soils wine is planted in greece?
low fertility since the start usually fertile land was used for more lucrative crops so less fertile areas were used for olive and vines
average holding for a grower
0.5ha small volumes holding worked by hand, usually grape sold to bigger producers or co-ops or small volumes sold locally
when greek winemaking really took over?
when greece joined the EU and got access to funding
organic practices in Greece
hot and dry condition are making it suitable for organic and biodynamic viticulture also chemicals are recently a new thing
most common trellising technique
cordon trained with VSP some trellising techniques are made suitable for specific places over the centuries (e.g. Santorini)
irrigation in greece
is permitted for international varieties mainly (cab sauv and merlot) as many local varieties are now drought tolerant drip irrigation is most used techniques
how many indigenous varieties there are in greece?
unknown, at least 300 of which 60 are strongly cultivated new ones are discovered every day
best advantage of indigenous varietals in greece
important point of difference for greece in the export markets
why international varieties arrived in greece?
in the late 80s because of:
- request from the domestic market
- concern from producers looking at export (they thought consumers would never buy indigenous variety)
use of international varieties in greece
- single varietal (e.g. Chard, Sauvignon Blanc)
- blend with local varieties (e.g. Sauv and Assyrtiko, Merlot and Xinomavro)
most planted grapes in greece
- savatiano
- roditis
- agiorgitiko
- xinomavro
- assyrtiko
- cab sauv, merlot, syrah
what is mostly planted in greece? white or red varietals
70% is white
savatiano main feature and production style
it is drought resistant
large volume, inexpensive wine
savatiano modern reputation
rising because of quality production from low yielding, dry farmed bush vines
savatiano aromas
citrus, pear, stone fruit with nutty character with age
main grapes of retsina
savatiano
roditis
roditis is similar in style to what other grape?
moschofilero
roditis was famous because?
can bear high yields
inexpensive wines
roditis skin colour
pink skinned
many don’t macerate though
modern style of roditis
some high quality from altitude old vines in the peloponnese
medium body, high acidity, melon
assyrtiko main features
- highly adaptable - now is planted also on mainland
- high levels of acidity are always retained even in hot conditions - balances high alcohol (can age well)
- versatily - dry and sweet (vinsanto from santorini)
assyrtiko style
citrus, stone, tropical fruit, smoky/flinty some ages it in oak, fuller body
moschofilero grows mainly in…
mantinia in peloponnese
moschofilero style
- white - aromatic similar to muscat (citrus, rose petal, spices), high acidity, light body, low alcohol
- rose with extended skin contact (pink skinned)
malagousia plantings
very small, was almost extinct mainly high quality production
malagousia style
medium acidity, body stone fruit, flowers, herbal character if cooler site both stainless steel or oaky/new oak
where agiorgitiko grows?
peloponnese - nemea pdo
most planted black grape variety in greece
agiorgitiko
agiorgitiko style
- lighter fruity early drinking
- complex, full body, medium acidity, deep colour, mid to high tannins and medium alcohol, ripe red fruit and sweet spices (oak is common, small % new)
xinomavro style
pale colour, long bottle ageing flowers, herbs, spices, leather, hearth high acidity, high tannins, vegetal
xinomavro recent styles
- more accessible wines in their youth (fruity and softer tannins), riper grapes and less extraction, lower acidity and tannins
- blends with Merlot to soften Xinomavro
how originally wine was made in greece
crushed by foot, fermented in old cask (oak/chestnut) for a few months, then consumed
winemaking advancment in greece
mostly after joining EU 1981
- modern presses, stainless steel temp control, new oak barriques (both french and american)
- more traditionalist styles with ambient yeast, shorter extraction, and experimentation on whites with lees (like assyrtiko and malagousia)
why pine resin was used in wine?
- seal amphorae
- flavouring purposes
- to mask poor quality or faulty wines
was sold and got famous through tourism
where is retsina mainly produced?
in hot central plains
how retsina is made?
resin added to the must (in the past was in the final wine) on the lees for a week or two integrated but subtle pine resin flavours
current laws on retsina
does not comply as wine for EU laws but has been granted special status as “wine of appellation by tradition”
amount of resin is controlled, min acidity levels and alcohol
retsina premium bottlings have what feature?
there might be some assyrtiko in the blend
pdo in greece is called
POP (Prostatevmeni Onomasia Proelefsis)
pdo laws in greece are mainly regulating what?
yields and varieties (local) only Naoussa controls ageing
PGI name in greece and how much production
PGE (prostatevmeni geografiki endiksi 62% of production, less strict and use of internation variety
how is a wine labeled if is not a PDO or PGI
“wines from greece” high volume brands, blend from different regions 18% of total production
macedonia 2 main climates and PDO
- mountains - continental, altitude and good rainfall (650-700), naoussa and amynteo pdo
- plains - warm mediterranean, mountains rain shadow effect, fertile soils (high volume) - drama and kaval pdo
naoussa/amynteo grape
xinomavro 100%
drama/kavala pdo grapes
assyrtiko/malagousia
drama also famous for Bordeaux varietals, also chard and sauv in more altitude sites
naoussa climatic influences
south eastern slopes of Moutn Vermio 150-400mt sheltered from cold winds from north west but still cool area
style of naoussa wines
high acidity/tannins, long ageing, mid price till ultra premium old vessels (traditional, now some are back to it for more restrained examples) barriques french (firmer tannins, more body and oak aromas), modern cold soaking/whole bunch
what is the most important factors in naoussa
aspect and topography are more important than altitude
soils are too mixed (some producers are now doing village/single vineyards bottling)
is rose permitted in naoussa?
no, only red
naoussa best producers
thymiopoulos kir-yianni
amynteo climatic features
- north west side of Mount Vermio - exposed to north cold winds (site selection is important)
- altitude 570-750
- lakes moderate temperature (essential because of the wind influences) but also risk of rot
- fertile soils (yields needs to be controlled)
- spring frost
amynteo style
- xinomavro 100%, both red and rose
- lighter body and lowe tannins with floral quality
- there’s a research towards more concentrated styles (mostly on sandy soil philoxxera free and old vines)
amynteo famous producer
alpha estate
where is the region of peloponnese?
southern part of the mainland
how big is the peloponnese?
largest vineyard plantings (30% total including grapes for drying) largest numbers of PDO (including nemea mantinia)
peloponnese climatic features
- mountainos (poor rocky soils)
- altitude (moderate climates) - flatter land is around Patra more fertile soils (small area)
- easter winds bring rain but some is blocked by the mountains (especially towards east)
main plantings in peloponnese
mainly white grapes (moschofilero roditis) inexpensive wines (roditis agiorgitiko)
high quality on high altitude sides in PGI Slopes of Algialla international varieties
general location of nemea
peloponnese close to the corinth canal
pdo laws on varietals and styles in nemea
100% agiorgitiko red and sweet (rare)
nemea winemaking techniques
- 90s french barriques oak, now more subtle use
- semi-carbonic maceration to enhance flavours and keep tannins low
best nemea producers
gaia tselepos
three main areas of nemea
- valley floor (230-400mt) - hottest, fertile soil, inexpensive wines and high quality sweet
- mid zone (450-650mt) - best quality, free draining aoils, low yields, different soils and microclimates (cru system is starting now)
- high zone (650-1000mt) - agiorgitiko struggles to ripen, high acidity, harsh tannins, clay soils, some are starting to explore the area
mantinia climate
cold and high altitude (600mt starting) long growing season (harvest october/november) in coldest years grapes don’t ripen
main grape of mantinia
85% min moschofilero (all high quality are 100%)
moschofilero in mantinia style
high acidity, low to med alcohol, medium to min body, floral and spicy aroma fermented in staniless steel
best producers in mantinia
boutari semeli estate
greek island climate problem
aegean sea strong winds - brings low rainfall soils of islands are rock soils with poor water retention wine is too expensive to make, winemakers are selling land for tourist developments
most famous islands and wine produced
santorini (cyclades island group)
paros (cyclades) - still and sweet
tinos (cyclades)
samos (north aegean) - sweet
lemnos (north aegean) - sweet
crete - indigenous varieties
volcanic origin of santorini
lies on a volcano, in the last major eruption (1500BCE) much of the island collapsed leaving a central submerged crater (called caldera) the island today is just the eastern rim of the volcano
what is caldera?
central submerged crater of the volcano of santorini
main climatic problem of Santorini
strong winds
main trellising solution for winds
basket shape canopy (usually in a hollow)
the vines are woven into previous year’s growth
if it gets too bulky (20yr) is cut off and the new basket is started from a shoot
requires 4 times the labour of a normal trellis
is vsp used in santorini?
someone is experimenting with it but it has been controversial with traditionalists
huge advantage of the santorini basket shape
traps the moisture from the morning fog coming from the caldera
planting density for santorini
really low because of low water supply 2500 vines per ha
age of the vines in santorini
no philloxera problem some roots or trunks have more than 400yr
pdo laws in santorini
60hl/ha (lowest in greece, old vines are around 15hl/ha)
white wine only (dry 75%min assyrtiko and sweet 51% min assyrtiko, mostly single varietal)
volcanic soil main feature
very infertile - low yielding
santorini’s assyrtiko style
high acidity medium to high alcohol smoky charachter, honey toast with age mostly stainless steel (maintain primary) some experiment with oak and lees (more body) good to oustanding, mid to premium prices
santorini’s vinsanto technique and ageing
late harvest, dried in the sun for up to two weeks
2yr oak (usually longer), not fully filled cask for oxidation
200-300g/l sugars still high acidity
main estates in santorini
argyros sigalas
co-op history in greece
instituted in 20s by the greek government to revitalise the industry - mostly cheap product (apart from Samos co-op for high quality sweets) recently after the 80s quality was raised as consumer where more aware of products and to cope with raising quality of competition from estates
estates current status in greece
7000 grape growers with small plots, 1000 active wineries most of the product is sold locally, bulk or to co-op/large companies increasing numbers of new estates in the last 10 years that are selling their own wines
greek wines export
13% total
germany makes it for 40% of it
also scandinavia, Benelux (mostly cheap)
high quality US and canada, australia and UK
pros and cons of greek wines in export market
pro excellent value (because of weak economy) local varieties are points of difference cons local varieties hard to remember alphabet is hard to read
main problem of domestic market
many greeks love international varieties so the domestic market is completely different from the export
