Greece Flashcards
What kind of resin is used to flavor Retsina?
Aleppo Pine
From what grape is Retsina principally made?
Savvatiano
What classification does Retsina fall under?
It is classified as a Traditional Appellation under the PGI category.
When were wine laws first implemented in Greece?
1969 and 1970, most appellations were established in 1971
Who oversees the Greek wine system?
The Greek Wine Institute
What are the two levels of PDO wines in Greece?
Controlled Appellation of Origin/ Οίνοι Ονομασίας Προελεύσεως Eλεγχόμενης (AOC/OPE)—a status reserved for traditional sweet wines—and Appellation of Superior Quality/ Οίνοι Ονομασίας Προελεύσεως Ανωτέρας Ποιότητος (AOSQ/OPAP)
Between the two categories of PDO wines in Greek, which one is for traditional sweet wines?
Controlled Appellation of Origin/ Οίνοι Ονομασίας Προελεύσεως Eλεγχόμενης (AOC/OPE)
What does Reserve indicate on Greek label?
White - 1 yr aging - inc 6 mo barrel & 3m btl
Red - 2 yr aging - inc 1y barrel & 6m btl
What does Grande Reserve indicate on a Greek label?
White - 2 yr aging - inc 1 yr barrel & 6m btl
Red - 4 yr aging - inc 18 mos barrel & 18 mos btl
What are the three categories below PDO in Greek?
PGI, Varietal Wines, and Table Wines
Can Varietal wines carry vintage and variety?
You betcha. Although this category has been hung up the bureaucracy since 2011
Can Table Wines in Greece carry vintage and varietal?
Hell to the no
The Traditional Appellations of Retsina and Verdea are classified as what?
They are PGI, this category also integrates the wines of Greece’s former “vin de pays” category, Topikos Inos/ Τοπικοί Οίνοι
What is Verdea? How is it classified?
An oxidative white wine produced on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea. Classified as a Traditional Appellation under the PGI category.
What are the three ways to subdivide the PGI zones?
Regional, district and area
What do districts correspond to in regards to Greeck PGI?
To the peripheral units of Greece, a form of political state that replaced prefectures during administrative reform in 2010
What does “Cava” indicate on a Greek bottle?
White & Rose PGI - min 1 yr aging inc 6m oak
Red PGI - min 3 yr aging inc 1 yr oak
What does “Palaiomenos se vareli” indicate on a Greek wine label?
“Palaiomenos se vareli” may be added to the label of Cava, Reserve, or Grand Reserve wines to indicate oak aging beyond the required minimums
What is put on a Greek wine label to indicate oak aging beyond the required minimums.
“Palaiomenos se vareli”
What are the six mainland Greek regions?
Macedonia, Epirus, Peloponnese, Thessalia, Thrace, and Central Greece (Sterea Ellada)
What are the two island categories?
Ionian and Aegean islands
What are the PDOs of Thrace?
There are none!
What are the four PDOs of Macedonia?
Naoussa, Amynteo, Slopes of Meliton, Goumenissa
What is the grape of Naoussa?
100% Xinomavro in red only (dry to medium sweet)
What is the grape of Amynteo?
100% Xinomavro, in red, rose, and sparkling rose (dry to medium sweet)
What is the grape of Slopes of Meliton?
In dry red and white.
Red - Lemnio, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
White - Athiri, Roditis, and Assyrtiko
What is the grape of Goumenissa?
Dry red only. Xinomavro plus 20% Negoska
Of these three appellations, what are Xinomavro ONLY - Goumenissa, Naoussa, and Amynteo?
Naoussa and Amynteo - Goumenissa allows ups to 20% Negoska
Where is Boutari based?
Naoussa
What is Greece’s coolest region?
Amynteo
What is the only PDO to allow production of rose wines?
Amynteo - in dry to semisweet, still or sparkling
Slopes of Meliton is a PDO just for what estate?
Domaine Carras
Winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou launched the estate under what famous flying winemaker’s guidance?
Emile Peyraud
What almost extinct grape did Domaine Carra’s winemaker save? Where does he produce it?
Malagousia, he makes it at this own state in the PGI district of Thessaloniki in northern Macedonia
What are the three PDOs of Thessalia?
Rapsani, Messenikola, and Anchialos
What is the southernmost outpost for Xinomavro? How does it taste here?
Rapsani. the grape’s tannins and acid structure are softened by the warmer climate and mandatory blending with the lighter Krasato and Stavroto grapes.
At the foot of what mountain is Rapsani PDO located?
Mt. Olympus
What kind of wine is made in Rapsani PDO?
Xinomavro with a mandatory blending with Krasato and Stavroto. It is a red only appellation.