Greece Flashcards
Where were the first vineyards in France located?
Massalia-a Greek colony at modern-day Marseilles
What is Retsina?
An aromatized wine flavored with Aleppo pine resin.
What is the grape used in Retsina?
Savvatiano
True or False:
Retsina can be labeled with a vintage.
False-Retsina cannot be labeled with a vintage
Name 2 Major Greek wine producers
Boutari, Tsantali
When did Greece first implement wine laws?
In 1969 and 1970. Most of the country’s appellations were established in 1971.
What are the 2 levels of PDO quality wine?
Controlled Appellation of Origin(AOC/OPE)-traditional sweet wines
Appellation of Superior Quality(AOSQ/OPAP)
What does “Grand Reserve” indicate on a Greek wine label?
- Min. 2 years of aging for whites, with at least 1 year in barrel and 6 months in bottle.
- Min. 4 years of aging for reds, with at least 18 months in barrel and 18 months in bottle.
Which category of Greek wine quality includes the traditional appellations of Retsina and Verdea?
PGI
What is Topikos Inos?
Greece’s former vin de pays category
How are the PGI zones divided?
District
Regional
Area
What does “Cava” indicate for PGI wines?
- At least 1 year aging for PGI whites and roses with 6 months in oak
- 3 years minimum aging for red PGI wines with 1 year in oak
What does “Reserve indicate on a Greek wine label?
- A min. 1 year aging period for white wines with at least 6 months in barrel and 3 months in bottle.
- A min. 2 years of aging for red wines with at least 1 year in barrel and 6 months in bottle.
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 6 regions are located on the Greek mainland?
Thrace Macedonia Epirus Thessalia Central Greece(Sterea Ellada) Peloponnese
What is an alternate name for Central Greece?
Sterea Ellada
What are the 2 broad categories of Greek Islands?
The Aegean and Ionian islands.
Name the 4 PDO regions of Macedonia.
Naoussa-Xinomavro
Amynteo-Xinomavro
Goumenissa-Xinomavro w/20% Negoska
Slopes of Meliton-Domaine Carras
In what year was Naoussa established?
- One of Greece’s most successful appellations. Home of Boutari.
Describe the Slopes of Meliton’s Domain Carras
Red blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Limnio.
White blends of Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Rhoditis
Who is Evangelos Gerovassiliou?
The winemaker of Domaine Carras who brought international acclaim under the guidance of Emile Peynaud.
He nurtured the native Malagoussia grape back from the brink of extinction.
Name the 3 PDO regions of Thessalia.
Rapsani PDO-red
Anchialos PDO-white only
Messenikola PDO-red
What is the southernmost outpost for the Xinomavro grape?
Rapsani PDO
What 2 grapes is Xinomavro blended with in Rapsani?
Krasato
Stavroto
What are the grape varietals of Anchialos PDO?
WHITE ONLY!
Roditis
Savvatiano
What is the one PDO of Epirus?
Zitsa- dry, semisweet and sparkling wines made from the Debina grape.
What is Verdea?
a Traditional, oxidative white wine made on the Ionian island of Zakynthos
Where is the center of production of Retsina?
Attiki-Sterea Ellada
True or False:
Sterea Ellada has no PDO zones.
True
What are the 7 PDO regions of Pelopennese?
Nemea(Agiorgitiko) Mantinia (Moschofilero) Patras(Roditis) Muscat of Patras Muscat of Rio Ratras Mavrodaphne of Patras (Mavrodaphe/ Mavro Korinthiaki) Monemvassia-Malvasia(51% Monemvassia)
What is the grape of Nemea PDO?
Agiorgitiko aka St. George
-a soft, tannic, intensely fruity black grape
What is the most famous subzone of Nemea?
Koutsi
What sobriquet is sometims attached to the wines of Nemea?
“blood of Hercules” or “blood of the lion”
-commemorating the first of Hercules’ 12 legendary labors
What is the principle grape varietal of Mantinia PDO?
Moschofilero
-a red-skinned grape with an aromatic resemblance to Muscat
What is the grape varietal of Patras PDO?
100% Roditis
Name the 3 dessert wine PDO zones of Patras
Muscat of Patras
Muscat of Rio Patras
Mavrodaphne of Patras
What are the grapes used in Mavrodaphne of Patras?
Mavrodaphne
Mavri Korinthiaki
What is Monemvassia-Malvasia?
a small zone on the southeastern coast of the Peloponesse awarded PDO status in 2010.
wines must be SWEET, aged oxidatively for at least 2 years. Min. 51% Monemvassia
What are the 4 wine producing islands of the Ionian islands?
Cephalonia
Kerkyra(Corfu)
Lefkada
Zakynthos
What is the only Ionian island that has a PDO?
Cephalonia
-for dry white wines produced from Robola and sweet wines produced from Mavrodaphne and Muscat
What is the home of Verdea Traditional Appellation wines?
Zakynthos
grapes:Skiadopoulo, Pavlos, Avgoutiatis
similar to vin jaune and sherry
Name the 8 PDO appellations of the Aegean Islands
Santorini Paros Rhodes Lemnos Samos Muscat of Rhodes Muscat of Lemnos Malvasia Paros
Name the PDO zones of Crete
Archanes-red Dafnes-red Sitia-red/white Peza-red/white Candia Malvasia Candia Malvasia Sitia
What is Crete’s most cultivated white grape?
Vilana
What is the dominant grape of Sitia and Dafnes?
Liatiko
one of the most ancient varieties under cultivation, delivers a distinctively “orange” wine
What is the most common red varietal throughout the Aegean?
Mandilaria
-blended with Kostifali to produce the red wines of Archanes and Peza
What are the main grapes of Santorini?
Assyrtiko
Aidiani
Athiri
Who is Paris Sigalas?
a master of Assyrtiko producing both barrel-aged and fresh versions of the wine
What is the name of the vine training system used in Santorini?
Stefani
-shape of a basket or wreath in order to protect against fierce Aegean winds and collect moisture from morning dew
What is Vinsanto?
a sweet, dried grape wine of Santorini
What is the only Greek appellation that mandates use of a white grape in red blends?
Paros
Mandilaria-red
Monemvassia-white
What is Muscat Blanc a Petite Grains known as on Samos?
Moscato Aspro
What is Samos Nectar?
The naturally sweet version of Samos
similar to vin de paille produced from dried grapes. Aged for a min. of 3 years.
What are the 2 PDO appelleations of Lemnos?
Lemnos PDO
Muscat of Lemnos PDO
What are the grapes of Rhodes?
Muscat-Muscat of Rhodes(rare)
Mandilaria
Athiri
