Greece Flashcards
What is retsina?
Wine aged in amphora sealed with aleppo pine resin
What is the predominant grape used for retsina?
Saavatiano (also Roditis & Assyrtiko)
Which region is known for retsina production?
Central Greece (AKA Sterea Ellada)
Which variety is Naoussa known for?
Xinamavro
Which variety is Nemea known for?
Agiorgitiko
Which two varieties is Patras known for?
Muscat & Mavrodaphne
Which variety is Santorini known for?
Assyrtiko, min 75% required for dry whites.
Vin Santo requires min 51% assyrtiko.
Which variety is Lemnos known for?
Lemnio
What style of wine is Muscat of Patras & Muscat of Rio Patras?
VDN & VDL
Where is the Verdea Traditional Appellation (a PGI) wine made? What is the style?
Verdea is a white wine produced from Skiadapoulo on the island of Zakynthos in an oxidative style (similar to vin jaune).
What varieties is the Slopes of Meliton known for? Who is the famous producer?
International varieties. Domaine Porto Carras is the famous producer - Emily Peynaud consulted with them.
What does Reserva indicate on a bottle of Greek wine?
whites: 1yr total, 6mo cask.reds: 2yrs total, 1yr cask.
What does Gran Reserva indicate on a bottle of Greek wine?
whites: 2yrs, 1yr in cask, 6mo bottle. reds: 4yrs, 18mo cask, 18mo bottle
What does Cava indicate (PGI Wines only) on a greek wine bottle?
whites: 1yr total, 6mo caskreds: 3yrs total, 1yr cask
Which region is known for sparkling wine in Greece? What is the main grape variety?
Zitsa PDO in Epirus (a cooler, mountainous area in NW Greece) is known for sparkling made from the highly acidic Debina grape.
What is a synonym for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains in Greece?
Muscat Aspro
What is the most famous subzone of Nemea?
Koutsi
What is the most planted white grape of Crete?
Vilana
What is the most planted red grape on the Aegean Islands?
Mandilara is the most planted red grape of the Aegean.
What is the only Greek appellation to require the use of white grapes in red blends?
Paros is the only Greek appellation to require the use of white grapes in red wine. It requires that Monemvassia (W) be blended with Mandilara.
What is Samos Nectar?
Samos Nectar is a naturally sweet wine made on Samos from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. It is similar to vin de paille in that it is made from dried grapes. 3 years aging is required prior to release.
What is the only Ionian island with a PDO?
Cephalonia is the only Ionian island with a PDO. (Mavrodaphne, Muscat, & Robola - 3 PDOs total)
What is the only white PDO of Thessalia?
Anchialos is the only white PDO in Thessalia with a minimum of 75% Roditis & Max 25% Saavatiano.
What is the traditional producer of Mavrodaphne de Patras?
Anchia-Clauss is the traditional producer of Mavrodaphne de Patras with a ``solera dating back to 1882.”
Descibe the Liatiko grape.
Liatiko is a red grape grown on Crete. It ripens early (July) and makes an orange colored wine.
What does Palaiomenos se vareil indicate on a label?
Palaiomenos se vareil indicates additional aging in oak to the requirements for Cava, Reserva, or Gran Reserva.
What is the southernmost PDO for Xinamavro in Greece?
Rapsani is the southernmost PDO for Xinamavro (blended with Krasato & Stavroto).
Where would you find Grand Cru wines in Greece?
Both Muscat of Patras & Muscat of Rio Patras have a “Grand Cru” designation for wines coming from specific vineyards & requiring a max yield of 5.3 tons/ha.
Name 3 wines in Greece that are made in an oxidative style.
- Monemvassia-Malvasia PDO: min 51% monemvassia. Aged at least 2yrs. 2. Verdea Traditional Appellation: from the island of the Zakynthos 3. Marouvas PGI: red wine from the Aegean 4. Mavrodaphne de Patras can also be made oxidatively similar to tawny port.
Name at least 4 Muscat PDOs in Greece.
Muscat of Patras, Muscat of Rio Patras, Muscat de Cephalonia, Muscat of Rhodes, Muscat of Lemnos, Samos
What are the stone terraces called in Greece?
Pezoules are stone terraces in Greece.
Name at least 3 Xinamavro PDOs.
Naoussa, Amyntheo, Rapsani
What is the only 2 PDOs in Greece that allows rosé?
Amyntheo and Rhodes
Which PDO in Greece is the largest by geographic standards?
Patras PDO covers the most land.
Where would you find the oldest cabernet sauvignon plantings in Greece?
Metsovo, just east of Epirus has the oldest cab plantings (1963). They are in one of the highest altitude vineyards in the country too, at 900-1000masl
What does kokkineli refer to?
Rose retsina
What is aspa & where would you find it?
Soil in Santorini. Sandy, volcanic, white rock.
What was the first PDO of Greece?
Naoussa in 1971
How is sparkling Zitsa produced?
Traditional OR charmat methods. Min 3.5 atmospheres.
What is the greek version of grappa called?
Tsipouro
How long must Vin Santo from Santorini be aged in oak?
min 2 years in barrel, on the islands of Thera or Thirasia.
