Greece

Question 1

What is retsina?

Answer 1

Wine aged in amphora sealed with aleppo pine resin

Question 2

What is the predominant grape used for retsina?

Answer 2

Saavatiano (also Roditis & Assyrtiko)

Question 3

Which region is known for retsina production?

Answer 3

Central Greece (AKA Sterea Ellada)

Question 4

Which variety is Naoussa known for?

Answer 4

Xinamavro

Question 5

Which variety is Nemea known for?

Answer 5

Agiorgitiko

Question 6

Which two varieties is Patras known for?

Answer 6

Muscat & Mavrodaphne

Question 7

Which variety is Santorini known for?

Answer 7

Assyrtiko, min 75% required for dry whites.

Vin Santo requires min 51% assyrtiko.

Question 8

Which variety is Lemnos known for?

Answer 8

Lemnio

Question 9

What style of wine is Muscat of Patras & Muscat of Rio Patras?

Answer 9

VDN & VDL

Question 10

Where is the Verdea Traditional Appellation (a PGI) wine made? What is the style?

Answer 10

Verdea is a white wine produced from Skiadapoulo on the island of Zakynthos in an oxidative style (similar to vin jaune).

Question 11

What varieties is the Slopes of Meliton known for? Who is the famous producer?

Answer 11

International varieties. Domaine Porto Carras is the famous producer - Emily Peynaud consulted with them.

Question 12

What does Reserva indicate on a bottle of Greek wine?

Answer 12

whites: 1yr total, 6mo cask.reds: 2yrs total, 1yr cask.

Question 13

What does Gran Reserva indicate on a bottle of Greek wine?

Answer 13

whites: 2yrs, 1yr in cask, 6mo bottle. reds: 4yrs, 18mo cask, 18mo bottle

Question 14

What does Cava indicate (PGI Wines only) on a greek wine bottle?

Answer 14

whites: 1yr total, 6mo caskreds: 3yrs total, 1yr cask

Question 15

Which region is known for sparkling wine in Greece? What is the main grape variety?

Answer 15

Zitsa PDO in Epirus (a cooler, mountainous area in NW Greece) is known for sparkling made from the highly acidic Debina grape.

Question 16

What is a synonym for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains in Greece?

Answer 16

Muscat Aspro

Question 17

What is the most famous subzone of Nemea?

Answer 17

Koutsi

Question 18

What is the most planted white grape of Crete?

Answer 18

Vilana

Question 19

What is the most planted red grape on the Aegean Islands?

Answer 19

Mandilara is the most planted red grape of the Aegean.

Question 20

What is the only Greek appellation to require the use of white grapes in red blends?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

What is Samos Nectar?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What is the only Ionian island with a PDO?

Answer 22

Cephalonia is the only Ionian island with a PDO. (Mavrodaphne, Muscat, & Robola - 3 PDOs total)

Question 23

What is the only white PDO of Thessalia?

Answer 23

Anchialos is the only white PDO in Thessalia with a minimum of 75% Roditis & Max 25% Saavatiano.

Question 24

What is the traditional producer of Mavrodaphne de Patras?

Answer 24

Anchia-Clauss is the traditional producer of Mavrodaphne de Patras with a ``solera dating back to 1882.”

Question 25

Descibe the Liatiko grape.

Answer 25

Liatiko is a red grape grown on Crete. It ripens early (July) and makes an orange colored wine.

Question 26

What does Palaiomenos se vareil indicate on a label?

Answer 26

Palaiomenos se vareil indicates additional aging in oak to the requirements for Cava, Reserva, or Gran Reserva.

Question 27

What is the southernmost PDO for Xinamavro in Greece?

Answer 27

Rapsani is the southernmost PDO for Xinamavro (blended with Krasato & Stavroto).

Question 28

Where would you find Grand Cru wines in Greece?

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Name 3 wines in Greece that are made in an oxidative style.

Answer 29

1. 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.

Question 30

Name at least 4 Muscat PDOs in Greece.

Answer 30

Muscat of Patras, Muscat of Rio Patras, Muscat de Cephalonia, Muscat of Rhodes, Muscat of Lemnos, Samos

Question 31

What are the stone terraces called in Greece?

Answer 31

Pezoules are stone terraces in Greece.

Question 32

Name at least 3 Xinamavro PDOs.

Answer 32

Naoussa, Amyntheo, Rapsani

Question 33

What is the only 2 PDOs in Greece that allows rosé?

Answer 33

Amyntheo and Rhodes

Question 34

Which PDO in Greece is the largest by geographic standards?

Answer 34

Patras PDO covers the most land.

Question 35

Where would you find the oldest cabernet sauvignon plantings in Greece?

Answer 35

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

Question 36

What does kokkineli refer to?

Answer 36

Rose retsina

Question 37

What is aspa & where would you find it?

Answer 37

Soil in Santorini. Sandy, volcanic, white rock.

Question 38

What was the first PDO of Greece?

Answer 38

Naoussa in 1971

Question 39

How is sparkling Zitsa produced?

Answer 39

Traditional OR charmat methods. Min 3.5 atmospheres.

Question 40

What is the greek version of grappa called?

Answer 40

Tsipouro

Question 41

How long must Vin Santo from Santorini be aged in oak?

Answer 41

min 2 years in barrel, on the islands of Thera or Thirasia.