Greece Flashcards
What is Retsina flavoured with?
Aleppo pine resin
Which grape variety is used for Retsina?
Savvitiano (white)
Rhoditis (pink skinned)
Which Traditional wine of Greece cannot be labelled with an appellation?
Retsina
Name two large producers that dominate the Greek wine industry.
Boutari
Tsantali
What are the two PDO levels of Greek wine?
Which is used for traditional sweet wines?
Controlled Appellation of Origin - AOC - used for traditional sweet wines
Appellation of Superior Quality - AOSQ
What does the term ‘Reserve’ mean in the context of Greek labelling?
Whites - minimum 1 year of aging, minimum 6 months in wood, minimum 3 months in bottle
Red - minimum 2 years of aging, minimum 1 year in wood, minimum 6 months in bottle
What does the term ‘Grand Reserve’ mean in the context of Greek labelling?
Relates to PDO wines only
Whites - minimum 2 years of aging, minimum 1 year in wood, minimum 6 months in bottle
Red - minimum 4 years of aging, minimum 18 months in wood, minimum 18 months in bottle
Can Greek ‘Varietal’ and ‘Table’ wines carry a vintage and variety on the label?
Varietal - yes
Table - no
Can Greek ‘Varietal’ and ‘Table’ wines carry a geographical indication?
NO
What type of wines are included in the Greek PGI classification?
Traditional appellations:
Retsina
Verdea
What are the three PGI districts of Retsina?
Attica
Evia
Viotia
Eva and Violet work at Attica
What is Verdea?
A Traditional Appellation of Greece
A PGI
An oxidative white wine from island of Zakynthos in the Ionian sea
Zakynthos is south of Cephalonia
What does the term ‘Cava’ mean for Greek wine?
Relates to PGI and Varietal wines of Greece, an aging term.
White and Rosé - 1 year of aging, 6 month in wood
Red - 3 years aging, 1 year wood
What does ‘palaimenos se vareli’ mean?
Can be written on a Greek Cava, Reserve or Grand Reserve wine to indicate aging longer than the minimum requirement.
Means ‘aged in a barrel’
How is Aleppo resin added to Retsina?
In the first part of fermentation, as a ‘teabag’.
May contribute 0.5-1% of the total volume of the finished wine
What is Kokkineli?
A rosé style Retsina made from Rhoditis
What percentage of fruit for a Greek PDO must come from that region?
100%
What percentage of fruit for a Greek PGI must come from that region?
85%
Which region is famous for wines made from 100% Agiorgitiko?
Nemea
Where is Nemea? Which grape variety is it known for?
West of Athens, on the Peloponnese peninsula.
100% Agiorgitiko
Which regions make wines from 100% Xinomavro?
Amynteo PDO (also called Amyndeon)
What styles of wine can be made in PDO Amynteo?
100% Xinomavro
Method traditional OR tank sparkling rosé (dry and semi-sweet)
Rosé
Red
Describe the geography of PDO Amynteo.
Location - Northern Greece, close to the border of Macedonia. In the Macedonia province.
Altitude and Aspect - On a flat plateau at 500-750m asl
Climate - Continental. Surrounded by mountains, one of coldest regions in Greece, moderated by lakes.
Soil - Sandy soil with some limestone. Low phylloxera due to sand.
Which Greek PDO makes dry and semi-sweet rosé by tank or traditional method, rosé and red wines, all from a single grape variety?
PDO Amynteo
Where is Thrace?
North east Greece, south of Bulgaria.
What is the major city in Macedonia region?
Thessaloniki
Which Greek region is home to the Boutari and Tsantali winemaking families?
Macedonia
Where is PDO Naoussa located?
In Macedonia
West of Thessaloniki
East of Amynteo
Describe the geography of PDO Naoussa.
Location - Northern Greece, close to the border of Macedonia. In the Macedonia province.
Altitude and Aspect - East facing slope, 80-350m asl, slopes of Mt Vermion
Climate - Continental.
Soil - Clay and limestone
What is the most famous (historic) producer in Naoussa?
Boutari
The first to bottle wine in Greece, this Naoussa was the first Greek region to be put on a label.
Can PDO Naoussa blend Xinomavro with international grape variteties?
Not for PDO.
Often blended and sold as a PGI however
How many cru of Naoussa are there?
13
Which was the first Greek appellation?
Naoussa (1971)
Which varieti/es is PDO Naoussa made from?
Xinomavro
Where is Goumenissa?
Northern Greece, on the border with Macedonia. Macedonia region. North east of Naoussa.
What varieti/es is Goumennissa made from?
Xinomavro
Must have minimum 20% Negoska
Which of Greece’s three Xinomavro-dominant PDOs is the warmest?
Goumenissa
What does Negoska bring to the blend in PDO Goumenissa?
Fruit forward, softly structured.
Goumenissa wines are riper and more generous than Naoussa or Amynteo.
What is distinctive about PDO Slopes of Meliton?
A PDO for a single producer with a large 450ha estate
Allows international varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) to be blended with the local grape Limnio. A white also made from Assyrtiko, Rhoditis and Athiri
Coastal area, south east of Thessaloniki