Greece Flashcards
What are the 3 most important Greek PDOs?
Naoussa PDO Nemea PDO Santorini PDO
Xinomavro is used exclusively in which 2 Greek PDO wines?
Naoussa PDO and Amynteo PDO
Which grape - Nemea PDO?
Agiorgitiko
Which grape (and 2 accessory grapes) - Santorini PDO?
Assyrtiko
w/ Athiri and Aidani
What does Xinomavro taste like?
What aromas does it develop with age?
High tannin and acidity, medium colour, lacking fresh fruit aromas.
With age aromas of spice and earth
Xinomavro is sometimes called the Greek what?
Nebbiolo
At what altitude is Agiorgitiko grown and where does the best come from?
230~900 metres
Best from mid altitude
What does a good example of Agiorgitiko taste like?
Deep ruby colour, high levels of smooth tannin, low~mod acid
Sweet spice and red fruit flavours.
Ages well in oak
What does a good example of Assyrtiko white wine taste like?
Perfumed with concentrated ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours with high acidity.
distinctively mineral, powerful, and high in acidity.
How are vines in Santorini protected from strong winds?
What is the name of this method?
Permanent wood trained into a basket (or “stefani”) with grapes growing inside.
What is Santorini sweet wine called, how is it made and what does it taste like?
Vinsanto
Late harvest grapes sun dried up to 14 days
Aged in oak minimum 2 years
Luscious sweetness with high acidity, can develop caramel and nuts
What is minimum ageing for Vinsanto from Santorini PDO?
Min 2yrs in old oak
What does Xinomavro translate to?
Acid - Black
Mantinia PDO is located in which region of Greece?
Which grape is it most associated with?
Peloponnese
Moschofilero
Moschofilero is unique why?
Which international grape does it most resemble?
It is a red-skinned grape used to make white wines in Mantinia PDO.
Aromatically similar to Muscat.
What is the only PDO appellation for dry red wines on the Peloponnese?
Nemea PDO
The climate of Santorini would be best described as ________.
Hot and Arid
Which 2 seas touch the Greek coastline?
Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea
Which 2 designations were formerly used for Greek PDO wines?
OPAP / OPE
What is the only style of wine made in Naoussa?
Dry, red.
Who is the largest producer in Greece?
Boutari
What is the name of the Greek wine flavored with Aleppo pine resin?
Retsina
What geological activity has played a large role in shaping the terroir of Santorini?
Volcanic eruptions
What style of wine is typically produced from the Mavrodaphne grape?
Sweet, fortified red wine
What are the 3 dessert wine PDOs associated with Patras?
Muscat of Patras, Muscat of Rio Patras, and Mavrodaphne of Patras.
What does Mavrodaphne translate to in English?
“Black laurel”
Evangelos Gerovassiliou is ost associated with which Greek winery?
Which grape is he responsible for rescuing from the brink of extinction?
Domaine Carras
Malagousia
Who is the winemaker of the wine picture below?
Sigalas
Order the following regions from north to south (1 = northernmost, 5 = southernmost):
a) Peloponnese
b) Macedonia
c) Thessalia
d) Crete
e) Santorini
- Macedonia
- Thessalia
- Peloponnese
- Santorini
- Crete
What factor allows Santorini to be Phylloxera-free?
Its volcanic soils contain none of the clay necessary for Phylloxera to survive.
Which indigenous Greek grape is most like to undergo carbonic maceration?
What is the general profile of a wine made this way?
Agiorgitiko
Softly tannic, intensely fruity.
What is Muscat á Petit Grains is known as ___ on the Island of Samos?
The PDO for this island is ___
What is the naturally sweet version of this wine known as and how is it made?
- Moscato Aspro
- Muscat of Samos
- Samos Nectar, produced from dried grapes and aged for a minimum of three years prior to release.
What type of wines are produced in Monemvassia-Malvasia PDO?
Sweet, white wines
Domaine Skouras and Domaine Spiropoulos are both winemakers based in which region?
Peloponnese
The Robola grape is a specialty of what Ionian island?
What type of wine is produced?
Cephalonia
Dry, white wine
The Greek designation of “kava” pertains to what?
“Cava” indicates:
- at least one year of aging for white and rosé PGI wines, and a minimum three years of aging for reds.
- White and rosé “Cava” wines spend at least six months in oak prior to bottling, and reds are in barrel for at least one year.
What does “Sterea Ellada” refer to?
This is a bastion for which Greek specialty?
- Central Greece
- Retsina
Estate Argyros, Domaine Hatzidakis, and Canava Roussos are producers in what appellation?
Santorini PDO
Which 4 countries share a border with Greece?
Turkey
Macedonia
Bulgaria
Albania
Who produces the wine “Megas Oenos?”
What grapes are used and how is it aged?
Domaine Skouras
80% Agiorgitiko / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
New French Barriques for 18 months
What is the only Greek PDO that includes rosé as an allowed style?
What styles are produced?
Why is it suitable for the production of rosé?
Amynteo PDO / Macedonia
Dry / Semi-Sweet / Still / Sparkling
It is the coolest growing region of Greece
List the following regions from west to east (1 = westernmost, 4 = easternmost).
A. Cephalonia
B. Samos
C. Naoussa
D. Nemea
1 = Cephalonia
2 = Naoussa
3 = Nemea
4 = Samos
What is the only Greek PDO that is a monopole?
Who is it owned by?
Slopes of Meliton
Domaine Carras
What does the Greek term “Palaiomenos se vareli” indicate?
Added to the label of kava, Reserve, or Grand Reserve wines to indicate oak aging beyond the required minimums.
Messenikola and Anchialos are PDOs in which region?
Thessalia
What appellation sits at the base of Mount Olympus and is the southernmost appellation for Xinomavro?
What region is it located in?
Rapsani PDO
Thessalia
Where are you most likely to encounter the grape Kotsifali?
Crete
What grape is generally used to make Retsina?
Savvatiano
The Isthmus of Corinth separates mainland Greece from what wine growing region?
Peloponnese
What is the only Greek PDO whose producers all belong to a cooperative?
Samos PDO
What are the three permissible grapes of Santorini PDO?
Assyrtiko
Aidani
Athiri
What is the only PDO in Epirus?
Zitsa PDO
What are the 2 names for the vine-training method used in Santorini?
“Kouloura” or “Stefani”
