Greece + Cyprus Flashcards
Northern region Greece
Northern Greece
White: Malagousia, Assyrtiko, Debina, Sauvignon blanc, Chadonnay
Red: Xinomavro, Bekari, Vlachiko, Negoska, Mavrud (Bulgarian grape) Merlot, Limnio, Cab-s, Cab-F, Syrah
Continental with Mediterranean influence
- Epirus: North-west between Thessaly and the mediterranean coast and bordered by Albania, 1 PDO: Zitsa is a mountainous region focused on white and sparkling because it is much cooler, made with Debina grape variety. since 2008 other grapes such as Gewurz or merlot are also included.
- Macedonia: Bordered by the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, and Bulgaria. This region is extremly planted with Xynomavro, Roditis, Limnio, cab-s. 4 PDOs : Côtes de Meliton on Halkidiki peninsula - revived by Emile Peynaud in the 1970s - reds with Cab-s/f and white with Assyrtiko, Athiri, Rhoditis (domaine carras); Amynteo red/rosé+dry-medium dry sparkling rosés made with Xinomavro; Naoussa red with Xinomavro, Goumenissa produces light red with Xinomavro and 20% of Negoska
- Thrace: Least known wine region PGI/PDO, it is bordered north by Bulgaria and on the east by Turkey, has 3 PGI zones: Avdira, Ismaros and Evros, can produce also Mavrud. Town of Maronia in litterature Oysseus was given the honey-sweet wine to intoxicate the Cyclops before killing it. Maronia is now one of Traki’s most important grape growing areas. (Anatolikos winery)
Peloponnese PDO xx
PDO Mavrodaphne of Patras:
- Mavrodaphne, Mavri Korinthiaki, vdl, min 1 y in barrel (max 1000 l)
- if oaked 2 y and in bottle 1 y can be called Reserve,
- if they have been oaked for a total of seven years (minimum three in the barrel and three years in the bottle) they are entitled to the indication “Grand Reserve”
- shares similarities with port: 15-18%, 13 s/fermentiscible
PDO Patras:
- semi mountainous and mountainous terrain
- largest PDO zone
- 100% Roditis
- Dry white, medium-dry white, medium-sweet white
PDO Muscat of Patras:
- Muscat is oftne called Moschoudi in Achaia
- sweet or vdl
- mention grand cru
PDO Muscat of Rio Patras:
- Muscat White is often called “Moschoudi” in Achaia
- sweet or vdl
- mention grand cru
PDO Nemea
- 100% Agiorgitikio
- Dry red, medium-sweet red, sweet red
PDO Mantinia
- Moschofilero (85%min), Asproudes
- dry white (rose/citrus)
PDO Monemvassia-Malvasia:
- New PDO 2010, brought revival to historic sweet malvasios oenos
- Monemvassia (at least 51%), Assyrtiko, Asproudes, Kydonitsa
- oxydative aging for 2 Y min, if longer 4 Y (or multiples of 4)
- Sweet white, VDL
All Grec PDOs
28 PDO in total:
- PDO Anchialos
- PDO Amynteo
- PDO Archanes
- PDO Goumenissa
- PDO Dafnes
- PDO Zitsa
- PDO Lemnos
- PDO Mantinia
- PDO Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia
- PDO Mavrodaphne of Patras
- PDO Messenikola
- PDO Monemvassia-Malvasia
- PDO Muscat of Cephalonia
- PDO Muscat of Lemnos
- PDO Muscat of Patras
- PDO Muscat of Rio Patras
- PDO Muscat of Rhodes
- PDO Naoussa; PDO Nemea
- PDO Paros
- PDO Patras
- PDO Peza
- PDO Slopes of Meliton
- PDO Rapsani
- PDO Rhodes
- PDO Robola of Cephalonia
- PDO Samos
- PDO Santorini
- PDO Sitia
Thessaly PDO xx
PDO Rapsani
- Traditionally, the vineyards were planted with approximately 1/3 of all three varieties of this PDO zone each and that practice is still active today.
- Xinomavro, Krassato, Stavroto (Ambelakiotiko)
- Dry red
PDO Anchialos
- Roditis (80% minimum), Savvatiano
- Dry white, medium dry white, medium sweet white
PDO Messenikola
- Monsieur Nicola who brought the variety to the area during Ottoman rule
- Messenikola Black 70%, Carignan + Syrah (up to 30%)
- Dry red
Name all The Grec PDO with muscat
PDO Muscat of Cephalonia
PDO Muscat of Patras
PDO Muscat of Rio Patras
PDO Muscat of Rhodes
PDO Samos
Quality structure for quality wines in Greece
Classified since 2009 under the EU regulations of Protected Designation of Origin - requires 100% of grapes used to be from the stated region and Protected Geographical Indication which require 85% to be from the stated region and allows the remainder coming from other regions.
PDO covers previous Wines with controlled appellation of Origin (OPE) and wines with appellation of superior quality (OPAP)
PGI includes all regional wines and those classified with traditional designation (includes Verdea and 15 sub-districts of Retsina. 3 different levels: Area wines (a part of a district), district wines (whole district), regional wines. Ionan Island is the only exception of the nine winegrowing regions, it produces only PDO and PGI.
Reserve: only for PDO - White: min aged for 1 year with 6 months in wood and 3 months in btl, - Red: min aged for 2 years with 12 months in wood and 6 months in btl
Gran Reserve: only for PDO - White: min afed for 2 years with 12 months in wood and 6 in bottle, - Red: min aged for 4 years with 18 months in wood and 18 months in bottle
In which greec PDO can I find international grapes?
PDO Messenikola
PDO Côtes de Meliton
Aegan Islands xxx
Group of islands situated roughly between the south of Greece and Turkey, the famous of which are Rhodes, Samos and Santorini. Thise islands are very dry and subject to extreme winds. Vines are grown in low bush form or in Santorini trained in a stefani (crown) or round basket shape.
Lemnos, Kos, Tinos, Paros, Ikaria, Samos, Santorini, Rhodes
Volcanic soils and prephylloxeric vines
Santorini: Volcanic desert
Rhodes: Large water reserves, main cultivation found around Mount Attavyros (up to 2.600 ft) where the white Athiri grape is cultivated (70%). Red grape Mandilaria (called by locals Amorgian) 70% is cultivated in the semi-mountainous areas and flatlands. Strong southernly winds prevail during the growing season. Muscat produces sweet wines.
Lemnos: Limestone, 90-95% of Muscat d’Alexandrie, the rest for reds: Limnio locally known as “Kalambaki”
Paros: calcareous, sandy soils; white min 85% Monemvassia + Malvasia Paros, red Madilaria, vine grows in bush form many of them self-rooted, system known as aplotaries
Santorini: Most of the vineyards are found in the southern and south-western part of the island on volcanic soil and sandy compositioin (zero moisture or organic matter which explains the absence of phylloxera), mediterranean climate, 75% Assyrtiko perfectly adapted, strong winds are a threat, however Meltemi wind is an integral part of Santorini’s unique ecosystem, helping to lower the temperatures and allowing slower ripening of the grapes. A small part is also located in Thirassia island. Vines trained in kouloura/paneri/ambelia system within which the grapes sheltered from the sun and northerly winds grow with virtually no water.
- Dry: Assyrtiko (minimum 75%), Aidani White, Athiri (Nychteri: 13.5% + 3 months)
- For the sweet wine: Assyrtiko (minimum 51%), Aidani White (small quantities from other native white grape varieties are allowed) (Vinsanto: min 370g/l + 24 months in barrel / 55hl/ha-10hl/ha
Samos: white muscat holds prominent position taking up 95% of almost 4.400 acres, granite soils, vines grown on terraces (pezoules), mediterranean cliamte, 800-900 m alt. Produces VDN, VDL, Samos Anthermis which has been matured for 5 years in oak and Samos Nectar produced from sun dried grapes aged min 3 years. Permitted to us Grand Cru on their Label, with grapes comming from selected vineyards
Tinos: growing number of producers, vines planted in terraces. Volakes (big granite stones), known for Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Mavrotragano, Madilaria, Augoustiatis, Potamisi, Rozaki and Koumari
Ikaria: Known for Mandilaria, Assyrtiko, Athiri, Fokiano, Kotsifali, Begleri
Kos: Located mostly on the mountain of Dikaio around 300m alt. Indigenous + international grapes
In which Grec PDO can I find Xinomavro?
PDO Amynteo
PDO Goumenissa
PDO Naoussa
PDO Rapsani
Climatic influences Greece
Predominantly mediterranean climate subject to a number of regional and local variations
One of Europe most mountanious country
Climate
Northern Greece: Wet- Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace
Aegan Islands: Arid- Mediterranean Islands (Santorini, Samos, Limnos)
Central Greece: Modulating Mediterranean- Central Greece, Thessaly, Attica
Southern Greece: Stable Mediterranean- Crete, Peloponnese, Kefalonia
Winds
Sirocco winds (shilok) comes from the sahara (in south europe, the wind picks up the moisture and results in rainfall - known in South italy as Blood rain)
Meltemi or known also as Etesian winds in Crete (july/August) in the mainland and ionia sea, keeps the temps lower
Name all the Grec PDO with sparkling production
PDO Amynteo: Sparkling dry rosé, Sparkling medium dry rosé
PDO Zitsa: Semi-sparkling/sparkling dry white, Semi-sparkling/sparkling, medium-dry white, Sparkling, medium-sweet white
Ionian Islands xx
PDO Muscat of Cephalonia
On the Paliki peninsula
May be sun dried, vdl or vdn, exist also a GC mention
100% Muscat white
(Only 5 PDO in greece with muscat)
PDO Robola of Cephalonia
180 ha from 175m-800m
poor soils (italinas named it Vino di Sasso – stone wine)
100% Robola
Dry white
PDO Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia
Produced on Paliki peninsula, can also use grapes from Ithaki island
Different Mavrodpahne clones then in the Patras PDO
Mavrodaphne (51%min), Corinthian black
Sweet red fortified
Cyprus PDO xx
Loana Akamas PDO
Pistilla PDO
Vouni Panayias – Ampelitis PDO
Krasochoria Lemesou PDO
Krasochoria Lemesou Laona PDO
Krasachoria Lemesou Afames PDO
Commandaria
White grapes cyprus
Xynisteri (33% of plantings), Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Palomino, Spourtiko, Promara, Morocanella
Red graoes of Cyprus
Carignan, Mavro (Agiorgitiko), Shiraz, Maratheftiko (mostly Pistilla-no hermaphrodite flowers, need to be co-planted), Mataro (mourvedre) Cabernet, Lefkada, Ofthalmo, Merlot, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Yiannoundi, Vamvakada
