Greece / Mediterranean Flashcards
When and where did viticulture take off in the Greek Isles?
2500 BC in Crete - trade brought vines to the Minoan bronze age civilization of Crete
Who inherited viticulture from the Minoans?
The Myceneans - who spread the vine to the Aegean islands and to mainland Greece
What is Retsina
Wine made from Savvatiano grapes flavored with pine resin (formerly stored in casks sealed with pine resin), never labeled with a vintage
Traditional sweet wine PDOs fall under the ___ appellation
OPE
Superior quality wine PDOs fall under the ____appellation
OPAP
Traditional appellation PDIs
Verdea (Zakynthos - Ionian), Retsina (most made in Atthiki)
Former ‘vin de pays’
Topikos Inos - absorbed into PDI
Reserve Greek wines
1 year white (6 mo barrel, 3 mo bottle); 2 year red (1 year barrel, 6mo bottle)
Grand Reserve Greek wines
2 years white (1yr barrel, 6mo bottle);
4 years red (18 mo barrel, 18mo bottle)
Cava Greek wine
1 year white (6 mo barrel), 3 years red (1 year barrel)
Palaiomenos se vareli
Aged beyond required minimums
Major grapes of Thrace (Thraki)
CS, CH, Syrah, Mavrud - cult of Dionysus was formed here
Where did Odysseus get the honey-sweet wine to kill the cyclops?
Maronia (Thrace) - breezes from the Aegean, now quality wine area
Macedonia wine production
5th century BC
Macedonian PDOs for Xinomavro-only wines
Naoussa, Amynteo
Amynteo wine styles
sparkling - dry or sweet, rose, dry red - coolest region in Greece
Terroir of Amynteo
protected from coastal influence by Vermio, Visti, Voras mountains - sandy, alluvial soils - surrounding lakes influence
Producers of Amynteo
Alpha Estate, Kir-Yianni, Karanika
Naoussa wine styles
dry red, off-dry red - 1st PDO in Greece (1971) - home of Boutari
What is the terroir of Naoussa
similar to Barolo; clay and limestone slopes of Mt. Vermio (skii resorts) - 150 - 350m altitude - plain of Cambania to the east
Producers of Naoussa
Kir-Yianni, Boutari, Thymiopoulis, Dalamara
Goumenissa wine styles
dry red based on xinomavro, 20% minimum Negoska - aged min. 1 year oak
Goumenissa terroir
limestone soils, more maritime influence, protection from northern winds by Paikos mountains
Goumenissa producers
Chatzivaritis,
Aidirini,
Boutari
PDO on the Halkidiki peninsula
Playes Melitona - CS, CF, Limnio - Domaine Porto Carras - Evangelos Geravassiliou who learned from Emile Peynaud
white grapes of Playes Melitona
Roditis, Assyrtiko, Athiri
Only 4 sparkling wine appellations in Greece?
Amynteo
Zitsa
Mantinia
Rhodes
- none require traditional method
PDOs of Thessalia
Rapsani, Messenikola, Anchialos
Rapsani terroir
south-facing slopes of Mt. Olympus 250-750 meters altitude
Rapsani grapes
xinomavro, krassato, stavroto
Messenikola terroir
shores of Lake Plastira, high altitude
Messenikola grapes
mavro messenikola, carignan, syrah
Anchialos terroir, grapes
low altitude on the Pagasetic Gulf - whites from Roditis and Savatiano
PDO, grapes from Epirus
cool region - Pindus mountains
Zitsa - dry white, dry sparkling, semi-sweet sparkling from Debina grape
The wines may be dry still whites, or sparklers of “dry” or off-dry styles. Remember that is 17-32 g/l RS and 32-50 g/l RS.
Sterea Ellada, Central Greece
pine resin is added to the must prior or during fermentation for retsina - savvatiano grape, low acid but varietal character maintained
Birthplace of Dionysus
Thebes in Central Greece
Producers of Retsina
Gaia, Kechris, Tetramythos
What is the only red wine PDO of Peloponnese?
Nemea
Best terroir of Nemea
gravelly soils high on the slopes of Mount Kyllini (800m alt.) - sometimes blended with CS
Producers of Nemea
Gaia, Tselepos, Skouras, Aivalis
Patras wine styles
100% Roditis - dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet
Mavrodaphne of Patras (Achaia region)
“Black Laurel”
Naturally sweet from ripe or dried grapes then FORTIFIED;
Reserve 3y,
Vielle Reserve 5y,
Grande Reserve 7y,
NV blends - used as an aperitif, foil for briny salty foods
The style was brought to the region by Bavarian Gustav Clauss after a visit to the Douro to see Port production. The Achaia-Clauss winery is one of, or the top, winery for the style and has a solera dating to 1882.
Muscat of Patras vs. Muscat of Rio Patras
VDN,
VDN Grand Cru,
VDL (mistelle),
Naturally sweet sun-dried - moschato aspro (petit grains) 100%
Monemvasia-Malvasia
51% Monemvasia with Asproudes, Assyrtiko, Kydonitsa - sweet, oxidative style 2 years minimum (aged in multiples of 4) - VDN or sun-dried
Monemvasia is a separate cultivar from Malvasia, now mostly used in Paros and the Cyclades
Styles of Mantinia
dry white or vin gris, sparkling (min. 3.5 bars) min. 85% moschofilero + asproudes
Domaine Spiropoulos
Boutari
Semeli Nasaikos
Four wine-producing islands of Ionian islands
Cephalonia, Corfu, Lefkada, Zakynthos
Robola of Cephalonia terroir
Western slopes of mount Enos - 750m altitude - gobelet vines on limestone
Cephalonia PDOs
Muscat of C (petit grains),
Mavrodaphne of C
Grapes of Verdea
Skiadopoulo, Pavlos, Avgoustiatis
Crete PDOs for red only
Dafnes - Liatiko (dry red, also VDN and sun-dried);
Archanes - Kotsifali and Mandilaria - only dry red
Crete PDOs for white and red
Peza - Vilana (white), Kotsifali and Mandilaria (red) - dry only;
Sitia - Vilana and Thrapsathiri (white), Liatiko and Mandilaria (red); dry white and red, sweet red, sun-dried red
Producer of Sitia
Oikonomoy
Producer of Dafnes
Douloufakis
Producer of Mantinia
Troupis, Semeli, Boutari, Tselepos
Is Samos Nectar fortified?
NO - it is a dried grape wine similar to vin de paille, aged for min. 3 years
mostly vinified by the co-op (moschato aspro)
Styles of wine produced in Santorini PDO
dry white and vinsanto (sweet dried grape wine) - often some skin contact (min. 51% assyrtiko) aged in multiples of 4;
fortified dried grape wine is authorized but not produced
Grapes of Santorini
Assyrtiko 75%, with aidani, athiri
Situation of Santorini
volcanic dessert, eruption in 1653 buried the city of Akrotiri, dry, sandy soils where phylloxera does not survive - ash, pumice, and basalt
Nykteri’ wine
“night harvest” - richer wines due to extended skin contact and barrel aging 3-10 months
overripe grapes - reach high alcohol levels, up to 16.5% in some cases
Viticulture on Santorini
vines spaced wide apart, trained into spiral crowns to protect from warm, dry westerlies - grapes have high sugar and acidity
Oldest record of Commandaria
1191 - King Richard the Lionheart acquired it during the crusades and sold it to the knights Templar
Production of Commandaria
white and red grapes - left in the sun to dry 10-15 days, matured in solera
Commandaria style of wine?
non-vintage fortified (mostly mavro),
vintage-dated non-fortified (mostly xynisteri) - usually amber colored
Grapes of Cypress
Mavro (most planted), Maratheftiko - structured,
Xynisteri - crisp, mineral, Spourtiko, Promara whites, Ofthalmo, Yiannoudi, and quality Syrah
Producers of Commandaria
Tsiakkas, Kyperounda, St Barnabas (SODAP)
Origins of viticulture
6-8,000 years ago in the Caucasus - Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey
Georgian regional specialties
Mukuzani - dry red (saperavi);
Kvanchkara and Kindzmaruli semi-sweet red,
Tsinandali - semi-sweet white
Kakheti - most important region
Origin of grape domestication
Dr. Vouillamoz - southeast Turkey - 1,200 local native varietals
Quality wineries in Turkey
Kavaklidere, Sevilen, Pammukale, Kayra
Quality grapes of Turkey
Narince - complex white,
Emir - lively and crisp;
Okuzgozu - bull’s eye;
Bogazkere - throat puckered,
Kalecek Karasi - delicacy and perfume
Most plantings in Turkey
Aegean coast - Izmir region
Lebanon’s largest producer and first modern winery?
Chateau Ksara est. 1857 - founded by Jesuits originally planted cinsaut
Port of Byblos
World’s oldest continually inhabited city - Phoenician port that was key to the wine trade
Lebanese independence from France
1943 - civil wars afterwards
Rules for Kosher wine
Must be made by Jews, or automated processes - not gentiles, some Jews consider heated wine to be kosher
Where is Yarden (Golan Heights) winery?
Golan Heights - volcanic plateau overlooked by Mt. Hermon
Domaine du Castel?
Judean Foothills - between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Carmel winery?
Galilee -some terra rossa and limestone
Typically, PDOs with “double barrel names” exist for sweet wines, whether done in VDN, VDL, or Liastos style…. Exception?
As an generalization, the following PDO make wines with implied sweetness: Malvasia Candia Malvasia Sitia Muscat of Lemnos (Alexandria) Muscat of Rhodes Mavrodaphne of Patras Muscat of Rio Patras Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia Monemvasia - Malvazia Etc.
However, a notable exception of Robola of Cephalonia makes the rule imperfect and exists solely for dry white wine.
What is Kokineli?
rose version of Retsina
What is Tsipouro?
pomace brandy
Black Hamburg (red muscat) is prevalent in which PGI?
Thessalia
Who makes “Mega Oenos”
Domaine Skouras. One of the more notable wines of Greece as a whole, the wine is ~80% Agiorgitiko and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and subject to 18 months in new French barriques.
The wine is labeled Peloponnese PGI.
What is the geology of Santorini?
A Caldera rising out of the sea - In 1600BC a volcanic eruption submerged half the island
Santorini red grapes
While Mandilaria is the most planted red on the island, Mavrotragano is the most sought after, highest quality, and highest priced red wine of the island. It is fiercely tannic and acidic, and possibly more interesting with significant time in the bottle.
What is the required vine training of all the Aegean Island sweet wine PDOs?
Gobelet
What is the only Muscat PDO in Greece that refers to Muscat of Alexandria?
Muscat of Limnos
Appellations of Crete from West to East?
Candia, Dafnes, Archanes, Peza, Sitia
What Naoussa winery was founded by a member of the Boutaris to focus on indigenous grapes?
Kir Yianni
Principal Grape of Verdea
Skiadopoulo
Amorgiano is a synonym for what grape?
Mandilaria
Appellations of Crete from West to East?
Candia, Dafnes, Archanes, Peza, Sitia
What Naoussa winery was founded by a member of the Boutaris to focus on indigenous grapes?
Kir Yianni
Principal Grape of Verdea
Skiadopoulo
Amorgiano is a synonym for what grape?
Mandilaria
Where is the Omala Valley?
Cephalonia
“Armenia” in native tongue
“Georgia” in native tongue
Hayastan
Sakartvelo
Qvevri winemaking contributes
micro oxygenation
temperature control
What are the 6 Muscat VDN appellations of Greece?
Muscat of Rio Patras Muscat of Patras Muscat of Cephalonia Muscat of Lemnos (Alexandria) Muscat of Rhodes Samos
(island not making muscat - Paros - monemvasia)
What are the 2 dessert wine PDOs on Crete?
Malvasia Sitia
Malvasia Candia
only max. 15% malvasia and muscat allowed
=) - w/ assyrtiko, athiri, vidiano
