Greece - Regions

Question 1

Where are the most famous of Greek regions located?

Answer 1

Macedonia, Peloponnese and various islands in the Aegean sea

Question 2

Where is Macedonia located, and what is the general climate?

Answer 2

The northern border of the country.
It’s a large region, and so it offers a wide range of conditions from the mountains in the North and west, and plains to the east.

Question 3

Where are the two main PDOs of Macedonia located? What is the climate of this area?

Answer 3

Naoussa and Amynteo, In the mountains.
Continental climate, however due to the altitude the climate is fairly cool.
Rain falls throughout the year (avg 650-700 mm) making water supply less of an issue than elsewhere.

Question 4

What are the two main PGIs of Macedonia, where are they located and what is the climate?

Answer 4

Drama and Kavala, which produce some good and very good wines. On the plains, where climate is warm and Mediterranean. This area is in the rain shadow of the mountains, and therefore drier.
The fertile soils are ideal for the production of higher volume wines.

Question 5

What styles of wine are produced in Macedonia?

Answer 5

Traditionally a red region.
The PDOs Naoussa and Amynteo can produce only 100% Xinomavro.
The warmer Drama valley to the east has established a reputation for high quality, full bodied, modern Bordeaux blends.
There are some wines of note: Chardonnay and Sauvignon ar altitude and full-bodied, ripe wines from the popular Greek varieties such as Assyrtiko and Malagousia in Drama and Kavala.

Question 6

Where is Naoussa located, and what natural factors affect climate?

Answer 6

The PDO covers the south-Eastern slopes of Mount Vermio and the vineyards are planted at 150-400m
The best sites are sheltered from the strong, cold winds which can blow from the north and west, but temperatures are still relatively cool.

Question 7

What wines can be produced from Naoussa?

Answer 7

100% Xinomavro.
They tend to have high acidity and tannins, great complexity of aromas, and the potential to age for decades.
Most are mid priced with a few premium examples. They range from good to outstanding with significant producers including Thymiopoulos Vineyards and Kir-Yianni.

Question 8

How were wines traditionally made in Naoussa? How are they typically made today?

Answer 8

Aged in large old wood vessels, giving wines with pronounced spicy and meaty, rather than fruity aromas.
In the 1990s, some producers started using new French barriques, giving even firmer tannins, more body and oak aromas.
Many have now moved to a more restrained style.
In recent years a more modern style has emerged, using riper fruit and either cold soaking or whole-bunch fermentation to produce a deeper coloured but less tannic wine.

Question 9

What topographical factors affect style of wine produced in Naoussa?

Answer 9

The complex mix of soils and microclimates are based more on aspect and topography than altitude.

Question 10

What style of wine are producers beginning to produce from Naoussa?

Answer 10

Single village or vineyard wines, to highlight the variations between each region.

Question 11

What non PDO wines are produced from Naoussa?

Answer 11

Good quality rosés and red blends of Xinomavro and Merlot.

Question 12

Where is Amynteo located, what altitude are vines planted, and what natural factors affect climate?

Answer 12

On the opposite side of Mount Vermio to Naoussa.
570-750m.
The northerly aspects mean they’re exposed to the cool, northerly winds, leading to cool summers and cold winters, making site selection crucial.
Unusually for Greece, the region is close to a number of lakes, without which the temperatures would be a lot more extreme, however, closer to the lakes humidity is higher increasing the risk of rot.
Around the lakes, the soil is more fertile and care has to be taken to control yields otherwise the grapes can struggle to fully ripen.

Question 13

What is a key climatic hazard in Amynteo?

Answer 13

Spring frosts, in some years.

Question 14

What styles of wine can be produced from Amynteo?

Answer 14

PDO wines must be 100% Xinomavro.
Rosés are permitted.
Due to cooler temperatures, the wines are usually lighter in body and lower in tannin than from Naoussa, with the best having a distinctive floral character.
Wines from the phylloxera free sites are giving very concentrated styles.
Producers are now making a riper, more accessible style.
Good to very good, though some outstanding examples exist. Mid priced. Alpha Estate is a key producer.

Question 15

What is a noteworthy soil type in Amynteo?

Answer 15

Sandy soils, as it means some Xinomavro vines are on their own roots from pre phylloxera, offering great concentration.

Question 16

What styles of wine can be produced from Amynteo outside of the PDO?

Answer 16

Blends of Xinomavro with Merlot and other varieties.

Question 17

Where is the Peloponnese located? What is significant about plantings here?

Answer 17

The peninsula which forms the southern part of the Greek mainland.
It has the largest vineyard plantings in Greece, making up 30% of the national total, despite the fact that many suitable vineyard sites are planted with grapes for drying.

Question 18

How many PDOs are on the Peloponnese? What are the most significant?

Answer 18

The most in Greece (no exact number).
Nemea and Mantinia.

Question 19

What natural factors influence climate in the Peloponnese? What is the general topography?

Answer 19

It’s a very mountainous region with poor, rocky soils.
Despite the southerly latitude, temperatures are moderated by altitude.
There is a small area or flatter land, including the plains around Patra, where conditions are hotter and soil more fertile.
The prevailing easterly wind brings rain from the ocean but, due to the mountains, rainfall levels drop further east across the peninsula.

Question 20

What styles of wine are produced on the Peloponnese?

Answer 20

Dominated by white grapes, especially Moschofilero and Roditis.
Outside the PDOs, large volumes of inexpensive wines are produced, especially from Roditis and Agiorgitiko.
Some good and very good wines are produced (eg those from high altitude sites within PGI slopes of Aigialia).
PGI wines are also made from international varieties, sometimes blended with local.

Question 21

Where is Nemea located? What styles of wine are produced here?

Answer 21

Close to the Corinth Canal, which separates the peninsula from the rest of mainland Greece.
This PDO is for reds only from 100% Agiorgitiko. Both dry and sweet versions are allowed, although sweet is rare.

Question 22

How has winemaking developed in Nemea?

Answer 22

In the 1990s, there was an increased use in new French barriques, although in line with other regions, a more subtle use of oak is returning.
A new style of wine has emerged, produced with semi-carbonic maceration to enhance fruity flavours and keep tannin levels relatively low.

Question 23

What is the typical quality and price of wines from Nemea? Who are key producers?

Answer 23

Range from acceptable and good inexpensive wines, to outstanding, age worthy examples commanding premium to super premium examples.
Gaia Wines and Tselepos.

Question 24

What is the typical climate in Nemea?

Answer 24

Mediterranean. The majority of rain falls in autumn and winter, but there can be huge variances between each year (400-900 mm), impacting yields and the quality of wines from certain areas from one year to the next (eg, in dry years vineyards planted on clay with its better water retaining capacity is able to cope better).
Autumn rains can sometimes dictate harvest times.

Question 25

How is Nemea usually divided?

Answer 25

Into three distinct zones in reference to altitude.

Question 26

Which zone of Nemea is best suited to inexpensive wines?

Answer 26

The lowest zone on the valley floor, 230-400m.
The hottest zone (summer temperatures can reach 40°C) and has the most fertile soil.
Grapes can ripen easily.
High quality sweet wines are also made here.

Question 27

Which zone of Nemea is known as the best for quality wines? Why?

Answer 27

The middle zone, 450-650m.
Poor-free draining soils naturally limit yields and the cooler days slow sugar accumulation while flavours and tannins ripen.
The zone is far from homogeneous, there is a range of micro climates (altitudes and aspects) and specific soil types.
There is talk of introducing a cru system to help differentiate.

Question 28

What styles of wine are produced from the highest zone of Nemea?

Answer 28

Agiorgitiko can struggle to fully ripen in the cooler temperatures and cool clay soils. The fresh red fruit flavours, high acidity and potentially harsh tannins mean grapes have mainly been used for rosé production (outside the PDO).
Some producers are starting to explore the zones potential for fresher styles of red with higher acidity.

Question 29

Where is Mantinia located? What is the general topography and climate?

Answer 29

To the south and west of Nemea. The PDO occupies a plateau with elevations starting at 600m.
Despite the southerly latitude, this altitude makes it one of the coolest grape growing regions in Greece.
It also has one of the longest growing seasons, with harvest usually starting in October, but sometimes Nov.
In the coldest years, grapes don’t fully ripen.

Question 30

What styles of wine are produced from Mantinia?

Answer 30

PDO is for whites only, Moschofilero must make up 85%, though many of the highest quality wines are 100%.
The relatively low temperatures give wines with high acidity, low to medium alcohol, medium (-) body, floral and slightly spicy aromas.
Wines are fermented in steel.

Question 31

What is the typical price and quality of wines from Mantinia? Who are significant producers?

Answer 31

Mid. Good to very good.
Boutari and Seméli Estate.

Question 32

What is significant about viticulture on Greek Islands?

Answer 32

Many have a long standing tradition of producing wine, and host a wide variety of indigenous varieties.
The best known are in the Aegean Sea to the east of the mainland.

Question 33

What is the general climate on the Aegean Islands? How is this changing the industry?

Answer 33

The Aegean is known for its high winds, and many of the islands have very low rainfall and rocky soils with poor water retention.
The difficult conditions make viticulture expensive and many growers have been unable to resist the lucrative opportunity to sell their land for tourist developments.

Question 34

Which islands have a reputation for producing high-quality wine?

Answer 34

The most famous is Santorini, in the southern part of the Aegean.
Other islands of note include Paros, which has a number of PDOs for still and sweet wines; Tinos all of which are in the Cyclades; Samos and Lemmos in the northern Aegean, which are famous for sweet Muscats; and Crete, which is gaining a reputation for high-quality wines from indigenous and international varieties.

Question 35

When did Santorini become celebrated? What styles of wine are produced?

Answer 35

The 21st century, now possibly the most celebrated of Greece, especially on the export market, with dry and sweet styles of primarily Assyrtiko.

Question 36

Where does Santorini lie?

Answer 36

On a volcano: during its last major eruption, in 1500BCE, much of the island collapsed leaving a central, submerged crater (known as a caldera).
The island today is only the Eastern rim of the volcano, and there have been numerous smaller eruptions since, most recently in 1950.

Question 37

What climatic hazard influences viticulture on Santorini? How does this work?

Answer 37

The winds are especially strong. To provide shelter, vines have been traditionally trained low to the ground in a basket shape, usually in a hollow.
Each year, the vines are woven around the previous years growth. When a basket gets too bulky, every 20 years or so, it is cut off and a new basket is started from a shoot.
This is specialised work and requires about four times the labour of a conventional trellis system. As a result, there has been experiments with VSP in sheltered areas, but this has been highly controversial amongst traditionalists.

Question 38

How do vines get water on Santorini? What effect does this have on viticulture?

Answer 38

Little rainfall throughout the year, and the growing season can be completely dry.
Normally, the only moisture comes from the fog which rises from the caldera every morning, and the traditional training system helps trap the moisture.
To cope with low water, densities are very low. Less than 2500 per hectare.

Question 39

How old are some of the vines on Santorini?

Answer 39

Unaffected by phylloxera, its estimated some root and trunk systems are as old as 400 years.

Question 40

What are the maximum permitted yields on PDO Santorini? What are the actual?

Answer 40

60hL/ha, the lowest permitted in Greece. Due to infertile volcanic soil and low rainfall, vigour is very low, and vines are low yielding.
In practise they are as low as 15hL/ha from the lowest vines.

Question 41

What styles of wine are produced on Santorini?

Answer 41

PDO is for whites only, both dry and sweet. Dry wines must contain 75% Assyrtiko, and sweets 51%, however many of the best are single varietal.

Question 42

What is the typical profile of dry wines from Santorini?

Answer 42

High acidity, medium to high alcohol and a distinctive smoky characteristic, alongside Assyrtikos fruit aromas.
The highest quality can age for around a decade in bottle developing a honey, toasty character.

Question 43

How is dry Assyrtiko typically made from Santorini? Typical quality and price?

Answer 43

Fermented at low temperatures in steel or other neutral vessels to retain fruit.
Producers are increasingly experimenting with oak ageing and lees contact to give more body and complexity. Good to outstanding and mid to premium.

Question 44

How is sweet assyrtiko typically made?

Answer 44

Vinsanto is made from late-harvested grapes which are dried in the sun for up to 2 weeks.
Must be aged for minimum 2 years in oak before release, but many producers age for much longer in casks not fully filled to encourage oxidation.

Question 45

What is the typical profile, price and quality of sweet Assyrtiko?

Answer 45

Flavours of raisins, coffee and chocolate.
The high sugar levels (usually 200-300g/L) are balanced by Assyrtikos high acidity.
Very good to outstanding, can be super premium.

Question 46

Why is the price of dry assyrtiko changing? Significant producers?

Answer 46

Increasing noticeably in recent years, due to increasing demand but also high production costs.
Sigalas and Argyros.