Greece Wine

Question 1

What is the main mountain range in Greece?

Answer 1

70% of Greece is covered by mountains. The Pindos Range, the southern extension of the Alps, is the main range.

Question 2

What are the three mains seas that bound Greece?

Answer 2

The Aegean to the east, the Ionian to the west, and the Libyan to the south

Question 3

What is the “Meltemi”?

Answer 3

A wind that blows very dry air from the north, between mid-May and September

Question 4

Greece’s first appellations:

Answer 4

Greece’s first appellations were established in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and tweaked in the 80’s. At the top were Onomasia Proelefsos Anoteras Piotitos (OPAP/Controlled Appellations of Origin); then Onomasia Proelefsos Elenghomeni (OPE/Appellations of Superior Quality–specific to sweet wines); then Topikos Oinos (the equivalent of France’s Vin de Pays).

Question 5

Greece’s modern appellation system:

Answer 5

Greece’s appellation system was overhauled in 2009. At the top are 33 PDO’s. All but two (the Slopes of Meliton and Messenikola) are dedicated to indigenous varieties. Next are 120 PGI’s, which come in three levels: regional, district, area. Varietal and Table wines are the next tiers.

Question 6

“Cava”

Answer 6

For PGI and Varietal wines only. Refers to a minimum of oak aging. For white and rose: one year of aging with a minimum of 6 months in barrel. For reds, three years of aging with at least one year in barrel.

Question 7

Breakdown of Greece Wine Regions:

Answer 7

Greece can be divided into 4 unofficial wine regions: Northern Greece, Aegean Islands, Central Greece, Southern Greece. Within these larger regions lie more defined regions that contain PDO’s and PGI’s reflective of regional history and character.

Question 8

Northern Greece (unofficial):

Answer 8

Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus

Question 9

Central Greece (unofficial):

Answer 9

Central Greece, Thessaly, Attica

Question 10

Aegean Islands (unofficial):

Answer 10

Santorini, Samnos, Limnos, etc.

Question 11

Southern Greece (unofficial):

Answer 11

Crete, Peleponnese, Ionian Islands (Kephalonia, etc.)

Question 12

Thrace PGI’s and PDO’s:

Answer 12

• Thrace PGI
• Evros District PGI
• Avidra Area PGI
• Ismaros Area PGI
• No PDO’s

Question 13

Greece’s PDO’s

Answer 13

• There are 33 PDO’s
• All but the Slopes of Meliton PDO and Messenikola PDO are dedicated to indigenous varieties
• 100% of the fruit must be grown and vinified within the appellation
• May be labeled with Reserve or Grande Reserve

Question 14

Thrace PGI’s:

Answer 14

• Regional: Thrace
• District: Evos
• Area: Avidra, Ismaros

Question 15

Main grapes of Thrace:

Answer 15

• Mavroudi
• Limnio

Question 16

PDO Requirements:

Answer 16

• 100% of fruit must be both grown and vinified within the appellation.
• May be labeled with “Reserve” or “Grande Reserve”

Question 17

Kouloura/Stefani:

Answer 17

A traditional method of vine training specific to Santorini–vines are trained along the ground in a basket shape

Question 18

Peloponnese:

Answer 18

• Contains the greatest viticultural diversity in all of Greece, because of its varied landscape
• 7 PDO’s, three for dry and four for sweet

Question 19

Nemea PDO:

Answer 19

• Both dry and sweet
• Reds are made from Agiorgitiko
• Located in the Corinth district in the Peloponnese
• Nemea is divided into three zones based on altitude

Question 20

Mantinia PDO:

Answer 20

• Must be 85% Moschofilero
• Located in the Arcadia district, the coolest part of the Peloponnese. The balance can be asproudes–the generic term for native white grapes

Question 21

Messenikola PDO:

Answer 21

• Est. 1994
• Southwest edge of Thessaly
• Dry reds are mainly Mavro Messenikola, with syrah and carignan allowed

Question 22

Central Greece (Sterea Ellada):

Answer 22

• The Pindos Mountains cover much of Sterea Ellada.
• There are no PDO’s
• Savatiano predominates, often in Retsina production here

Question 23

Patras PDO’s:

Answer 23

• Patras (Roditis)
• Muscat of Patras
• Muscat of Rio Patras
• Mavrodaphne of Patras
• (Patras is located in Achaia in Peloponnese)

Question 24

Domaine Mercouri:

Answer 24

Located in Ilia in Peloponnese, Mercouri was established in 1864, and became famous for planting refosco. It shuttered in 1960, but was resuscitated in 1985.

Question 25

Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO:

Answer 25

Located in Laconia, Peloponnese. Established in 2010. Must be 51% Monemvasia (Malvasia).

Question 26

Ioannina:

Answer 26

• District within Epirus
• Home to PDO Zitsa (Debina) and PGI Metsovo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Bekari, Vlahiko)