Northern Greece Flashcards
What regions make up Northern Greece?
Thrace
Macedonia
Thessaly
Epirus
Where is Thrace located?
Between the Aegean Sea and Bulgaria
What are the PDO of Thrace?
None
Only PGI
What is the climate of Thrace?
Mediterranean
(continental more inland)
What are the PDO of Macedonia?
Amynteo PDO
Goumenissa PDO
Naoussa PDO
Slopes of Meliton PDO
What two of major winemaking families of Greece call Macedonia home?
Boutaris and the Tsantalis
What is Thessaloniki?
Greece’s second largest city and an important port located in Macedonia.
-A district PGI in Macedonia
What red grapes are widely planted in Macedonia?
Xinomavro - most important
Moschomavro
What range does the west of Macedonia border? What is significant in terms of climate of this area?
Pindos range
Here are the region’s highest levels of rainfall,
and both hail and snow are common
What district is one of the coldest pockets of Greece? What important PDO is located here?
Florina
Amynteo is located here
What are the styles and varietals of Amynteo?
Red
Rosé
Sparkling Rosé
(dry [17-32g/L] to semi-sweet [32-50g/L])
All 100% Xinomavro
What is the elevation of Amyneto?
520-720 meters (1,705 – 2,630 feet)
What is the climate of Amynteo?
Continental
-lakes that moderate the climate - one of the few areas with lakes in Greece
What is the soil of Amynteo?
Limestone and loam are prevalent but sand is dominant
-some places sand is so prevalent that phylloxera can’t thrive-this area boasts some of Greece’s last own rooted vines
Can sparkling wine from Amynteo be a blanc?
No, must be a rosé in order to have PDO status.
Where is Naoussa?
East of Amynteo in Macedonia.
What is a mountain range of Naoussa?
Pindos
Mount Vermion
What is the elevation of Naoussa?
80-350 meters (260 – 1,150 feet)
Climate of Naoussa?
Continental but slightly warmer and more humid than in Amynteo.
What are the styles and varietals of Naoussa?
Red only
Dry: max 4 g/L RS
Semi-Dry: 4.5-17.5g/L
Semi-Sweet: 17.5-45 g/L
100% Xinomavro
What region was the first appellation of Greece? When?
Naoussa 1971
Who got their start in Naoussa and when? What is significant about this producer?
Boutari
1879
-the first to bottle wine in Greece
Where is Goumenissa located?
To the northeast of Naoussa, at the foot of Mount Paiko
What is the elevation of Goumenissa
150 – 300 meters, or 490 – 985 feet
What are the styles and varietals of Goumenissa?
Dry Red Only.
Xinomavro plus min. 20% Negoska
What is one of the most widely planted regions of Macedonia? What is the PDO there?
Halkidiki
PDO Slopes of Meliton
What is another word for Slopes of Meliton?
Plagies Melitona
What producer owns the monopole of the PDO Slopes of Meliton?
Domaine Porto Carras
How many hectares under vine in the Slopes of Meliton
450 ha
-one of the largest single vineyards in Greece
What is the elevation of the Slopes of Meliton?
100-350 meters (330 – 1,150 feet)
What are the styles and authorized varietals of Slopes of Meliton?
Dry White: Roditis, Assyrtiko, plus Athiri
Dry Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Lemnio and Cabernet Franc
Climate of Slopes of Meliton?
Mediterranean
This PDO in Macedonia was one of the first of two to authorize international grape varieties.
Slopes of Meliton
When were the slopes of Meliton granted PDO status?
1982
What is the Area PGI in the peninsula east of Slopes of Meliton?
Mount Athos Vineyard
The fruit of Mount Athos Vineyard is divided between whom?
Monk-owned Mylopotamos and Tsantali
How many ha is Mount Athos Vineyard? Elevation?
70ha
220-250 meters (720 – 820 feet)
Are women allowed to walk in the vines of Mount Athos Vineyard?
NO
Where is Epanomi? What significant producer is located here?
Macedonia
Significant area PGI
Gerovassiliou
-the eponymous winery of Evangelos Gerovassiliou
What grape is Gerovassiliou famous for cultivating?
Malagousia - a white
What mountain ranges surround Thessaly?
Pindos Mountains
-includes Mount Olympus on the east
What are the PDOs of Thessaly from N to S?
Rapsani PDO
Messenikola PDO
Anchiolas PDO
Climate of Thessaly?
Mediterranean with chilly winters
What are the main grapes of Thessaly?
Muscat of Hamburg and Roditis
Muscat of Hamburg is the main grape of the production of what Greek beverage?
Tsipouro (Greek grappa)
Roditis is famous for what?
Feeds local Retsina production
What are the styles and varietals of Rapsani?
Dry Red Only
Xinomavro, Stavroto, Krasato (generally 30% each in the vineyard)
What is the max RS for Reserve/Grand Reserve wines in Rapsani?
2.5g/L (v 4g/L)
What is the southernmost appellation for Xinomavro in Greece?
Rapsani PDO
-only PDO to feature Xinomavro outside of Macedonia
What is Greece’s smallest PDO?
Rapsani PDO
-60 producing hectares and 30 newly planted hectares as of 2017
When was the Rapsani appellation granted?
1971
What winery vinifies 95% of Rapsani’s fruit?
Tsantali
What are the styles and varietals of Messenikola?
Dry Red Only
Min 70% Mavro Messenikola, plus max 30% Carignan and Syrah
What is only the second of Greece’s PDOs to feature international varieties?
Messenikola
est 1994
What are the styles and varietals of Anchialos?
White Only
Minimum 80% Roditis, maximum 20% Savatiano
Dry White: 0 - 4 g/l
Semi-Dry White: 4.5 - 17.5 g/l
Semi-Sweet White: 17.5 - 45 g/l
What is the westernmost region of mainland Greece?
Epirus
What are the PDOs of Epirus?
Zitsa PDO
Where is Zitsa PDO?
it occupies a particularly limestone-rich elevated plateau near the center of the Ioannina PGI in Epirus.
What are the styles and varietals of Zitsa?
100% Debina
Dry white: max. 4 g/l
Sparkling white dry: 17–32 g/l
Sparkling white semidry: 32–50 g/l
What is the planting elevation for Zitsa PDO?
500 m–700m (2,300ft)
Where are the Rodopi Mountains? What is their affect on this area?
Thrace
-block cool winds coming from the north
Why is botrytis a problem in Thrace?
-Cool winds from the North (mostly blocked by the Rodopi Mts)
-Warm, wet air flows off the Aegean in the south
What are the two most important indigenous varieties of Thrace?
Mavroudi
Limnio
Where would you find the crus Trifolos, Fytia and Ramnista?
Naoussa
What is Siatista?
A PGI in Macedonia
-traditional sweet wine made of dried Xinomavro and Moschomavro
Where is the Dristict PGI Drama?
Macedonia
-on eastern border with Thrace
Where will you find Lake Plastira?
Messenikola
What are the elevations of Rapsani and Messenikola?
Rapsani = 150-800m (490-2,625ft)
Messenikola = up to 750m (2,460ft)
What is the sole District PGI of Epirus?
Ioannina
-farthest north on border of Albania
-some of highest rainfall in Greece
Where is Zitsa PDO located?
Within Ioannina in Epirus
Where will you find the area PGI Metsovo?
within Ioannina in Epirus
Why is it significant that the vines are planted on steep mountain side vineyards in Zitsa?
As much of Epirus is on the windward side of the mountains in the path of moist winds from the Ionian Sea, the region has the highest levels of rainfall in mainland Greece.
The natural drainage of the steep, mountainside vineyards helps to ensure that the limestone soils retain only a small amount of water from this rain, ensuring that the vines do not get swamped. As a result, the plants produce less leafy greenery and smaller yields of highly concentrated grapes.
Why is Zitsa conducive to sparkling wine?
The cooler climate on these often-steep mountain slopes means that ripening is slowed, which retains acidity in the grapes. This makes for perfect conditions for the production of sparkling wines from the native Debina grape variety.
What grape variety is Metsovo best known for? What indigenous varieties are planted here? Color?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bekari - red
Vlahiko - red
