tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3068416237931899943.post-88383269166909772062008-01-14T10:43:00.000-08:002008-01-14T10:45:26.853-08:00<div class="snap_preview"><p>Greece has been producing wine for, quite literally, thousands of years. The writings of great philosophers including Homer, Plato, Virgil and Pliny, testify to the production of wine since the 13th century BC. The Greeks taught the Romans about wine production, the Romans took this knowledge to Gaul (France) and the rest is history. For a country with such an illustrious wine history, it’s tragic that “Retsina” (wine to which pine resin is added during fermentation, and a wine responsible for many a tourist’s hangover) is the only wine known to most foreigners. Some superb wines are being produced in Modern Greece in the Peloponnese, Crete, Samos, Patras, Santorini, and more. Greece is beginning to understand the potential of wine tourism, and now many of the beautiful wineries, particularly on the Greek Islands, are open to the public. The following short overview highlights the main wine regions and grape varieties of Greece with related links to find out more information.</p> <h2>Wines from Northern Greece</h2> <p>Naoussa, Goumenissa and Amyntaion are the main sub regions (in Macedonia and Thrace), with Naoussa being the most highly regarded. Xynomavro is the principal native grape variety, a red grape used to make extra dry wines. In Naoussa, the grapes are grown on Mount Vermio at altitudes of up to 1100 feet. The wines here are oak aged and increasingly, fermented in oak barrels (improving the quality). Boutari is the biggest winery brand in Naoussa. In Goumenissa, Xynomavro is again the main red grape, but smaller amounts of sparkling rose wine is also made with a blend of the Xynomavro and Negoska (to make a “Blanc de Noirs”). Another famous wine from northern Greece is Cotes de Meliton, which is a newish appellation located on the slopes of Mount Meliton. The winery tends to veer away from Greek varietals, opting for classic French ones instead, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Saying that, a white wine made of the native Malagousia grape has been successful.</p> <h2>Wines from the Peloponnese</h2> <p>This beautiful southern Greek region is home to quite a few wine Appellations. The most famous AC in Greece, Nemea, is located here, along with Patras and Mantinia. In Nemea, the most common grape grown is the velvety rich Agiorgitiko. The soil where Agiorgitiko is cultivated is red and the resulting wines are an intense, flavourful quality red. Top brands of Nemea include the wonderful Gaia Estate (whose wines are available from London to New York in top wine merchants). Gaia Estate was founded in the early 90’s in Santorini and expanded their company to build a phenomenal winery in Nemea in 1997. Their winemaker, Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, is today considered one of Greece’s best. In Patras, and interesting sweet red wine is made from the Mavrodaphne and Korinthiaki grapes. It’s made in a Port wine style and can be aged for up to 10 years in oak. The other typical wine from Patras is the local dry, white wine made with the Rhoditis grape and called “Patras”. There is also a sweet Muscat wine made in the French Vin Doux Naturel style. In Mantinia, a smaller sub-region, the classic wine is Moschophilero, a sweet white wine made with red grapes.</p> <h2>Wines from Santorini</h2> <p>Santorini is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Greek Islands. It’s amazing that they have been able to maintain their traditional wine industry despite the pressure from hotels to build. The wines produced on the gorgeous volcanic island are mainly white and typically sweet. The most famed wine is Asyrtiko blended with Athiri and Aedani, producing a luscious honey wine. Vissanto is another wine made, clearly showing the Italian influence on the island’s history, made in the same way as Vin Santo in Italy with partially dried grapes to produce a thick almost elixir of a wine. The one thing all of the wines from Santorini have in common is their powerful nose; the Asyrtiko is especially aromatic. To producers of Santorini wine include Boutari, Hatzidakis, Santo, Roussos and Nomikos.</p> <h2>Other Greek Wines</h2> <p>Wines are produced all over the Greek mainland and islands, but there are a few certain wines that stand out above the rest. In Cephalonia (the Ionian island close to Corfu and Zante), a famed sweet Muscat is made along with an interesting white wine called Robola, which produces bone dry, perfumed wines. Ribbolla is a grape grown in Northern Italy, and due to Cephalonia’s history, it is quite possible that the grape is the same. A sweet red wine is also made in Cephalonia, made with a blend of Muscat and the native Mavrodaphne grapes. In the island of Lemnos, one of Greece’s most famous wines is produced- Muscat of Lemnos made with the - Muscat de Alexandria grape. In Samos, another famed Muscat is made, simply called “Muscat of Samos”, made with the Muscat a Petits Grains. The Muscat wines of Samos can be fermented dry or can be unctuously sweet such as the “Samos Nectar”. Finally, one of Greece’s other famed wines would have to be the Liatiko red wine produced in the Daphne sub region of Crete.</p> </div> <span class="feedback"></span>romannoreply@blogger.com