That's Greek (wine) to me

Greek Wines

MACEDONIA produces the most well-loved Greek brusco wine (robust red).

Naoussa is the best example

AmYndeon made from the same grape is a light red and can also be a pleasant still or sparkling rose.

XinOmavro combined with the NegOska variety-another Macedonian native - makes GoumEnissa, a meaty red.

NegOska produces a soft red .

Chalkidiki of the central peninsula produce the Cotes de Meliton wines, both white and red, from a combination of French (Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc) and Greek varieties.

The secluded monastic community of Mount Athos, the monks, have been producing wines since the Byzantine times, and still cultivate both white and red wine-producing grapes. Visitors can explore Macedonia, a wonderful and less known area, following the Wine Roads.

EPIRUS in Northwestern Greece is on this most isolated mountainous region ZItsa, a lively, fresh fruity sparkling white is produced from the DebIna variety.

In the same region, KatOi, a fine rich red is made from imported Cabernet Sauvignon vines.

THESSALY, where most of the Greek grain is cultivated, produces two distinguished wines:

RapsAni, makes a red with fine bouquet, from Xinomavro, StavrotO and

KrasAto varieties which grow on the northeastern slopes of mount Olympus.

AnhIalos, on the shores of Pagasitikos, produces a fresh white wine, made mostly from RodhItis grapes.

In CENTRAL GREECE, Attica, the region around Athens, produces the main variety Savatiano, traditionaly used for the production of RetsIna, the resinated Greek wine. Chateau Matsa in Kantza is one of the finest Greek whites, produced from grapes of an old family vineyard. Additionally, various Greek and foreign varieties produce a new range of wines, such as VillItsa, Attica etc.

PELOPONNESE

Nemea, made from AighiorghItiko grapes, grown on the northeastern part, is one of the most versatile Greek reds.

MandinIa, a delicate aromatic white wine, is produced on the vineyards east of Tripoli, from MavrodhAfni and AsprOUdes grapes.

In the region of Patras both dry and sweet, white and red wines are produced. Muscat of Patras and Muscat of Rio as well as MavrodhAfni are three well-loved sweet wines.

Some scholars believe that the medieval city of Monemvasia used to be the place where the famous malmsey wine was made (called also malvesian or malvoisie, from the old name of the city). Others claim that the wine mentioned by Shakespere was produced in Crete, and the boats that transported it stopped to Monemvasia on their way to Europe. That magnifiscent sweet white is no longer made in Greece but in Madeira.

LEMNOS on the AEGEAN islands

Muscat wine is produced from Alexandrian Muscat grapes

Limnio variety, mentioned by Aristotle, produces light fragrant red wines.

Samos, a mountainous island has its vineyards planted on terraced hills which start from sea level and go up to 800 meters high. The Samos sweet and muscat wines are well known and much praized by the French.

Rhodes produces dry white wines mainly from AthIri grapes, as well as sparkling wines of good quality. The red dry wines of the region are made chiefly from MandhilariA grapes. Crete produces 1/5 of the Greek wines.

Mt.Psiloritis mountain keeps the hot winds of Africa from reaching the northern part where most of the grapes are cultivated.

ArchAnes is a dry red made from KotsifAli and MandhilariA grapes. Another red, DafnEs, is made from LiAtiko, probably an ancient variety. From this variety, a sweet red vin de liqueur is also produced.

SitIa produces a dry and a sweet red . A dry red made from KotsifAli and MandhilariA, and a very popular fruity white from VilAna grapes are the SitIa AOC.

Santorini, the spectacular volcanic island produces a lovely white wine made from AssYrtiko grapes. To guard their vines from the strong etesian winds local growers shape their branches in a basket-like form in which the grapes grow. VisAnto is a marvelous sweet wine made from partly sun-dried grapes.

Similar sweet wines, often called Liasto, are produced throughout the Cyclades. In the very picturesque island of Paros, the low pruned vines produce a red with dark colour and a characteristic bouquet, made from MandhilariA and MonemvasiA grapes.

ISLANDS OF THE IONIAN SEA:While Corfu, Zakynthos and Lefkada produce some very interesting wines, only Robola from Cephalonia, a dry white from the eponymous grapes and together with the local variety of Mavrodhafni, is the sweet rich red vin de liqueur.

Refer to this site as an adjunct to this post.

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