All you need to know about Greek wine: Start exploring a land of exceptional terroir, indigenous grape varieties and cutting-edge winemaking
What do you know about Greek wine? It seems to be an area that, for even the most committed of wine lovers. is often overlooked. Is it because the Greek roads are ones less travelled or because we simply have trouble pronouncing the names of the grape varieties (have a go at Agiorgitiko) and instead will choose something that appears more familiar?
Although Greece is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, with wine production dating back to the Ancient Greek times, today it doesn’t rank in the top ten of wine producing countries globally and, in the UK, we’re more likely to go for wines from Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia and Spain before we think about Greece.
However, over the past few decades, change has been stirring. There has been much effort in the way of improving the image of Greek wine abroad and promoting the focus on quality, and this has paid off, particularly in countries outside of the EU. According to an article on greece-is.com Greek wine sales increased by 81.6% in the US, 90.7% in Canada, 555.9% in China, 104.9% in Australia and by 562% in Japan over the 2009-2016 period.
What’s so good about Greek wine?
Aphrodite Tousia of Kontozisis Organic Vineyard
Greek wines are really worth exploring. There are over 200 native grape varieties and most of them can’t be grown anywhere else, because they’ve adapted to survive Greece’s hot and arid climate. Concentrated, tannic and age-worthy reds and aromatic, mineral, high-acidity whites have helped to secure Greece’s soaring international reputation.
I read in an FT article that in the 1990s, winemakers in Greece thought that, to compete on a world stage, they should use international grape varieties, such as Cabernet, Syrah and Chardonnay. These weren’t as appealing to the local palate and so, as winemakers became more confident, they began adding local grape varieties back into the blends. New, distinctive characteristics came to the fore and both local and international consumers began to enjoy them. Now, at least 90% of the grape varieties used to make Greek wines are indigenous to Greece.
Lower yields, modern cultivation methods and technological advances in the winery allowed Greek winemakers to move on from the rustic wines of the past, and focus on lighter, fresher wines that express the purity of the varietals and the unique terroirs.
A new generation of winemakers are exploring organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking with gusto, showing an unwavering belief in the quality of the grapes, the land and the winemaking. Kontozisis Organic Vineyard in Karditsa, which is located in the Thessaly region of central Greece, have been practicing organic farming and winemaking since 1991 and they were one of the first vineyards in Greece to be certified as such.
Rather than jumping on a trend towards natural wine, Aphrodite Tousia explains that working with nature and respecting the land has always been central to the Kontozisis philosophy. ‘Even when organic practices were something that were not appreciated, we insisted on farming without chemicals, and making natural, honest wines.’
Fortunately for Kontozisis, the world is catching up and they have amassed a huge fan base in some of America’s biggest cities (and now a growing one in the UK) of consumers who understand their message and embrace the authenticity of their wines.
Grape varieties used in Greek wines
There are four flagship grape varieties in Greece: Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro (reds) and Assyrtiko and Moschofilero (whites).
Assyrtiko is perhaps the jewel in the crown, as it is the most popular Greek grape internationally, and other countries, such as Australia, South Africa and Turkey, have started planting their own Assyrtiko vines. This aromatic, high-acidity grape from the volcanic island of Santorini makes wines that are bone-dry, crisp, full of mineral character, with citrus flavours and a streak of salinity.
Malagousia is another white grape that has soared in popularity in recent years. It was rediscovered in the 1970s after being on the brink of extinction and now it is Greece’s most sought-after grape variety just behind Assyrtiko. Malagousia produces perfumed, expressive wines, which have aromas and flavours of stone and citrus fruits, herbs, such as sage and basil, and roses.
Kontozisis Organic Vineyard have two Malagousia wines, White Sun and A-Grafo, both of which are natural, organic, biodynamic and vegan, made with hand selected grapes. A-Grafo is a skin-contact wine with zero sulphites in it - it’s about as pure and expressive as you will ever taste Malagousia!
They are natural wines with none of the natural wine ‘funk’ or haziness - these are wines that are made gently with finesse.
The other grapes grown at Kontozisis are Limniona, Xinomavro, Merlot, Syrah, Assyrtiko, Roditis and Chardonnay. Limniona is an interesting one. Hailing from Karditsa, it has been described by graperover.com as ‘the rising star of the Greek red varieties and will be a driving force for the development of numerous top wines around Greece in the years to come’. Vivid and deep in colour, Limniona has all the qualities to make exceptional, age-worthy wines. It’s expressive, concentrated, textured, with bright acidity and smooth tannins. Kontozisis get the best out of their native grape variety by having developed vineyard techniques that get as much concentration as possible from the large grapes. They don’t use a press (it’s free run wines only), nor any commercial yeasts. As Limniona is a high alcohol wine (but rarely above 13.5%), it will usually benefit from a few years of age, with the potential to reach its peak in a decade or more.
Terroir
There are exceptional terroirs in Greece, which are key in creating wines with a distinct, authentic character. From the rugged mountains of the mainland, to the volcanic islands in the south, it’s a land of extremes - of heat and wind, storms and sunshine.
The Kontozisis vineyards are planted in the foothills of Mount Agrafa, a special place, described by greece-is.com as a ‘destination worthy of real explorers – featuring wild nature, beautiful people and a sense of a Greece from times gone by.’ Agrafa translates as ‘the unchartered’ because the Ottomans failed to set foot there and mark it on their map, something that the Agrafa people still take pride in.
Hot and sunny days are tempered by the cool air at nighttime from the mountains. The temperature variance between day and night, together with the area’s micro-climate, soil and cold mountain currents, give the grapes their unique expression and sense of place.
The future of Greek wine
From co-operative wineries selling bulk wine forty years ago to premium Greek wines being sold in upmarket restaurants in London today, the Greek wine industry has changed dramatically in just a few decades. In the 1980s, there were just 70 wineries in Greece and now there are more than 1,400. There was an explosion of wineries opening after the global economic crash - almost a thousand have opened in just the past ten years. Smaller players have joined the market, who are having a positive effect on the industry by putting quality over quantity and focusing on small-scale exporting.
These new growers are embracing the worldwide trend of recovering old, forgotten grape varieties, which is great for Greece because there are so many. Considered the cradle of wine by many, Greece has an incredibly rich heritage of indigenous grapes, which can produce interesting, distinguished wines - which we, as consumers, are now ready to embrace.
Finally, it seems the old and the new have met at a point of harmony in Greece - an ancient heritage is now complemented by modern and refined winemaking practices. Greek wines are not afraid to show themselves to the world, unblended and often untouched, as with the wines from Kontozisis Organic Vineyard. Kontozisis will continue to work in tune with Mother Nature - and perhaps where they lead, others will follow, in looking after the land that has looked after them for so long.