A note about Greek Red Wines

Hello everyone!  No wine blog would be complete without a discussion of Greek wines, and most definitely not our wine blog! While the Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians brought beer into the world, it is the Greeks who worshipped Dionysus (known in the Roman world as Bacchus) and brought us winemaking.  Several years ago if someone was asked about Greek wine, it was Retsina that often came to mind first.  Retsina is a white or rose wine that has been infused with pine resin – and mostly tastes like pine resin.  Retsina came about due to the process of using pine resin to seal wine storage amphorae for shipment and storage.  However, Greek wines have come a long way in the last 20 years or so, and are quite special to us.

We went to Greece for our honeymoon in September 2001, and one night we asked our Athens hotel for a recommendation of a good Greek restaurant.  We were recommended to try a restaurant in the Psiri section of Athens, called Krasopoulio.  It was a warm night, so we chose seats outside.  After scanning the wine list filled with unfamiliar wines with even more unfamiliar names, we settled on a bottle of red wine from the appellation of Rapsani, in the region of Thessalia.  The Rapsani region is at the foot of Mount Olympus in northeastern Greece, and is filled with history of Greek gods and winemaking.

Due to the temperature in Athens that evening, the Rapsani was brought out to us in a chiller with ice.  Particularly when the temperatures are warm, it’s important to be sure that the red wines are served cooler, even if they have to be put on ice for a bit.  The grapes used in this wine are Xinomavro, Stavroto, Krassato, with Xinomavro being the only name that was remotely familiar.  The wine was a deep, dark wine with good tannins and a very earthy flavor. It was fantastic complement to our authentic Greek dinner. 

For dessert, we got a special treat.  A thicker, clear liquid was brought out and presented to us with a small cake.  We were a little nervous at first, thinking that it might be some form of ouzo, which we hadn’t developed a liking for.  But with one sniff we were in heaven: it was a special Muscat from the island of Limnos.  We’ll talk more about the Moscato di Limnos when we discuss Greek white wines, but it was an amazing treat.  We were so happy with our experience at Krasopoulio that we ate at the restaurant on two other occasions.  On our third visit, the owner asked us how we came to find the place, since it was really unknown to tourists.  We told him about the recommendation and he invited us back into the main part of the restaurant to enjoy more Moscato di Limnos and Greek coffee as we chatted.  Our love of Greek wines was born.

There are seven diverse winemaking regions in Greece:  Macedonia, Epirus, Thessalia, Sterea Ellada, Peleponnese, the Aegean Islands, and the Ionian Islands.  Thessalia and Macedonia are in the northeast, closer to the Balkan nations of Albania, Bulgaria, and the Balkan Republic of Macedonia.  Epirus and the Ionian Islands are in the northwest, Sterea Ellada is the central region in Greece, and the Peleponnese is in the South.  The Aegean Islands stretch south and east of the Greek peninsula and include Santorini.  These seven regions yield more than 300 indigenous grape varieties, some of which have been cultivated since ancient times.

Our bottle of Rapsani came from the winemaking region of Thessalia, where Xinomavro is the predominant grape.  Xinomavro is also used to make full-bodied reds in Macedonia, particularly in the appellation of Naoussa.  The name of the grape means sour black, and these wines can be a touch rustic with aromas of olive, cedar, spice, and mint.  The acidity and tannin levels in this wine are naturally high, so these wines have good aging potential and also do well with oak aging.

Probably the most noble and flexible of Greek red wines is Agiorgitiko (meaning St. George’s), grown mainly in the Peleponnese region of Nemea.  Agiorgitiko produces red wines of deep red color, complex aromas, and a long silky finish, which are not as tannic as wines made from Xinomavro.  It is a very flexible grape and can be used to make both roses or oak aged red wines.  It is less acidic and has very balanced tannins.  Many producers are blending this grape with Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and producing some very high quality blends.  Skouros and Boutari are the most common producers that you are likely to see as well; also look for Red Stag from Domaine Spiropoulos.

In the Aegean region, particularly Crete, Rhodes, and Santorini, Mandilaria is the primary red grape.  It is often blended with Kotsifali in Crete or Mavrotragano on the island of Santorini.  Aspa Argyros red is a great example of this wine and it is highly aromatic with aromas of leather, earth and dark fruit.

The last red grape that you are likely to come across is Mavrodaphne, which means black laurel.  Mavrodaphne is mainly found in the Peleponnesean and Ionian regions, and is often blended with the Korinthiaki grape to produce a fortified red wine also called Mavrodaphne.  This wine is very similar to a port, but is a bit fruitier.

As we mentioned earlier, there are over 300 grape varietals in Greece.  You may never see most of them, and might be able to pronounce even fewer.  Hopefully now if you see these names on the label in your local store, you’ll have a little better idea what you’re seeing.  Greek wines are continuing to improve so be sure to ask your local retailer for a great recommendation.

Drink what you like, like what you drink!