Greece
Mediterranean
One of the oldest wine countries, with hundreds of native grapes, led today by Assyrtiko on Santorini and Xinomavro and Agiorgitiko on the mainland.
Overview
About Greece
Greece has grown vines for thousands of years, and its wine was traded across the ancient Mediterranean. Its vineyards are scattered over the mainland and islands, and it still grows hundreds of native varieties. The best-known are Assyrtiko, the mineral white of Santorini, and Xinomavro in the north and Agiorgitiko in Nemea for reds.
Retsina, a white flavoured with pine resin, is an old style that is still made, alongside a new generation of precise, fresh wines.
Where is a grape grown?
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
Greece
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Mediterranean
Hot, dry summers and mild winters, with altitude, sea winds and northern latitudes providing the cooler conditions that many of the best wines need.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Very varied: volcanic soils on Santorini, limestone and clay on the mainland, and rocky, poor soils on many islands.
Go deeper
How the wines are classified
Greek wines use the European PDO and PGI system, with named appellations for each major area.
PDO (OPAP, OPE)
Protected designations of origin such as Santorini, Naoussa and Nemea, with set grapes and yields.
PGI (Topikos Oinos)
Regional wines from a wider area, with more freedom over grapes.
Within Greece
Regions
Attica
The dry plain east of Athens, home of Savatiano, the grape behind retsina, and a growing group of quality-minded estates.
Nemea
The Peloponnese valley of Agiorgitiko, one of Greece's most important red grapes, from the site of the ancient Nemean Games.
Santorini
A volcanic Aegean island whose ancient, ungrafted vines, woven into baskets, make dry, mineral Assyrtiko and sweet Vinsanto.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to Greece or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.