Getting Familiar With Greek Red Grape Wine Varieties

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Greece has been cultivating wine for thousands of years and some of the varieties it cultivates are indigenous and found nowhere else in the world. In the past Greek producers would use pine resin in their wines to produce Retsina, but today they are producing Class A wines and receiving rave reviews on the international market.

In fact, some of the indigenous grape varieties, cultivated in this country are found as early as in ancient Greece.

Also during ancient times, wine was used as medicine, social lubricant, mind-altering substance, and considered a highly valued commodity. It was also the focus of religious cults, pharmacopoeias, cuisines, economies, and society itself. As an evocative symbol of blood, red wine was used in temple ceremonies and kings celebrated their victories with every drop.

In total, it is said that there are  more than 300 valuable indigenous grape varieties in Greece. Of course, in the last three decades, select foreign varieties are also cultivated in Greece, and have adapted to the Greek land with remarkable results. All these varieties produce Appellation of Origin Wines, Regional Wines, as well as many other bottled wines, distributed under trade names. Pluralism in eco-systems, micro climates and grape varieties lead to an admirably wide range of Greek wines.

Continuing our series on Greek wines, today we introduce the red wine varieties, and we pledge to continue publishing even more articles on how to pair these wines with some of your favorite dishes, as well as give you tips on how you can use them in cooking. Read about white varieties by clicking here.
http://hellasfrappe.blogspot.com/2012/10/getting-familiar-with-greek-white-grape.html

Red Varieties

Agiorghitiko - Also called Saint George, this variety is most commonly found in Nemea. A low- to medium-yielding variety producing medium- to high-acid wines depending on elevations and soil profiles. Deep red fruits (plum and cherry) and spice. Considered to be one of Greece’s best red varietals and biggest producing red variety.

Kotsifali - Native to Crete. Produces aromatic, rich, full-bodied wines with low acidity and soft tannins. The wines are never deep in color as this is a thin skinned grape.

Liatiko - Liatiko has a relatively low color intensity, verging on the garnet. The wine is intense, with rich, ripe red fruit and sweet spices. The palate is full, with high levels of alcohol, low and very soft tannins. Long barrel aging is essential for all, usually in large, old oak. It is found all over Crete, but the best wines are found in Heraklion, in the PDO Dafnes zone, and in Lasithi, in PDO Sitia.

Limnio - Common in northern Greece, where it often appears in blends. Tends to make powerful, structured wines with tangy red fruit and fresh herb qualities and moderate to high acidity.

Mandilaria - A thick-skinned variety from Crete. Produces deeply colored, low-acid and full-bodied wines, often with pronounced tannins. Widely used in blends for the color it brings.

Mavrodaphne - Yields full-bodied, dense wines. Most often used to make rich dessert-styled versions.

Xinomavro - Considered one of Greece’s greatest red varietals and responsible for its most serious reds. Notoriously fickle to grow, it is a late-ripening variety, producing powerful, structured, richly flavored wines with solid tannins. The wines are seldom dark and are sometimes compared to nebbiolo.

Mavrotragano - A rare native variety of Santorini which until recently was presumed extinct. Several small producers, mainly Domaine Sigalas, have resurrected the variety which produces rich extracted red wines with black fruit characteristics and high acidity and velvety tannins.

Other red varieties grown in Greece and the rest of the world are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache Rouge, Refosco, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the wine with the most distinct varietal aroma and deserves oak barrels to age in. The Grenache variety has a high alcohol potential. Refosco can be found in the western Peloponnese and has a ruby color.