Greece is one of the most intriguing, and some would argue, most misunderstood wine producing country. Lying at the far eastern edge of the Mediterranean, Greece is first andf foremost LARGE! With its northern flanks bordered by Bulgaria, FYRM Macedonia, Albania and Turkey, the Greek mainland splits and fragments into a hundred different islands that lie in both the Ionian, Agean as well as the Meditteranean. Such fragmentation, amidst highly contrasting geography, geology and culture, means that Greek wine-making is varied, in fact very, very varied, with a multitude of local grapes, amongst the more regional ones are grapes such as, Robola, Limnio, Tsaoussi, and Roditis etc.
For red wines it is the mighty Agiorgitiko, supported by the softer and spicer Xynomavro that lead the way. In white wines it is Assyrtiko and Moscofilero that lead the pack. International varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot etc for reds, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. The best regions are toward the coast, where cooling breezes aid the retention of acidity and give all the wines a lovely freshness.
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