Assyrtiko[
A seer' tee ko ] Assyrtiko
is one of Greece’s finest multi-purpose white grape varieties. It
was first cultivated on the island of Santorini, where it has developed
a unique character producing excellent AOC wines. Assyrtiko has the ability
to maintain its acidity as it ripens. It yields a bone-dry wine that has
citrus aromas mixed with an earthy, mineral aftertaste due to the volcanic
soil of Santorini. In the last 25 years Assyrtiko has been planted throughout
Greece including Macedonia and Attica where it expresses a milder and more
fruity character. Assyrtiko can also be used together with the aromatic
Aidani and Athiri grapes for the production of the unique, naturally sweet
wines called VINSANTO (wine from SANTOrini), well known since Byzantine
times. Back
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Athiri[ Ah thee' ree ] Athiri
is one of the most ancient of Greek grape varieties. The name of
the grape indicates its origin from the Island of Santorini, also
known as Thira, where it is used together with Assyrtiko and Aidani
for the production of AOC Santorini wines. Athiri is found in other
regions in Greece including Macedonia, Attica and Rhodes where it
produces AOC Rhodes wines. Athiri grapes have a thin skin and give
sweet and fruity juice. It produces wines slightly aromatic, having
medium alcoholic content with low acidity. Back
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Aidani[
Ah ee tha' nee ] Aidani is another ancient Greek grape variety and is mainly found in the
Cyclades Islands. It produces wines pleasantly aromatic with medium alcoholic
content and acidity. It can be successfully mixed with grapes having a
high alcoholic content and acidity such as Assyrtiko. Back
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Lagorthi[
La gor' thee ] A very promising grape originating in Kalavrita in the Peloponnese. Since
its revival, the Lagorthi grape is cultivated mainly on the slopes of Aegialia
at an altitude of 850m by the Oenoforos Winery. The Lagorthi grapes produce
wines with medium levels of alcohol that have a pronounced acidity derived
primarily from the malic acid content of the grape. Its elegant aroma combine
hints of peach, melon and basil together with citrus and mineral flavors. Back
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Malagousia[
Mah lah gou zya' ] Malagousia
originated in the region of Nafpaktos in western Greece. The winemaker
Gerovassiliou, was the first to begin experimenting with the nearly extinct
Malagousia grape, realizing its vast potential for producing high quality
wines. It is found mainly in Macedonia and is now cultivated in some vineyards
in Attica and the Peloponnese. It is an especially aromatic grape leading
to elegant full bodied wines, with medium acidity and exciting aromas of
exotic fruits, citrus, jasmine and mint. Back
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Moschofilero[ Mos ko fee' le ro ] A
distinct aromatic grape from within the AOC region of Mantinia, in the
Peloponnese, Moschofilero grapes have a gray colored skin and therefore
produce a wine that is a blanc de gris. Its crisp character and beautiful
floral aroma of roses and violets with hints of spices can be drunk as
an aperitif or with food. Back
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Robola[
Ro bo' la ] Grown
most notably in the mountainous vineyards of Cephalonia, the noble Robola
grapes yield distinguished wines with citrus and peach aromas mixed with
smoky, mineral hints and a long lemony aftertaste. Robola’s fine
character assisted in its qualification as the AOC Robola of Cephalonia. Back
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Roditis[
Ro dee' tees ] As
the name implies, Roditis is a rosé colored grape that is very popular
in Attica, Macedonia, Thessaly and Peloponnese where it is cultivated for
the production of AOC Patra wines. It produces the best results when cultivated
with low yields on mountainous slopes. Roditis produces elegant, light
white wines with citrus flavors and a pleasant aftertaste. Back
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Savatiano[
Sa va tya no' ] Savatiano
is the predominant grape in the region of Attica where is displays excellent
resistance to the dry summer weather there. It leads to the production
of elegant, well balanced white wines with an aroma of citrus fruits and
flowers. Back
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Tsaoussi[
Tsa oo' see ] A very interesting Mediterranean grape producing pleasant light wines with
fruit and honey aromas. This grape is now found mainly on the island of
Cephalonia where it usually blends well with the local Robola giving well
structured wines. Back
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White Muscat
An aromatic grape which leads to the production of excellent dessert
wines and interesting dry whites. Fresh or aged, natural or fortified
the dessert Muscat wines are ready to please even the most difficult
wine enthuthiast. It is cultivated in many regions of Greece but
is known to produce the best results and AOC wines in Samos, Patra
and Rio of Patra. It also yields a small production of AOC Rhodes
and Cephalonia wines.
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Red
Agiorghitiko[
Ah yor yee' ti ko ] One
of the most noble of the Greek red grapes, Agiorghitiko (meaning St.George's)
is grown mainly in the AOC region Nemea in the Peloponnese. It produces
wines that stand out for their deep red color and remarkable aromatic complexity.
Agiorghitiko’s soft tannins, in combination with its balanced acidity
lead to the production of many different styles of wine, ranging from fresh
aromatic reds to extraordinary aged reds. It also produces pleasant aromatic
rosé wines. Back
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Xinomavro[
Ksee no' ma vro ] The
predominant grape variety in Macedonia is a native red called Xinomavro,
(meaning "acid-black"). The wines made from Xinomavro are known
for their superb aging potential and their rich tannic character. Their
complex aromas combine such red fruits as gooseberry with hints of olives,
spices and dried tomatoes. Back
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Mandelaria[
Mahn dee lar ya' ] The Mandelaria grape, rich in color, is also known as Amorgiano. It is
mainly cultivated on the islands of Rhodes and Crete. Mandelaria participates
in various Appellations of Origin usually with other grapes such as Monemvassia
in Paros, Kotsifali in Crete or as a single variety on the island of Rhodes,
producing distinctive red wines. Back
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Mavrodaphne[ Mav ro tha'f nee ]
Mavrodaphne, meaning black laurel, is mainly found in the Peloponnesean
regions of Achaia and Ilia as well as the Ionian Islands. It is
blended with the Korinthiaki grape to produce a delicious fortified
dessert wine known as Mavrodaphne. It also yields very good results
when blended with Refosco, Agiorghitico and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
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