Greece, a mountainous Turkey/mediterranean">Mediterranean country in Southeastern Europe, is often considered the cradle of Western civilization. Archaeological evidence suggests that wine has been made in Parts of Greece for over 4000 years.
References in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey confirm that viticulture was widespread here in the 8th century BC. The importance of wine is also evident in Greek mythology.
Dionysus (the Greek god of wine) appears in the legends of all regions of Greece, from the plains of Attica to the Aegean island of Chios.
From the 4th century onwards, the tumultuous history of Greece as part of the Byzantine Empire meant that viticulture did not flourish as it did in neighbouring Italy. As a result, Greece's importance in the modern wine world is far less than one might expect, given its early success. In the late 20th century, however, Greek viticulture showed signs of revitalization, supported by modern winemaking techniques and a generation of motivated, quality-oriented producers.
The modern face of Greek wine combines the traditional with the modern. Native Greek Grape varieties such as Assyrtico, Agiorgitiko and Xynomavro stand alongside famous international (French) varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The range of 21st century Greek wines includes fresh, citrusy whites, Sparkling rosés and deliciously Sweet reds.
Geographically speaking, Greece consists of its mainland and numerous islands.
I first contributed to Decanter back in November 1988; the hundreds of columns and articles I’ve written since constitute a journey of discovery. I squirm, though, if I’m described as a ‘wine expert’. Whatever wine knowledge we acquire quickly cools, congeals and crusts over, like custard or gravy, as the years pass. The wine world expands at a clip. Every vintage rewrites history. It’s the chance to share discoveries – not just about wines, but about people, places and the act of drinking itsel ...
The Francs de Pied (Ungrafted Vines) group, which last met two weeks ago at Pasquet’s Liber Pater winery in the Graves, consists of a growing circle of vignerons who work with ungrafted vineyards planted to native varieties. The list includes Francs de Pied president Loïc Pasquet himself, vice-president Egon Müller (Mosel), and secretary Andrea Polidoro of Cupano (Montalcino) and Contrada Contro (Marche); as well as Gocha Chkhaidze of leading Georgian winery, Askaneli; Thibault Liger-Belair (Bur ...
My father worked in the wholesale supply of fruit and vegetables. He would often come home with a box of the day’s best produce, and so I became interested in what was in season. Both my parents often worked late, so cooking dinner to help take some weight off them inspired me to want to learn more. My first kitchen job at age 14 was at a Greek restaurant in Southampton, and it inspired my love for foods of the eastern Mediterranean. Today, I’m lucky to be able to obtain the best produce from ‘O ...
