Greek wine

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Greek wine has been made since at least 1600 B.C. In ancient times, as trade in wine became extensive, it was transported from end to end of the Mediterranean; Greek wine had especially high prestige in Italy under the Roman Empire. In the medieval period, wines exported from Crete, Monemvasia and other Greek ports fetched high prices in northern Europe. Modern Greek wines now compete in the international market once more.

Contents 1 Ancient period 2 Medieval period 3 Modern period 4 Modern appellations and regions 4.1 Aegean Islands 4.2 Central Greece 4.3 Ionian Islands 4.4 Macedonia 4.5 Peloponnesus 5 Challenges 6 See also 7 External links 8 Bibliography

[edit] Ancient period

Classical Greek literature tells of the wines that were most highly prized, while archaeological studies of the amphoras in which wine was transported tell us of the wines that were most widely marketed. These two sources of information are sometimes in conflict.

The most reputable wines of ancient Greece were Chian, Coan, Corcyraean, Cretan, Euboean, Lesbian, Leucadian, Mendaean, Peparethan wine, Rhodian and Thasian. Two other names may or may not be regional: Bibline wine and Pramnian wine are named in the earliest Greek poetry, but without any reliable geographical details.

[edit] Medieval period

Literature and trading records from medieval and early modern Europe, from the 13th to 16th centuries, list several major wines from Greece. They include Malmsey, exported from Monemvasia; Rumney, exported from Methoni; and Cretan and Candy wines from Crete.

The Wine Greek named in English and other sources did not come from Greece; it was produced in southern Italy in imitation of the strong, sweet wines for which Greece was best known.

[edit] Modern period

In 1937, a Wine Institute was established by the Ministry of Agriculture . However, wars, demographic shifts, economic problems, and other conditions retarded the development of the modern wine industry until the 1950s.

During the 1960s, retsina , which had never been a defining part of the Greek wine culture, suddenly became the national beverage. With rapidly growing tourism, retsina became associated worldwide with Greece and Greek wine.

However, many in government and the industry realized that the future to a successful industry lay elsewhere. Greece’s first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard was planted in 1963. In 1966, a winery was established which was devoted to producing export-quality wines. In 1971 and 1972, legislation established appellation laws. A quality wine revolution occurred during the decade.

During the 1960s and 1970s, a group of large producers came to dominate the industry and struggle with each other for market share. They felt unable to compete against French wines, which were the standard of quality at the time. The historic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 changed that perception. With New World wines able to compete successfully at the highest level, winemakers everywhere raised their aspirations. In Greece, they continue to do so.

[edit] Modern appellations and regions

A system of appellations was implemented to assure consumers the origins of their wine purchases. The appellation system categorizes wines as:

• Appellations of Origin of Superior Quality
• Controlled Appellations of Origin

The main wine growing regions of contemporary Greece are:

[edit] Aegean Islands

• Cretan wines: Peza, Archanes, Dafnes, Sitia
• Limnos
• Paros
• Rhodes
• Samos
• Santorini

[edit] Central Greece

• Attic
• Epirus
• Zitsa
• Thessaly
• Rapsani
• Ankhialos

[edit] Ionian Islands

Kefalonia

[edit] Macedonia

• Amyntaion
• Goumenissa
• Naoussa

[edit] Peloponnesus

• Mantinia
• Nemea
• Patras

[edit] Challenges

The Greek wine industry faces a number of challenges. They include declining domestic consumption of wine, increasing competition in the international market, and a need to increase exports. It faces difficulty in competing economically with large New World producers and with well-known grape varieties that are popular with international consumers. On the other hand, such consumers are unfamiliar with the hundreds of indigenous Greek grapes. In addition, artisnal producers anywhere in the world tend to lack economies of scale and brand recognition.

However, many observers believe that Greece will become successful in promoting its unique varietals in an international niche market of upscale consumers.

[edit] See also

• Wine
• Globalization of wine

[edit] External links

• Greek wine
• Greek Wine History

[edit] Bibliography

• Dalby, Andrew (2003), Food in the ancient world from A to Z, London, New York: Routledge, ISBN 0415232597
• Dalby, Andrew (1996), Siren Feasts, London, New York: Routledge, ISBN 0415116201 (Paperback ISBN 0415156572)
• Lambert-Gócs, Miles (1990), The Wines of Greece, London: Faber, ISBN 0571153887