The Roads of Greek Wine
Wine Producing Areas
Wine was always appreciated in Greece so the vine was cultivated in every place that its climate permitted, together with the other domestic cultivations, completing the family income. We wouldn't exaggerate the facts if we said that every home had its own vine.
As vine can be cultivated in dry and poor soil, it speaded throughout Greece, although as the rural class decreased with the years, the vine-cultivating areas diminished as well. This happened mostly in mountainous and infertile lands which were abandoned by their inhabitants.
To make our tavel easier, we will divide Greece in administrative rather than vine-cultivating regions. The wine produced differentiates due to climatologic conditions, the variety and the soil. Thus, the Xinomauro variety in Amindaio gives us rose wines while in Naoussa the same vine produces rose and red wines although it is the same variety of vine although both areas belong geographically in Macedonia.
According to their production, these regions are (starting from the larger ones):
Peloponese
Viticulture area: 60.419 ha
Wine production: 1.525.590 hl
Varieties: *Agiorgitiko, *Korinthiaki (raisin), *White Mochato, *Moschofilero, *Refosko, *Roditis, *Soultanina (raisin).
Crete
Viticulture area: 50.581 ha
Wine production: 959.480 hl
Varieties: *Vilana, *Kotsifali, *Liatiko, *Mandilaria, *Romeiko.
Sterea Ellada & Eboia
Viticulture area: 28.849 ha
Wine production: 1.988.790 hl
Varieties: *Savatiano
Macedonia & Thrace
Viticulture area: 15.500 ha
Wine production: 514.760 hl
Varieties: *Asirtiko, *Athiri, *Limnio, *Xinomauro, *Negkoska, *Cabernet Sauvignon, *Cabernet Franc.
Thessalia
Viticulture area:8.696 ha
Wine production: 423.910 hl
Varieties: *Krasato, *Black Mesenicola, *Hamburg Moschato, *Mpatiki, *Xinomauro, *Stavroto.
Ionian Islands
Viticulture area:8.716 ha
Wine production: 215.840 hl
Varieties: *Vertzami, *Mavrodafni, *White Moschato, *Robolla.
Aegean Islands
Viticulture area: 9.131 ha
Wine production: 151.300 ha
Varieties: *Aidani, *Asirtiko, *Limnio, *Mandilaria, *Monemvasia, *Alexandria Moschato.
Dodecanese
Viticulture area: 3.438 ha
Wine production: 30.620 hl
Varieties:*Athiri, *Mandilaria, *White Moschato.
Epirus
Viticulture area: 1.022 ha
Wine production: 30.620 hl
Varieties: *Ntempina, *Cabernet Sauvignon.
Would you like to know about Vine Varieties?
Or would you prefer to return to the Introductory page?