The Greek public’s growing preference for Greek wine labels versus foreign vineyards

Giovanna Lykou, Sommelier, certified Sherry Educator, spirits instructor and columnist

In recent years, the number of Greek wineries has nearly doubled, with more producers entering the scene and the overall development of wine advancing in all aspects. Even well-established producers with many years of experience are not resting on their laurels – they are using their experience as a foundation to evolve and refine their expertise. Let’s not forget that Greece does not have the long-established path of wine culture that countries like France have. That is precisely why evolution is essential. While it’s true that many people in rural Greece had small vineyards and made house wine, the culture – especially for bottled wine – was not fully developed. Nevertheless, alongside the growth of producers, we have also seen the rise of Greece’s native grape varieties. The country has an impressively rich and diverse portfolio.

Varieties like Malagousia and Vidiano from Crete are now internationally recognised and valued for their quality, resilience and versatility. This development of Greek wine labels also goes hand-in-hand with tourism – particularly in regions like Santorini, which holds a PDO designation. With such a wide array of nationalities visiting wineries on Santorini, an island unique for its soil and vine cultivation methods, it was only natural that wineries of above-average quality would emerge, producing strong labels that have helped make Greece known worldwide. The growth of wine tourism has played a major role in spreading Greek wine culture. Many travellers – often not even wine professionals – visit the country specifically to experience the wines it has to offer. Greece has now made a name for itself internationally thanks to four flagship grape varieties: two white and two red. Assyrtiko (PDO Santorini), Moschofilero (PDO Mantinia), Agiorgitiko (PDO Nemea) – which is in fact the largest viticultural zone in Greece – and finally Xinomavro, which stands out for its unique characteristic of being cultivated in multiple PDO zones and yielding a wide range of wines.

It’s also worth mentioning that PDO certification entails regulatory constraints that ensure better conditions for the final product and, ultimately, optimum quality. In wine, these regulations relate to the vineyards themselves: the winemaking methods allowed, how the vines are managed, how much yield is permitted per hectare, and so on.

Finally, it’s important to note that the list of Greek PDO wines has not been updated in recent years. As a result, it still includes less popular PDO zones such as Plagies Melitona or PDO Messenikolas from Karditsa, where only one producer currently produces PDO wine. Of course, the purpose of updating this list isn’t to reduce PDO zones, but rather to give it a broader retouch – possibly adding new PDO zones.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s personal opinions and do not reflect the views or opinions of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.