This is the most celebrated Greek grape, certainly most widely known than any other variety outside Greece and with the longest commercial history in modern Greek wine chronicles. It has in fact become an International grape by now, as it is also cultivated in Clare Valley, Australia, where the first non-Greek Assyrtiko was bottled in 2014, as well as in California with the first bottling dating in 2015 and there are current plans by a leading Stellenbosch estate of having it planted in South Africa. The power and commercial potential of Assyrtiko have become obvious since the 1930s when at its native Santorini island it was used for the much solicited Vinsanto wine that had a steady demand for exportation.

Savatiano leagues second in importance by many, as it is the most cultivated white grape variety of Greece, the grape associated with the historic Attican vineyard and very closely with the unique Greek wine style of Retsina (wine flavoured with pine resin). Savatiano’s name derives from the Greek word Σάββατο which defines Saturday or the seventh day of the week and this in turns comes from the Hebrew word שבת or Shabbat. The word was adopted by the Greek populations of Orthodox faith and in variations by other Orthodox Christian populations in the early Byzantine times and it could be that the grape has a similarly long history. It is planted mostly in central Greece, though recently there are plantings also in Northern Greece and the Aegean islands. Other local names of the grape include Dombrena or Doumpraina Aspri, Tsoumprena, Perachoritis, Sakeiko and Kountoura Aspri.

If Assyrtiko is the most known and celebrated Greek grape abroad, Agiorgitiko is by far the most known and appreciated by Greeks themselves. It produces fruity, heartwarming red wines, usually matured in barrels for anything between 6 and 24 months, although the range of barrel maturation has extended recently from none to over 24 months. Bearing in mind that Greeks consume more red than white wine and the brand name of the appellation zone of Nemea has been the strongest within the Greek territory, as also the largest PDO region, it comes as no surprise that in the most remote parts of the country, in mainland as well as on the islands and interestingly within other reputable wine-producing zones, the red wines of Nemea are easily available and have loyal followers.

Agiorgitiko offers an all-round proposal when choosing a Greek red wine. With taste characteristics around red fruits, plum, cherry and sour cherry, layers of spice and generally soft tannins, it produces approachable wines. It doesn’t require ages to smoothen out and offers a rather international flavour palette (in particular Southern European) to which many wine drinkers are used, thanks to French, Spanish and Italian wines. Yet, there is a number of styles of Agiorgitiko to be explored, not only from Nemea, with Agiorgitiko plantings just under 4000 hectares but from the rest of Greece as well, from Macedonia to Crete, including sweet and barrel matured Amarone-style wines. A pleaser of a grape that is and so well matching everyday cuisine, especially dishes containing tomato, onion and garlic, ingredients at the core of Greek cooking. No hesitation or second thought here and with a few experimental examples to explore, too!

This is the shining star of the Greek vineyard! An intriguing grape, that needs good care when growing and thought it might be susceptible to wet weather in the vineyard, when healthy, harvested appropriately and treated with a focus in the winery hits admirable heights of body and complexity. Moreover and thanks also to its tight tannins and high acidity, it is suitable for long ageing. If you are a cellar fanatic, there is no better Greek grape to invest your patience on. It is obvious from Xinomavro wines of 30 or more years of age available today, that the potential of slow transformation of flavours, increasing complexity and better integration with time is huge.

In view of these powerful taste elements that the grape exhibits, some winemakers choose to under express it, so the result is a more straightforward, approachable, yet appetising wine. In any form, there is something truly unique about Xinomavro, a stark personality of a grape that can not be confused with any other. And with only four PDO regions growing the grape, the largest and most significant of which is undeniably Naoussa, there is a good incentive to explore the different versions of wine it can produce, either in mono-varietal forms or in blends with other local and often relating grapes. Herein lies indeed another strength of the grape, as the styles of wine Xinomavro can produce are truly diverse, from Pet-Nat to properly sparkling wines and from rose and light reds to bold reds, worth of long ageing and even botrytised sweet wines produced in special years. Xinomavro might not only be the most unforgettable of Greek grapes but also the most diverse!