Articles   Regions   Reviews   Touring   Links 

Greece grows more than 300 indigenous grape varieties, some of which have been cultivated since ancient times.  The distinct flavors that come from these native grape varieties are a strong marketing advantage for the Greek wine industry.  Many well-known international grape varieties are also used in Greek wine making.  This extensive variety of grapes together with the moderate Greek climate, plentiful sunshine, low average rainfall and soils of moderate fertility combine to provide an excellent environment for the production of high quality wines.

Retsina was and is the wine of Athens.  This white wine is scented with pine resin, an ancient tradition used to preserve wine in the days before bottles and corks is a trademark of Greek restaurants.

Some superb wines are now being produced in Modern Greece in the Peloponnese, Crete, Samos, Patras, Santorini, and more.  Greece is beginning to understand the potential of wine tourism, and now many of the beautiful wineries, particularly on the Greek Islands, are open to the public.  The Greek landscape is ideal for unique microclimatic conditions favoring the cultivation of local grape varieties. The combination of a mild climate, a lot of sunshine and low rainfall make soils of moderate fertility and small crops of excellent quality..