Greek wine
Although Greece may not come to mind as a well-known wine country, they have been producing wine for over a thousand years. It is part of the Greek culture. For example, Greek mythology knows the god of wine and joy: Dionysos. Wine making is in the blood of the Greeks, and it shows. Several wineries now produce quality wines. From red to white and from firm to fresh; you can enjoy the most beautiful Greek wines. We are happy to share our favorite Greek wines with you. Discover the offer and be surprised!
Buy Greek wines
Greece has been busy in recent years. They had a small backlog to catch up with well-known winelands and so they decided to make a big catch up. Wine production increased at a rapid pace and 10% of the amount of wine is certified with the V.Q.P.R.D. qualification. This is a European legal qualification for premium quality wine. But the Greeks themselves also set high standards for wine in order to produce the best wines. More than 300 grape varieties grow in Greece, the majority of which are indigenous and cannot be found anywhere else. This diversity of grapes provides the unique and exclusive Greek wines. Well-known Greek grape varieties for white are Assyrtiko, Robóla, Vilana and for blue Mavrodaphne, Mandelaria, Agiorgitiko and Xynómavro, and Limnio. The native grape varieties are nowadays also combined with international grape varieties.
Special wineries
In Greece there are several wineries that specialize in producing wine in the traditional way. We attach great importance to sharing the most special wines from special wineries, so that you can taste a touch of Greek culture just like us. We have listed a number of Greece’s most renowned wineries below:
- Douloufakis: Winery Douloufakis is a real Greek family business that makes the best quality wines on the island of Crete. They like to use indigenous grape varieties for wine production. The Douloufakis family has no less than 10 hectares of fertile vineyards.
- Argyros Estate: On Santorini, the Argyros family has succeeded in making excellent wines. This family business has been passionately producing Greek wines with local Greek grape varieties for 4 generations. Over the years, the winery has been thoroughly modernized and expanded.
- Lyrarakis: What makes Lyrarakis winery on Crete so unique has to do with their working method. The winery is known for producing wine from nearly extinct grape varieties. Thanks to this method, they know how to revive ancient indigenous grape varieties. Lyrarakis has now put itself on the international map.
- Palivou Estate: One of the most famous and also largest wineries in Greece is Palivou Estate. The winery is located just an hour and a half drive from Athens in the Nemea region. Palivou Estate mainly uses the red grape Agiorgikito in its wines. This grape variety originates from the Nemea wine region.
Taste the Greek culture
Many Greek wineries choose to incorporate native grape varieties into the wine. This gives you a taste of Greece while drinking. The wine regions of the Greek islands may be less known, but they are also capable of producing exceptional wines. The island of Crete accounts for about 20% of the total Greek wine production. And well-known wineries Douloufakis and Lyrarakis are located here. We expect that they will put Greek wines even more on the international map in the coming years. The majority of all wines are produced on the Greek mainland. Central Greece, Attica and the island of Evia together produce more than 2 million hectoliters of wine annually. There are still so many wines, flavors and wineries to discover.
More information about our wine? We are happy to help!
Would you like to surprise you and your guests with a special wine? Drinkrituals.com has a wide range of the best unique wines from different wine countries. We are happy to help you find a suitable wine for your party, dinner, drinks or other occasion. We share our wine knowledge and great tips with passion. We can also provide you with tasty wine-food combinations to make your occasion complete. Do you have questions about our wines? Or are you looking for advice? We are happy to help you. Feel free to contact us or order directly from our webshop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What food should I pair my Greek wine with?
There are a lot of Greek delicacies. The food is often very suitable to combine with our Greek wines. If you are planning to bring Greek culture into your home, then the gyros with tzatziki should not be missed. Grilled pork is also very popular in the Netherlands and can be combined with a glass of wine. For example, consider a full-bodied white wine. The souvlaki should of course not be missed. This is often marinated chicken, lamb or pork. The spices of the meat are delicious in combination with a fresh wine. In general, the Assyrtiko grape variety is very suitable for this. Delicious!
- How do you taste Greek wine?
Would you like to discover the world of Greek wines? We understand that all too well. That is why it is also advisable to really taste the Greek aromas. This can be done in several ways, but it is actually very simple. First of all, pour the desired wine into a wine glass. It is important that this is a wine glass as you will need to waltz the wine. This means that you have to pass the wine around in the glass. This ensures that more oxygen gets to the wine. More oxygen also means more aromas. To roll the glass, take the glass by the base or stem and swirl the wine with a smooth hand movement. Then you smell the glass and slurp a little. If you slurp, you will taste the taste even better. Let the wine circulate in the mouth for an optimal taste experience.
- How do I store my wine?
In general, we recommend storing a dense wine in a dark environment. A wine cabinet or a wine box are ideal for this. The temperature must remain constant. This is important because otherwise oxygen can get into the bottle. The aromas are then released early and the wine loses taste. A constant temperature between 10 and 14 degrees in a dark environment is best. Your wine may need to be kept at a different temperature, if in doubt you can always contact us.
