The Magical Wines from Central Greece

Editor’s Note: Join me on a taste journey through the heart of Greece’s wine landscape, where ancient traditions meet modern innovation. The article below is sponsored by the Wines of Greece. I’ve long been a fan of Greek wines and my reviews of them remain independent.

Central Greece is a large and diverse department. It is also one of the most mountainous areas, including part of the Pindos Mountain Range. Topography and soils are complex and diverse, providing an astonishing variety of available terroirs. The “king” in the vineyards is Savatiano, however a large number of other indigenous and international varieties are successfully grown within the department’s boundaries.

Central Greece does not include any PDO production zones, but it has a plethora of different PGIs. The main wine-producing regions are Attiki, Evia, Viotia and Fthiotida.

Attiki is defined by the presence of Athens, the capital of Greece.

It is the biggest Greek vineyard and since Athens has always been a major consumer of wines, it has been easy for local growers to find a market for their wines. Attiki is one of the warmest and driest viticultural regions, therefore vineyards closer to the sea or in the surrounding mountains are the most ideal for grape growing.

Producers have traditionally focused on the Savatiano grape variety. The quality potential of this grape is notably high and lately there has been some extraordinary bottlings that rewards cellaring for up to 10 years. PGI Attiki (ΠΓΕ Αττική) is the most commonly used regional geographical indication, however there is a large number of local PGIs in use.

Evia, the second largest Greek island, has a complex topography and great variations in climate. PGI Evia (ΠΓΕ Εύβοια) encompasses all the viticultural areas of the island. Savatiano, Assyrtiko, Malagousia and Syrah perform excellently here. Two recently revived local varieties, Vradiano and Mavrokoundoura, show promising results.

Viotia lays claim to being the home of the rare red Mouchtaro grape and the best vineyards of the region are situated on the cooler slopes of Mount Kithaironas and Mount Elikonas. As is the case too for other regions of Central Greece, Viotia is a major producer of wines crafted from both indigenous and international grape varieties.

Last but not least, Fthiotida has been experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the area of PGI Atalanti Valey (ΠΓΕ Κοιλάδα Αταλάντη). The vineyard is mostly cultivated with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the recent additions of Assyrtiko, Malagousia and other Greek grapes.

Retsina, one of the most distinctive Greek wines is largely associated with Central Greece, however it is produced throughout Greece, with Macedonia being another important center of production. There are 15 Protected Geographical Indications for retsina in Attiki, Viotia and Evia.

This traditional wine style is produced by the addition of resin from pine trees during the fermentation stage. The wines gain their characteristic herbal and balsamic qualities, reminiscent of pine, sage, rosemary, ginger, and so on. The evolution in style is tremendous and high-quality examples are nowadays flooding the market.