GREEK VARIETIES

The term “top obscure” could have been invented for Greek grape varieties like Vidiano. It is a white grape variety coming from Crete, used to produce white dry whites, sometimes aged in oak. Very few Vidiano vineyards have been found so far but producers agree on a tremendous quality potential, so essentially this is history in the making.

Possibly hailing from North Africa, Muscat of Alexandriaswas planted in Greece in the early 20th century. Its predilection for warmth helped it in adapting perfectly to the country, subsequently yielding sublimely sweet wines.

The variety’s Italian-sounding name, together with its cultivation in the Ionian Islands located close to Italy, have led some to claim that the Robola grape variety is actually the same with the Ribolla Gialla variety cultivated in northeastern Italy.

Amorgiano; Pariano; Vaftra; Koundoura Black; Mandilari: These are but a few of the names of the late-harvested red grape Mandilaria variety and serve as testimonials to the extent to which the variety has spread throughout Greece and the Greek isles in particular.

Kostifali is the benchmark red variety of the celebrated vineyards of Crete, defining the style of the dry reds coming out of one of the most significant wine-producing regions of the Aegean Sea. Since red grapes are much more important on the island than whites, Kotsifali can be considered as the real soul of Crete.

Roditis is the most planted white grape variety in Greece. It is also the base for hundreds of “modest”—or less “modest”—and everyday white wines. This is perhaps the reason that the variety has been often characterized as “humble”.