Ancient Greeks played a key role in developing the wine culture of the world. Despite thousands of year of foreign occupation, ancient varieties are being restored as new cultivars are being established.

The winemakers of ancient Greece exported wines all over the known world. Greece played a crucial role in developing the world's wine culture. Thousands of years of viticulture were disrupted by violent periods of foreign occupation and the accompanying introduction of plant diseases. Since the end of World War II, winemakers have been preserving and bringing back the ancient grape varieties as well as establishing currently popular European cultivars.
Ask anyone about Greek wines and invariably they will mention retsina. After becoming popular in the 1950's and 60's, it became the only Greek wine people knew. This strongly resin flavored wine has been in production for thousands of years, ever since Greek exporters used resin soaked vessels to ship wines.
This is an age-old preservation technique. Retsina has been traditionally made in Central Greece http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html from the Savatiano, a highly productive grape. Vintners have recently begun offering Savatiano as a non-resinated, varietal wine. They are also finding that this is a fine grape for using in making blended wines.
Wine enthusiasts look at the country regionally. Geographically, different grape varieties thrive in different regions. Epirus, http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html isolated and mountainous, does not have many vineyards, but what is there is old. This region is noted for Debina, a white grape used to create sparkling or semi-sweet wines. It can be blended with reds to create beautiful rose wines. Vintners are beginning to develop vineyards of French varietals - such as Merlot or Cabernet Franc, here.
Macedonia, http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html in the northern Aegean, cultivated grapes and made wines as long as 5,000 years ago. Thousands of years of political upheaval destroyed the industry, which was not revitalized until the late 1800's.
Viticulturists began replanting the Xynomarvo grape, an old, old cultivar that has a wild, acidic flavor. In fact, the name means black acid. Traditionalists are allowing this grape to stand on its own, as a varietal wine. But as the land flattens out toward the coast, the grape is used increasingly in blends.
Peloponnese http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html has 2,000 years of wine history. As the population is concentrated along the coast, so are the vines. Seafarers of old brought new grapes home from their travels. This region is especially known for two old varieties -Agiorgitilco and Mavrodafni. The Agiorgitilco grape is perfectly adapted to this semi-mountainous topography, and is compared to the more widely known Merlot. This fruity wine with great body and color has blending potential.
The Mavrodafni is a dark grape indigenous to Achaia http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html in northern Peloponnese. It is inspiring to find these vineyards among archaeological ruins. Viticulturists have been introducing French - Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet; German - Gewarztraminer; and Italian - Refosko grapes in the region.
Thessali, http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html in the central western region on the Aegean Sea is known for its blended red wines. This is a region where grapes are still often hand picked. During the long Ottoman occupation, the region was used for grain production. All that survived were a few varieties of sweet grapes - Moschato, a golden grape originally from Portugal, and Batiki, a white grape.
There is also Roditis, grown to make pink to red wines. One regional winemaker of note has been developing the wines of the region. Dr. Katsaros maintains organic vineyards and has been constantly improving the grapes, the methods, the wines. Lately, he has been working with Chardonnays.
The last and the northern-most of the mainland wine growing regions is Thraki. http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html According to myth, the Dionysian cults began here. Dionysu is the god of wine and revelry. Because of its northern climate, the grapes grown here are more like the Bulgarian grapes.
All wineries are local, serving their neighborhoods rather than their regions. Wines of note here are Zoumiatiko, a white variety, and two reds - Mavroudi Thraki and Pamidi.

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Don't forget to see the wineries in Chalkidiki: http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html
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