Video about Wines of Mainland Greece on my YouTube channel.
I explored the history of Greek winemaking, its modern wine regulations, and the distinctive character of Retsina, Greece’s most iconic wine here.
In this part, I would like to talk about mainland Greece, from northern Macedonia down to the southern Peloponnese. Greece grows more than 200 native grape varieties, along with many international ones, and vineyards exist throughout the entire country. Of course, it doesn’t make sense to cover every single region and variety, so let’s focus on the most important and interesting ones.
When it comes to wine, mainland Greece can be divided into three parts: Northern, Central, and Southern.
Northern Greece includes Epirus, Macedonia, and Thrace. The climate here is continental, unlike the mild Mediterranean climate of the rest of Greece. Winters are cold, rainy, and windy, and in the mountains, snowy. Summers are hot and dry, and many vineyards need irrigation.
Within the north, Macedonia is the most important wine region. Its specialty is red wine made from the Xinomavro grape. Together with Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro is one of Greece’s leading red varieties. In terms of vineyard area, it currently ranks third after Agiorgitiko and Liatiko, although Liatiko is grown mainly in Crete.
Xinomavro is known for its high acidity and powerful tannins. Interestingly, the name of the variety comes from the words “xino” meaning sour, and “mavro” meaning black. The “sour” part is accurate, but the “black” part not so much. Yes, the grapes are dark, but their skins are not particularly rich in pigment, and the color fades quickly. As a result, Xinomavro wines tend to lose color and turn rusty faster than most other red wines. Still, they are very well suited for long aging — in fact, they need it, thanks to the grape’s sharp acidity and strong tannins.
The fruity notes in young Xinomavro wines are quite weak, so the taste can be dull, overly acidic, and very astringent. But with age — and the best Xinomavro wines can take more than a decade to reach their peak — the harsh edges soften, and complex aromas of spices and earthy tones emerge. Normally, Xinomavro wines are not released until at least two years after harvest. When mature, they are full-bodied, tannic, well-structured, with refreshing acidity, and aromas of red fruits, tomatoes, olives, dried fruits, tobacco, spices, and nuts.
With such characteristics, it’s no surprise that Xinomavro is used mainly for full-bodied, age-worthy reds. But perhaps more surprisingly, it’s also used to make rosé, and even white and sparkling wines.
Many people compare Xinomavro to Italy’s Nebbiolo, because of the similar structure and character. In fact, the best wines of Naoussa are often compared to the great Barolos.
Naoussa is the key OPAP region here — and just to remind you, OPAP is the Greek PDO classification. Naoussa was actually the very first Greek wine region to receive this status, back in 1971. The vineyards are located on the eastern slopes of Mount Vermio, at altitudes from 150 to 450 meters. It is considered the birthplace of Xinomavro, and Naoussa makes only red, age-worthy wines, exclusively from 100% Xinomavro. If you’re looking for the very best expression of this grape, Naoussa is the place to find it.
On the northern slope of Mount Vermio, at altitudes up to 700 meters, lies the OPAP Amyndaio region. This is the coldest wine region in Greece, and the Xinomavro grown here has the sharpest acidity. Under the OPAP classification, they make wines only from 100% Xinomavro, but the range includes not only reds, but also rosé, white, and sparkling wines. In fact, Amyndaio is one of only two appellations in Greece that produce sparkling wine.
If you prefer the New World, fruit-forward style, pay attention to the hotter neighbor OPAP Goumenissa, on the lower slopes of Mount Paikon. There, Xinomavro blended with Negoska produces very fruity — sometimes slightly jammy — wines.
Now, a quick detour to another northern appellation: OPAP Zitsa, located in the mountains of Epirus at an average altitude of about 650 meters. This is the coldest part of mainland Greece, and it grows only the Debina grape. In Zitsa’s cool climate, Debina produces some of Greece’s most elegant wines — both still and sparkling — and sparkling wine is the region’s specialty.
Let’s also talk about a white grape that deserves a spotlight: Malagousia. Once nearly lost, Malagousia is now grown across Greece, though its homeland is in central Greece. In northern Greece it receives special attention. Think of Malagousia as a kind of Greek Cinderella: an old variety that had almost vanished by the end of the 20th century, until the 1970s when oenology professor Vassilis Logothetis found the last surviving vines. He passed them to his student Vangelis Gerovassiliou at Domaine Porto Carras, and later Gerovassiliou cultivated them in his own vineyards, reviving the variety.
Malagousia makes rich, aromatic wines — a bit like a mix between Viognier and Chardonnay. They are often full-bodied yet refreshing, with notes of peach, green pepper, herbs, and flowers. In cool northern sites, Malagousia can develop bright lemon and basil notes. Both dry and sweet styles exist (the sweet versions are mainly from Central Greece). Drink dry Malagousia young, though it can age nicely for up to four years; the sweet wines can keep for about seven.
Now let’s move to Central Greece — Attica and Thessaly.
Thessaly has real potential, but it is not yet fully realized. The region grows a lot of grapes, yet standout wines are still emerging. The main red focus here is OPAP Rapsani, where Xinomavro plays an important role.
Attica is dominated by Savatiano, and much of the area is known for Retsina — a topic I covered in detail here. That said, Savatiano from older vines deserves attention: while young-vine fruit often goes into Retsina, fruit from old vines can produce surprisingly good wines that will age for at least five years. Production is small, but those wines are definitely worth noting.
The southern part of mainland Greece is the Peloponnese Peninsula — a very important region for wine, and for Greek culture in general.
The first place to highlight is OPAP Nemea, in the northeast near Corinth. This is Greece’s largest appellation, centered around the village of Nemea, and it makes outstanding red wines from the Agiorgitiko grape.
Agiorgitiko is Greece’s most widely grown red variety. It is native to the country and cultivated everywhere, producing a wide range of wines — from refreshing rosés, to light and simple reds, to powerful, aromatic, long-aged reds.
But its homeland is Nemea, and under the OPAP rules, wines here must be 100% Agiorgitiko. Locally, the wine is called “the blood of Hercules.” Legend says that Hercules either celebrated his victory over the Nemean lion with this wine — the same lion whose skin he wore forever after — or he drank it beforehand to summon his fighting spirit. The grape’s name itself means “grapes of Saint George,” likely referring to the local church. Fittingly, Saint George is also famous for slaying a great beast, so perhaps Agiorgitiko wine truly can awaken the hero in you.
The vineyards of Nemea spread across hillsides from 250 to 800 meters above sea level. At the lower, hotter altitudes, grapes lack acidity, so wines here tend to be lighter and simpler, sometimes even made with carbonic maceration. But higher-altitude vineyards, cooler and slower-ripening, yield magnificent wines — deep ruby in color, with powerful yet soft tannins, balanced acidity, and aromas of red fruits and sweet spices. These wines age beautifully. I’ve tried bottles over 10 years old, and they were superb.
For white wine lovers, the key region is Patras, in the northern Peloponnese. Three varieties dominate here: Roditis, Lagorthi, and Sideritis, all forming the base for refreshing, light wines.
Roditis is Greece’s most widely planted grape. Grown carelessly in unsuitable places, it often produces simple table wines. But in the cooler climate of Patras, when carefully managed, Roditis shines — yielding delicate, mineral-driven wines with aromas of lemon and freshness. The OPAP Patra appellation is entirely devoted to Roditis, and it’s the perfect place to discover its real potential.
Lagorthi is much rarer, found almost only here. Its wines are light, highly acidic, mineral, and floral — elegant rather than powerful. They are usually drunk young, within three years, but some styles can last up to eight years.
Sideritis is another local variety, also concentrated in Patras. With pink skins, it makes medium-bodied whites and rosés, aromatic and lively, with good acidity, citrus and white-flower notes, and a touch of white pepper. It is often blended, especially with Roditis.
And Patras is also famous for sweet wines. Traditionally, the region produces luscious Muscat-based dessert wines and rich reds from Mavrodaphne.
Another notable region is Mantinia, located in the very center of the Peloponnese. Vineyards here grow on a high, relatively cool plateau, which makes it perfect for aromatic grapes. The main variety is Moschofilero — a pink-skinned grape that produces light-bodied whites and rosés.
Moschofilero wines are crisp, refreshing, and highly aromatic, often compared in intensity to Muscat or even Gewürztraminer. Their character is floral above all, with touches of sweet fruits, creating an ideal summer wine. In recent years, some producers have also begun making sparkling Moschofilero, which suits the grape’s lively acidity perfectly.
In the far south of the Peloponnese, near the town of Monemvasia, lies the young appellation Monemvasia-Malvasia, established only in 2010. Its goal was to revive the historic dessert wine “malvasios oenos,” once famous across Europe during the Venetian period.
Back then, Monemvasia was a fortified port, and through it, this celebrated Greek wine was exported far and wide. The wine was known as Malvasia from the name of the port itself. The grape behind it was called Monemvasia — not, interestingly, related to the much larger Malvasia family of grapes used elsewhere for dessert wines. This confusion, perhaps intentional, meant that “Malvasia” became a name applied to many different wines across the Mediterranean, always with a local identifier.
The variety thrived in the southern Peloponnese until Ottoman times, when viticulture declined. Monemvasia then found a second home on the islands, especially Paros, where it is still important today. But in the Peloponnese, the legendary malvasios oenos has been reborn under the name Monemvasia-Malvasia.
It is made from sun-dried grapes and aged in barrels for at least two years. By law, it must contain at least 51% Monemvasia, blended with Assyrtiko, Asproudes, and Kydonitsa. The result is a rich, golden dessert wine, carrying both history and legend in every glass.
This concludes our brief overview of mainland Greece’s winemaking. Of course, I touched only on the most important and famous regions and varieties, and only on the local grapes — the unique treasures of Greece.
Naturally, Greece also grows many international varieties, often producing excellent wines from them. But what makes Greece truly fascinating are its indigenous grapes. These are wines you cannot taste anywhere else in the world — at least, not yet.
For story of Santorini, the Aegean island renowned for its ancient vineyards and extraordinary viniculture, which dates back thousands of years, click here.
For story of Crete—the island where Greek viniculture originated and where its modern renaissance is especially remarkable – here.
