The Beginner’s Guide To Greek Wines

Written by Madeline Puckette

In the ancient world, Greece was once one of the foremost producers of wine. However, in contrast to the country’s important wine heritage, modern Greek wines are only recently reaching the rest of the world.

These days, Greece offers outstanding wine value and new varieties to expand your palate!

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If only we were sitting here right now… Vinsanto on Santorini Island. By Frank Lee

This guide will give you a lay of the land and point out 12 Greek wines you should be sipping right now.

12 Greek Wines to Know

  1. Assyrtiko

    Assyrtiko from Santorini

    Assyrtiko is one of the top wines in Greece, produced all over the country. Assyrtiko’s most impressive region is its place of origin on the island of Santorini. This is a lean white wine with passion fruit, flint, and lemon flavors, subtle bitterness, and saltiness on the finish.

    Assyrtiko labeled as Nykteri (“nith-terry”) are always oaked and offer more lemon brûlée, pineapple, fennel, cream, and baked pie crust notes.


  2. Moschofilero white wine

    Moschofilero from Mantinea

    On central Peloponnese, close to Tripoli, grows Moschofilero, a lovely dry, aromatic white wine with flavors of peach, potpourri, and sweet lemon. As the wines age, they develop more nectarine and apricot flavors with toasted hazelnut or almond notes. For those who love Moscato d’Asti, this is a great new variety to explore.


  3. Malagousia

    Malagousia from Northern Greece

    The white grape Malagousia is a more recent discovery after being single-handedly resurrected by a winery in Northern Greece called Ktima Gerovassiliou (the word ktima is like saying “estate” or “chateau”).

    These wines offer a richer white wine style, almost like a cross between Viognier and Chardonnay, with peach, lime, and orange blossom and lemon oil all tied together with a soft, fruity finish.


  4. Savatiano

    Savatiano from Central Greece

    When made well, Savatiano offers flavors of sweet honeydew, green apple, and lime with tingling acidity, akin to Chablis. When oak-aged, Savatiano delivers lemon curd, wax, cultured cream touched by lemon bread notes and a creamy mid-palate, with a structure and finish similar to White Burgundy. Savatiano is a surprising discovery from a grape that has long been considered the doldrums of Greek wine.


  5. Retsina

    Retsina from Central Greece

    A specialty of Greece is a white wine infused with the sap of the Allepo pine tree. Retsina wines have aromas of linseed oil and lime peel that lead into flavors of apples and roses, with a subtle piney, saline finish. Retsina wines made with Assyrtiko grapes tend to be more angular in their style (but age longer.)

    In contrast, Retsina wines made with Savatiano grapes have a more generous taste with ripe apple and peach flavors, and an oily texture on the palate. Only eight producers know what they’re doing with this wine, so choose wisely!


  6. Agiorgitiko

    Agiorgitiko from Nemea

    Agiorgitiko (Ah-your-yeek-tee-ko) is a well-known wine from Nemea, a region in Peloponnese which is most famous for this grape. These red wines are full-bodied with flavors of sweet raspberry, black currant, plum sauce, and nutmeg with subtle bitter herbs (somewhat like oregano) and smooth tannins.

    The wines are generous and fruity, similar in style to Merlot, but with slightly more spice. The rosé wines made with Agiorgitiko have wonderful spiced raspberry notes and a brilliant deep pink color.


  7. Xinomavro

    Xinomavro from Naoussa

    Xinomavro is being hailed as “The Barolo of Greece,” where it grows in the regions Naoussa and Amyndeo because the wine can taste strikingly similar to Nebbiolo with dark cherry fruit, licorice, allspice, and occasionally subtle tomato notes with high-tannin and medium-plus acidity.

    In Naoussa, vineyards are located predominantly on limestone-rich clay soils (marl), which gives this region’s Xinomavro wines additional structure (tannin) and bolder fruit characteristics. These are good wines for the cellar!


  8. Rapsani Wine blends

    Xinomavro Blends from Rapsani

    On the slopes of Mount Olympus, the region grows the core red grapes of the Xinomavro blends on rocky soil. Blended wines are typical, with a dominance of Xinomavro and spicy flavors of raspberry, anise, fennel, cherry, and occasionally olive or tomato.

    The wine’s tannins build slowly (but surely!) on the palate. If you enjoy Rhône blends, Rapsani is the Rhône of Greece, and you should put it on your list to try.


  9. Crete blends

    Greek GSM Blends from Crete

    On the southernmost island of Crete, you’ll find one of the warmest wine climates on earth. The native red grapes of Crete, Kotsifali, and Mandilaria are sometimes blended with Syrah to create a wine with sweet red and black fruit flavors, cinnamon, allspice, and soy sauce, with a softer sweet tannin finish. This wine is very smooth and fruity.


  10. Vinsanto

    Vinsanto from Santorini

    Also on Santorini Island, you’ll find Vinsanto, a sweet sun-dried wine that smells more like red wine even though its made with Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri white grapes!

    The white grape Malagousia is a more recent discovery after being single-handedly resurrected by a winery in Northern Greece called Ktima Gerovassiliou (the word ktima is like saying “estate” or “chateau”). These wines offer a richer white wine style, almost like a cross between Viognier and Chardonnay, with peach, lime, and orange blossom and lemon oil all tied together with a soft, fruity finish.These wines have aromas of raspberry, raisin, dried apricots, maraschino cherries, and sometimes paint thinner (from higher levels of Volatile Acidity – e.g., the ‘nail polish’ smell). Even though the smell is arresting at first, you’ll be seduced by the contrasting sweet fruit and bitter flavors caused by the wine’s noticeable tannins (a surprise for white wine!).


  11. Samos

    Muscat of Samos from Samos

    Muscat of Samos comes in various styles, from dry to sweet, but also with Muscat’s aromatic lychee and perfumed notes. One of the most popular styles is Vin Doux, which is a mistelle (a blend of fresh Muscat juice and Muscat grappa–muscat spirit), offering sweet marmalade, lychee, and Turkish delight flavors, with subtle hay notes on the finish (a characteristic from grappa).


  12. Mavrodaphne

    Mavrodaphne Blends from Peloponnese or Kefalonia

    Of all the wines in Greece, this has the most potential to improve. Usually, Mavrodaphne is made into a sweet, late harvest, red wine tasting of raisins, and Hershey’s Kisses, with crunchy high tannins. Some producers are smartening up, and blending it with other grapes.

    Agiorgitiko produces a rich, full-bodied, and soft dry red wine with blackberry, cherry, and licorice notes. We’re looking forward to tasting more of these dry Mavrodaphne blends!



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See The Guide

Learn more about the wine regions of Greece and how to find quality.

See Guide

Written byMadeline Puckette

James Beard Award-winning author and Wine Communicator of the Year. I co-founded Wine Folly to help people learn about wine. @WineFolly