He made a drink out of the grapes and offered it to the king, whose name was Oineas. So, he called the drink “oinos.” This word likely became “vino” in Latin and later “wine” in English. The ancient Greeks celebrated wine so much that it was represented in religious icons and was often included in the writings of famous Greek philosophers. Today, Greece has over 200 varieties of grapes, and their fame is growing internationally. For example, Greece has mountainous regions in the Peloponnese, a variety of soils in Crete, and a rich clay earth in Macedonia in the north. Thessaly is known for its granite soil, and some of the Cyclades have volcanic soil. In this article, we will explore Greece's many white wines.
Muscat of Samos
The island of Samos is the home of Pythagoras, and according to myths, Dionysus himself taught the local residents of Samos how to make this wine. There are both dry and sweet varieties of Muscat in Samos, and the most popular sweet wine from Samos is the Vin Doux.
Retsina
Retsina is a stereotype about Greek wine, and some people think that Greeks exclusively drink retsina, which is not true. Retsina was first cultivated thousands of years ago, when ancient Greeks stored wine in amphorae, adding a pine resin so that the wine would not spoil. More recently in the mid 1900's, the wine got a bad reputation for using too much resin to mask stale wines, which were of poor quality. Today, there are many retsinas on the market, some of which are very good quality. The best pairings for this variety are spinach and cheese pies, pastitsio (like lasagna), and meat dishes. One of the best places for Dutch expats ordering Greek wines is pontiki.nl.
Malagousia
Malagousia is found in the vineyards in the northern part of mainland Greece. Apparently, Evangelos Gerovassiliou planted this grape in the 1980s when nobody else was. The resulting wine slowly became more popular, and its floral aromas and fruity flavors became widespread in Greece. His Ktima Gerovassiliou is in Thessaloniki and is open for wine tasting and visits to the wine museum. It is best paired with Greek summer salads, vegetables, and fish.