WSET Level 4 - D3 > Greece > Flashcards

Greece Flashcards

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1
Q

For how long has Greece been producing wine?

A

> 5,000 years

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2
Q

How did the Greeks historically protect their wines from oxidation or mask off-flavors?

A
  • Through the addition of substances like herbs, spices, flowers, honey, oil
  • Very common: Pine Resin which is still used today (-> Retsina)
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3
Q

What caused the Greek wine production to suffer and not recover until the 1980s?

A
  • Different empires (e.g., Roman Empire)
  • Wars (e.g., WWII)
  • Phylloxera
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4
Q

What happened in the last 40 years with respect to production, quality, and export?

A
  • Rapid rise in small quality-minded producers
  • Mostly consumed domestically until the financial crisis
  • Significant increase in exports in the last decade
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5
Q

What are the two climate conditions in Greece?

A
  • Mostly Mediterranean (long, hot summers and mild winters)
  • Increasingly continental inland, esp. in nothern Greece
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6
Q

What are the two most important factors that moderate temperatures?

A
  • Mountains (best vineyards are planted at higher altitudes)
  • Sea
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7
Q

What is a hazard for vineyards on Greek islands?

A

Strong onshore winds

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8
Q

What can hazardous onshore winds cause vineyards on Greek islands?

A
  • Stop photosynthesis
  • Interrupt flowering and berry-set
  • Delay ripening
  • Destroy unprotected vineyards
  • Increase water stress
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9
Q

What is the annual rainfall and what region is an exception?

A
  • 400-700mm (irrigation common)
  • Santorini is much drier
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10
Q

Describe the soil types. Are they mostly low or high in fertility?

A
  • Numerous soil types from limestone to volcanic
  • Mostly low fertility
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11
Q

What is Greek’s total size of vineyards and how much is used for wine production?

A
  • 106,000 ha
  • Only 61,500 ha used for wine
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12
Q

How large is an avg. vineyard and what business are engaged in the production of wine?

A
  • 0.5 ha
  • Smaller producers sell their grapes to larger companies or co-operatives
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13
Q

Is the vineyard work mechanized or by hand?

A

Mostly by hand because of the tricky terrain

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14
Q

How was the Greek wine culture shaped by joining the EU?

A
  • Access to funding and wine education
  • However, traditional methods to create distinctive wines are still recognized
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15
Q

What is the status quo regarding organic and biodynamic viticulture?

A

Very suitable for organic and biodynamic viticulture because of the dry and hot climate

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16
Q

What is the typical trellising system? What is the exception?

A
  • Cordon-trained with VSP
  • Different systems for areas with high winds and low rainfall
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17
Q

For what varieties is irrigation mostly used, why, and what system is used?

A
  • International varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
  • Local varieties developed higher tolerance of drought
  • Drip irrigation
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18
Q

How much of plantings are with local varieties?

A

90%

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19
Q

What are the 5 most important white varieties in descending order?

A
  • Savatiano
  • Roditis
  • Assyrtiko
  • Moschofilero
  • Malagousia
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20
Q

What are the 5 most important black varieties in descending order?

A
  • Agiorgitiko
  • Xinomavro
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Merlot
  • Syrah
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21
Q

How are international varieties mostly used?

A

In blends with local varieties

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22
Q

How many local varieties do roughly exist? How many have significant plantings?

A
  • 300
  • 60
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23
Q

What is an advantage in wine business of having strong local varieties?

A

Differentiating factor on the export market

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24
Q

What blends with local and international varieties have been particularly successful?

A
  • Sauvignon Blanc with Assyrtiko
  • Merlot with Xinomavro
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25
When and why did international varieties appear?
* Late 1980s * Demand in domestic market * Concent that foreign consumers would only buy wines from those varieties
26
How much of production comes from white grapes?
70%
27
**Savatiano** How much is it planted and why?
* Most planted * Resistance to drought
28
**Savatiano** What style of wine does it mostly produce?
* Used to produce large volumes of inexpensive wine * Most common ingredient in Retsina
29
**Savatiano** What style of wines can it produce besides large volume inexpensive wine? (quality, trellising, aromas, ageing)
* Very good quality from low-yielding, dry-farmed bush vines * Subtle aromas of citrus, pear and stone fruit * Nutty character with age
30
**Roditis** Is it high or low yielding and for what style of wine is it used?
* High yielding * Mainly used for inexpensive wine and as a blending ingredient for Retsina
31
**Roditis** Higher quality possible? If yes, how?
* Yes * Altitude and from old vines
32
**Roditis** What is the higher quality wine like? (body, acidity, flavors)
* Medium body * High acidity * Ripe fruit (e.g., melon)
33
**Assyrtiko** What is its reputation?
Greece’s best-known and most prized indigenous white grape
34
**Assyrtiko** What charcteristics make this variety popular? (acidity, alcohol, ageing)
* Highly adaptable to different conditions * High acidity (even when ripe) * High alcohol * Can age well
35
**Assyrtiko** What two styles are produced?
* Luscious sweet wines (e.g., Vinsanto from Santorini) * Dry wine with citrus, stone, tropical fruit (sometimes with oak)
36
**Moschofilero** What quality level can it reach and what variety is it similar to?
* High quality * Similar to Muscat
37
**Moschofilero** What style is it made in? (aromas, acidity, body, alcohol)
* Flowers (particularly rose petals) and spices * High acidity * Light body * Relatively low in alcohol (12% abv)
38
**Moschofilero** Where is it mostly planted?
Mantinia in the Peloponnese
39
**Malagousia** What is its reputation and plantings?
* Reputation for high quality * Very small plantings (almost extinct 20 years ago)
40
**Malagousia** What is the typical style? (acidity, body, aromas)
* Medium acidity * Medium body * Complex and intense aromas of stone fruit and flowers (herbaceous note is picked early)
41
**Malagousia** What vessels are used for winemaking?
* Stainless steel * Old oak * Proportion of new oak
42
What other white varieties are grown in Greece and what type of wine is produced with them?
* Various Muscat varieties * Everything form dry to sweet
43
**Agiorgitiko** What are the plantings and color?
Most planted black variety (3rd place overall)
44
**Agiorgitiko** What four types of wines are produced from this grape?
* Lighter, fruity style for early drinking * More complex, full-bodied age worthy style * High quality rosés * Sweet wines
45
**Agiorgitiko** What is the typical style of this red wine? (color, acidity, tannin, alcohol, aromas)
* Deeply color * Medium acidity * Medium to high tannins * Medium alcohol * Red fruit and spices
46
**Agiorgitiko** What vessels are used for winemaking?
Often aged in oak
47
**Agiorgitiko** Where is the variety mainly found?
Peloponnese, esp. PDO Nemea
48
**Xinomavro** What is its reputation and where is it grown?
* Greece’s most prized indigenous black grape variety * Grown all over northern Greece * Most famous wines from Naoussa
49
**Xinomavro** With which other varietiy is it often compared? Why?
* Nebbiolo * In youth: unpleasantly high levels of acidity and grippy tannins with aromas that are more vegetal than fruity * Pale colored
50
**Xinomavro** What is the typical style? (oak, aromas, ageing)
* Best wines, produced from lower-yielding vines and aged in oak * Highly complex aromas of flowers, herbs, spices, leather, and earthiness * Can age for decades
51
**Xinomavro** What is a recent trend with this variety?
A number of producers have started producing wines that are more accessible in their youth
52
**Xinomavro** With what is it sometimes blended and why?
* Merlot * To soften rough edges
53
How did the winemaking since the 1980s evolve?
* Usage of modern presses, temperature control and stainless-steel vessels * Sometimes new oak * Experiments with natural yeast and amphorae
54
**Retsina** What was pine resin (Fichtenharz) used for in Ancient Greece?
* Used to seal amphorae * Used as an additive
55
**Retsina** When did sales boom?
1960s
56
**Retsina** How was resin often used?
Mask poor quality or even faulty wines
57
**Retsina** Are Retsina wines always low quality?
No, there have always been high-quality examples
58
**Retsina** Where and with what varieties is it mostly produced?
* Hot central plains * Made mostly from Savatiano and Roditis
59
**Retsina** How is pine resin used during winemaking?
Added to the must and then left on lees for a week after fermentation
60
**Retsina** What EU definition does Retsina follow?
* Does not comply with EU definition for wine * Special status as a "wine of appellation by tradition" (OKP in Greek)
61
**Retsina** What grape variety is used for premium bottlings?
Assyrtiko
62
What are the three categories within Greek's appellation system and how is production distributed?
* PDO (20%) (Greek: POP) * IGP (62%) (Greek: PGE) * Wines from Greece (18%)
63
Within the PDO category, what grapes are allowed to be used?
* Usually restricted to native varieties * Exception: Muscat for sweet wines
64
What are the two largest producers?
* Greek Wine Cellars * Boutaris Group
65
What businesses are involved in the production of wine?
* 7,000 growers (mostly small) * 1,000 wineries (mostly small) * Mostly seeling to co-operatives or larger companies
66
What is recent trend for smaller wineries?
Selling their wine themselves
67
What role did and do co-ops play in wine business?
* Were reponsible for significant production, but mostly lower quality * Today often higher quality
68
How much of the wine is exported?
13%
69
What are the main export markets for lower quality wines?
* Germany (40%) * Scandinavia * Benelux
70
What are the four emerging export markets for higher quality wines?
* USA * Canada * Australia * UK
71
What influence did Greece's weak economy have on wine business?
Even the highest quality wines do not reach premium prices
72
What is a challenge for exporting Greek wines?
* Local varieties * Different language and alphabet -> changed to Latin alphabet
73
How important is the domestic market and what is awkward about it?
* Still highly important * Domestic market wants international varieties
WSET Level 4 - D3
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