Greece

Question 1

What is Retsina ?

Answer 1

An aromatized wine flavored with Aleppo pine resin.
Retsina is generally produced as a white wine, from Savatiano grapes, and flavored with the addition of pine resin, rather than stored in resin-sealed casks.

Question 2

Which bodies of water surround the country Greece?

Answer 2

Ionian Sea in the west
Aegean Sea in the east
Mediterranean Sea in the south

Question 3

Which country’a surround Greece?

Answer 3

Albania above Epirus
North Macedonia above Macedonia
Bulgaria above Macedonia and Thrace
Turkey east of Thrace and all east side of Greece
Africa to south

Question 4

Between 2018-2020 what vintages were cold and warm?

Answer 4

2018 cool fresh balanced wine
2019 warm concentrated wine
2020 wet rainy hail most of the mainland

Question 5

State the two levels of PDO’s in Greece?

Answer 5

Appellation of Origin and Appellation of Superior Quality

Question 6

What designations are below PDO in Greece?

Answer 6

PGI wines, varietal wines, table wines

Question 7

PGI wines are divided into what three levels?

Answer 7

Regional, district, and area levels

Question 8

What does Réserve indicate for white wines in Greece?

Answer 8

Réserve indicates a minimum one year of aging for white wines, with at least six months in barrel and three months in bottle

Question 9

What does Réserve indicate for red wines in Greece?

Answer 9

Minimum two years of aging for red wines, with at least one year in barrel and six months in bottle.

Question 10

What does Grand Réserve indicate for white wines in Greece?

Answer 10

A minimum two-year aging period for white wines, including at least one year in barrel and six months in bottle

Question 11

What does Grand Réserve indicate for red wines in Greece?

Answer 11

A minimum four-year aging period for red wines, including at least 18 months in barrel and 18 months in bottle.

Question 12

In Greece, when using the name Cava, what does that refer to?

Answer 12

Cava indicates at least one year of aging for white and rosé PGI wines, and a min three years of aging for reds.
-at least six months in oak prior to bottling
-reds rest in barrel for at least one year

Question 13

On a label of Cava, Réserve, or Grande Réserve what does that indicate?

Answer 13

oak aging beyond the required minimums

Question 14

What is different about Amynteo PDO and Naoussa PDO when it comes to styles produced?

Answer 14

Amynteo is higher altitude and produces dry,
(0-4 g/L) rosé, and sparkling wines (min 10.5% abv) made in the traditional method or tank.
Naoussa produces dry (0-4 g/L), semi dry (4.5-17.5 g/L), and semi sweet red (17.5-45 g/L) (min 11% abv)
Both made with 100% Xinomavro

Question 15

What style does Gousenissa PDO produce?

Answer 15

Dry red with Xinomavro, Negoska (20% minimum)
(min 11.5% abv)

Question 16

What is unique about the Slopes of Meliton (Plagies Melitona)?

Answer 16

Single appellation for Domaine Porto Carras
Red PDO wines from the estate are blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and the native Limnio
White PDO wines are blends of the Greek varieties Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Roditis.

Question 17

How many PDO’s are in Macedonia and name some popular producers in each PDO?

Answer 17

4 PDO
Amynteo- Alpha Estate, Kir-Yianni
Náoussa- Boutari, Kir-Yianni, Domaine Karydas
Gouménissa- Boutari, Aidarinis
Plagies Melitona- Domaine Porto Carras

Question 18

What are the three PDO’s in Thessalia and what styles do they produce?

Answer 18

-Rapsani PDO is Dry Red (Red, Réserve, Grande Réserve) min 11% abv
Xinomavro blended with Krassato, Stavroto (Ambelakiotiko)
-Messenikola PDO is dry red min 11% abv min 70% Mavro Messenikola, max 30% combined Syrah and Carignan
-Anchialos is Dry, semi dry, semi sweet white 10.5% min 80% Roditis, max 20% Savvatiano

Question 19

What mountain ranges run north and south between Thessalia and Epirus?

Answer 19

Pindos Oros mountain ranges

Question 20

What PDO’s are in Epirus and what style is produced?

Answer 20

Zitsa PDO Dry, semisweet, and sparkling wines are produced from the Debina grape.
11% abv and Sparkling wine may be produced by the traditional method or in tank 3.5 atmosphere of pressure

Question 21

What is Central Greece (Sterea Ellada) mostly known for in wine production?

Answer 21

Bulk wine region all PGI’s no PDO’s

Question 22

Most popular PGI area in Central Greece?

Answer 22

PGI District Retsina- Attiki (Attica), Evia, Viotia

Question 23

What style of wine is made in Patras PDO?

Answer 23

100% Roditis
Dry White Wine
Semi-Dry White Wine
Semi-Sweet White Wine

Question 24

Which PDO in Peloponnese may be either vin doux naturel,
vin doux naturel Grand Cru, or naturally sweet in style (sun dried), and are produced from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Moschato Aspro)

Answer 24

Muscat of Patras PDO
Muscat of Rio Patras PDO

Question 25

In Muscat of Patras and Rio Patras what is the difference in fortification for VDN and VDL?

Answer 25

VDN wines must be fortified during fermentation with alcohol of vinous origin of a min 95% alc. per volume, to between 5% - 10% of the volume of the spent mash, or 40% of the total volume of the finished product. VDL wines must be fortified prior to fermentation with alcohol of vinous origin of a min 95% alc. per volume. A maximum 1% alcohol from fermentation is allowed.

Question 26

What PDO in Peleponnese is a sweet red wine region from black grapes?

Answer 26

Mavrodaphne of Patras PDO Natural Sweet Red Wine (VDL from dried Grapes) Sweet Red Wine (VDL from non-dried grapes with the addition of additional must) made with Mavrodaphne and a max. 49% Mavri Korinthiaki

Question 27

Explain the aging requirements for Mavrodaphne of Patras PDO and fortifying techniques?

Answer 27

Min. 1 year in oak barrels of 1,000 liters or less "Reserve": Min. 3 years, including 2 years in cask and 1 year in bottle "Vieille Reserve": Min. 5 years, including min. 2 years in cask and 2 years in bottle "Grand Reserve": Min. 7 years, including a min. 3 years in oak and 3 years in the bottle Non-Vintage blends require a minimum 3 years of aging after the final blend. VDL wines must be fortified with alcohol from the distillation of dried grapes of a minimum 96% alc. per volume, or alcohol from the distillation of wine or dried grapes at between 52% - 86%, or a combination of the two.

Question 28

Which estate has a Mavrodaphne solera dating to 1882?

Answer 28

Achaia Clauss

Question 29

What style of wine is Monemvassia-Malvasia PDO, how long is it aged and when is it fortified?

Answer 29

-Naturally Sweet White (Vin Liastos/Sun Dried) Fortified Sweet White (VDN) made with a Min. 51% Monemvassia, plus Assyrtiko, Asproudes, Kydonitsa -Aged for a min. 2 years in an oxidative environment (if the wine is aged for a longer period, it may be aged for 4 years, or in multiples of 4 years thereafter) -Must be fortified during fermentation with alcohol from the distillation of dried grapes of a minimum 96% alc. per volume, or alcohol from the distillation of wine or dried grapes at between 52% - 86%, or a combination of the two. -Fortification must be done by May 31 of the year following the harvest.

Question 30

What are the four wine regions on the west coast of Greece that produce wine in the Ionian Sea?

Answer 30

Corfu top north Lefkada west of Central Greece Cephalonia southwest of Central Greece (only PDO) Zakynthos west of Peleponnese

Question 31

What style of wines are produced on Cephalonia PDO?

Answer 31

Dry white Rebola of Cephaloia PDO sweet wines Mavrodaphne Cephalonia PDO and Muscat Caphalonia PDO

Question 32

Wha are the Aegean Islands PDO's

Answer 32

Lemnos PDO and Muscat of Minos PDO Samos PDO Paros PDO and Malvasia Paros PDO Santinori PDO Rhodes PDO and Muscat of Rhodes PDO

Question 33

What are the Islands of Chios, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Lesvos, and Thassos designations?

Answer 33

PGI District wines

Question 34

List the PDO's of Crete and the wine styles?

Answer 34

Archanes PDO (dry red Kotsifali and Mandilaria) Daphnes PDO (dry/sweet red. VDN/sun dried 100%Liatiko) Peza PDO (dry white 100% Vilana/red Kotsifali and Mandilaria) Sitia PDO ( dry white Min. 70% Vilana, plus Thrapsathiri dry red 80% Liatiko, plus Mandilaria . VDL VDN and Sun dried 100% Liatiko) Candia PDO (dry white min 85% Vilana, dry red 70% Kotsifali 30% Mandilaria) Mavalsia Candia PDO Malvasia Sitio PDO Both VDN with Assyrtiko, Athiri, Vidiano, Thrapsathiri plus a combined max. 15% Malvasia di Candia Aromatico and Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains min 80 g/L r/s min 2 years in an oxidative environment

Question 35

What are the wine styles and grapes of Santorini PDO?

Answer 35

Dry white wines min. 85% Assyrtiko, plus Athiri and Aidani Vinsanto min. 51% Assyrtiko, plus Athiri, Aidani,

Question 36

What must the vines must be trained in close to the ground in Santorini to protect them from the fierce Aegean winds?

Answer 36

Koulour or Stefani baskets

Question 37

Which Greek appellation mandates the use of a white grape (Monemvassia) in red blends with a min 35% Mandilaria?

Answer 37

Paros PDO

Question 38

What are the wine styles in Samos PDO?

Answer 38

VDN, VDN Grand Cru, VDL, Sun dried with Moschato Aspro (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)

Question 39

What are the wine styles of Lemnos PDO?

Answer 39

Lemnos wines are white, dominated by Muscat, and may be dry or sweet.

Question 40

What are the wine styles of Rhodes PDO?

Answer 40

PDO red, white, and rosé varietal wines from Mandilaria and Athiri.