With its hot Mediterranean climate, it stands to reason that Greece will be a successful wine producing country. But there is a lot more to Greek wine than Retsina! Indeed, there are over 200 indigenous grape varieties in the country with Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero and Roditis amongst the best known.
Here are a couple of examples to tempt your palate.
M & S Found Moschofilero-Roditis, Peloponnese (2020)
This wine is part of Marks & Spencer’s celebrated Found range, which seeks to introduce interesting and less easy-to-find wines for discerning wine drinkers to discover and enjoy.
Produced from grapes grown at altitude on the Peloponnese peninsula, this is a well-crafted blend of Moschofilero (80%) and Roditis (20%) grape varieties and brings together the floral attributes of the former with the tangy, zippy citrus flavours of the latter.
A dry white wine with fresh, light acidity, is has Muscaty, honeyed tones combined with a minerally, lemon tang to create a well-balanced wine with a lengthy finish. A perfect match for seafood and offering excellent value for money.
Available from Marks & Spencer (£8.50)
Atma Xinomavro, Macedonia (2019)
This dry red wine from Naoussa, in the Macedonia region of northern Greece, brings a touch of Greek sunshine with it to brighten up our rather sun-deficient summer … It’s a smooth, fruity wine with medium tannins and a medium (+) finish. With pronounced aromas of cherry and raspberry, and a hint of spiciness on the nose, leading to ripe red fruit, coffee and roast meat flavours on the palate, this is a very appealing wine with echoes of Nebbiolo and even Mourvèdre.
Xinomavro is a difficult grape variety to get right but this wine from renowned winemaker Apostolos Thymiopoulos is a fine example of what the grape is capable of in the right hands.
This will go perfectly with meze, or a lamb dish.
Available from Waitrose (£11.99)