July is my personal favorite month for many reasons, beach trips, fireworks, long days that stretch into night, crisp, cold, white wine, and most importantly, my birthday 😜 There’s nothing quite like popping open a bottle of white and watching condensation drip down it’s sides as you take one refreshing sip after another.
If there’s a country that knows how to handle a hot summer, it’s Greece. With its Mediterranean climate, temperatures can reach over 30°C (86°F). Luckily, they have a plethora of water to cool down in with the 2nd longest coastline in the world right behind Norway. Navigo Beach happens to be my favorite secret spot in Greece to pop open a bottle of cold white. It’s IRL pirate history and sweeping views create the perfect setting for a sip and a swim.
When I travel, I always try to drink local, but have to keep in mind that wine grapes typically thrive between 15-40°C, which puts Greece on the warm side for growing. Luckily, they have two important cooling factors going for them, altitude and coastal winds. These both can moderate temperature and lock in the acidity and freshness we need to make delicious wine. The majority of Greece’s best vineyards tend to be in these mountainous or coastal sites away from the heat. These cooling winds that sweep in can be wicked strong, but as per usual the Greeks have come up with an ingenious way to work with them. In Santorini, vignerons have created this unique basket-like vine training method that protects Assyrtiko grapes from these strong winds.
In thinking about climate, we also consider what types of grapes can thrive under specific conditions. For example, Pinot Noir tends to like cooler climates which is why it thrives in places like Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State. Tempranillo on the other hand can handle the heat, which is why you’ll find it planted in places like Spain and Texas. For any of you that have a green thumb, this is the exact same principal you put into practice when planting varieties that will thrive in your own specific back yard micro-climate. One way to ensure grapes will thrive in a given location is to plant indigenous (native) grapes, which originate from the specific place where they are planted and cultivated. They thrive in this environment as they were specifically made to grow there, which lends to ecologically friendly agriculture, and a deep association with the local culture, history, tradition, and people. This also lends itself to my ride or die wine x food pairing tip -
‘What grows together goes together.’ (Foods that are naturally from a specific place will always pair with wine from that place)
Spanish Chorizo with Tempranillo - you betcha
Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Sangiovese - yes pleaseeee
Greek Tzatziki with Assyrtiko - bring it on!
I also have to slip in one of all-time favorite film references here because it works like a charm. In Italian, the term used to define indigenous grapes is “autoctono” (autochthon), which derives from a combination of the Greek words autòs and khethòn that together mean “originating from that place”.
There are over 200 grape varieties that are indigenous to Greece, very few of which grow elsewhere in the world. They are well adapted to survive in these hot conditions and produce some stellar white and red wines. Since it is quite hot right now where I am in the Northern Hemisphere, I’m going to share 8 indigenous white Greek grape varieties that I’ll be sippin on this Summer and invite you to seek out on your next visit to the wine shop!
8 White Greek Grape Varieties
Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko is indigenous to the famous island of Santorini where it’s widely planted in the volcanic soils of the Aegean Islands. It is fresh, crisp and screams SUMMER WINE! Based on its proximity to the sea I often get hints of salinity from it, much like Albarino. It typically has notes of white fruit, grapefruit, nectarine, ginger, and sparkling minerality. This is the most well know of the Greek white grape varieties and is commonly found on wine lists and in wine shops around the world. Next time you see one, try it, call me, tell me how it went!
One to try: Neottia 2022
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