Fact File Preknadi Area grown: Northern and Central Greece, notably in the region of Naoussa History: Preknadi (synonyms are Priknadi, Prekna, Prekniariko) was cultivated extensively in the vineyards of the Naoussa region five to six decades ago. The zone was invaded by phylloxera in the 1960ies and the majority of Preknadi plantings were lost. Gro...

Immediate impact and serious future potential come to life once a great idea is born and more importantly, flawlessly executed. The Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC) is the brainchild of Galina Niforou and Konstantinos Lazarakis, MW. This annual competition "aspires to draw the attention of the global wine community to the unique range ...

The Xinomavro wine producers from Naoussa continue their push towards promoting their unique wines ? and they certainly leave a mark wherever they show up. Last week, I joined a number of winemakers/representatives for a whirlwind trip to San Francisco, CA. The president and vice president of the wine cooperative VAENI, and family members from...

??????????????? Image by ?Sarah Roesink www.sarahroesink.com Xinomavro wines are truly unique and stand out from the crowd. But what is it that makes them so distinctive? The majority of red wines exhibit strong primary fruit elements. I suspect that cherry and strawberry are some of the most common used descriptors. In contrast, Xinomavro combines...

Nearly three years have passed since I published the page "Story of my life" on elloinos. The articles shared my personal journey leading up to my decision to leave the financial industry behind and make my passion my profession instead. It is a good time to take a look back: Part 1: 2009 Getting started

The US, Germany and the UK are amongst the five largest wine consuming countries and also top the list of the three largest wine importing countries in the world (in reverse order). Greek wine exports to the US are on the rise and the word about their quality and uniqueness seems to be increasing in

Tweet When tasting a wine, we only capture one particular moment in its life, similar to admiring a single photograph of our child. Fine wine, like a child, evolves over time. In some instances, it grows into something that was not apparent in its youth, adding some traits while shedding others. Some indigenous Greek grape

Tweet Greek white wines have certainly taken the lion share of the attention received by the wine media. This is a result of the overall consistent quality, the availability (quantity), and the focus on indigenous grape varieties like Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Moschofilero, Robola, Roditis or Savatiano. For the Greek red wines, quantities are dominate...

Tweet Please watch the video above, this variety can rival fine Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Fact File Black of Kalavryta (Mavro Kalavrytino) Area grown: In the mountainous slopes of Aegialia and Kalavryta , part of the region of Achaia (northwestern Peloponnese). Vines/Grapes: There are three different varieties from the Mavra Kalavrytina family perm...

Greek winemakers, I am asking for your help. I would love to share something personal about each and every one of you by combining an image with a few words. Is there a hobby you have, a talent you got, or something that you really treasure? Have you captured a fun or creative personal moment?

I am thrilled to have Kontantinos Lazarakis MW on board again with a guest post. His past articles on elloinos were highly educational and gave in depth information on a variety of topics concerning Greek wine. In today?s posting, he asks some intriguing questions that invite a discussion on a more general subject: During Oinorama

Oenorama is the name of the largest Greek wine fair, which takes place every couple of years. It is a miracle that the organiser, Vinetum, was able to pull the event off this year, at the height of the financial crisis. Their passion and tireless work to succeed command respect. Please take a look at

Avaton in Greek means an inaccessible and unapproachable place, sacred and inviolable. In ancient Greek religious sites, the avaton was a place where entry to the uninitiated was forbidden. Even today, this rule is still observed at the sacred area of Mount Athos, a mountain and peninsula in Halkidiki, Northern Greece. Mount Athos is a

We might just see the beginning of a disorderly default of the local Greek wine market. Wineries have struggled for many months to collect money owed to them by their distributors, while the consumer demand continues to shift hard and fast towards bulk wine. Meanwhile, the pricing of existing stock of bottled wine held by

Captivating storytelling triggers word of mouth. Building relationships and connecting with our community is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal. Executing our ideas instead of talking about them is all that matters. This is an ongoing process that can lead to real change. I have experienced this with the work I am

Who is Robert Howells? He describes himself as "an accidental connoisseur of wine and a Vayniac" on his twitter profile. Thanks to him, a new portfolio of Greek wine is now available in Vancouver, Canada. Immediately after my appearance on Wine Library TV in May 2010, Robert started following me on twitter and began to

It was hard writing this post, given the current events that keep unfolding within Greece. I do not plan to use elloinos as a political platform, instead I simply wish to highlight the unique cultural roots and richness my adopted home country has to offer today: Two weeks ago a very special dinner took place

Greek wines are stronger positioned in the U.S. market than ever before. Growing curiosity for them over the last few years now seems to have turned into serious buying interest. These are my impressions after having returned from my two week business trip to California and New York. The first leg of my journey to

I am going to visit the U.S. again this Saturday. Having executed two major co-operations with American importers, the new relationships have to be tightened and the new launches supported.? In order to efficiently convey the story about Greek wine, I feel it is imperative to meet the sales representatives and their clients in person.

This post is undoubtedly one of my most important ones to date. The US has become the world?s biggest wine-consuming nation in 2010 and New York is one of the most important markets for wine imports. Significant trends are being set in the Big Apple, not only nationwide, but also on a global level. I

Greek wine values at the entry level are not restricted to the whites only, although the reds will cost a little more. As with the whites, these are terrific food partners and can be paired with a large variety of dishes. I used a price ceiling of 7,50? (shelf price in Greece, inclusive of 23%

There has never been a better time to explore Greek wines, especially at the entry level. Serious headway has been made, and the quality that can now be found in the lower price segment deserves attention ? if you know what to look out for. All that glitters is not gold, yet some real bargains

Paris Sigalas from Domaine Sigalas needs little introduction. He is likely the best known Greek winemaker both within and also outside of Greece. The following quote from wine critic Mark Squires, who amongst other countries also covers Greece for Robert Parker, sums up Paris? reputation perfectly: "This producer is universally acclaimed for his sk...

This week?s post is written by my wife Alexandra who is a passionate marathon runner. I am not only proud of her because of her personal achievements, but because she is offering great wisdom and advice that can easily be applied to entrepreneurship. I know, because I live by some of the principals on a

Greek wine is becoming the new darling in a number of important export markets, yet has failed to make any noticeable advancement in my original home country, Germany. I am currently spending a week here to reassess the situation. The currently predominant climate is a challenging one, as the financial crisis has led to a

Area grown: Mavroudi is grown throughout Greece, mostly in the Peloponnese and in Northern Greece. Grapes: Dark coloured, tannic skins. Nose/bouquet: Sweet aromas of cooked red fruit, plums, milk chocolate, roasted almonds, herbaceous.

Area grown: Mostly Attica, Evia and Viotia in Central Greece, also to a smaller extend in the Cycladic Islands, Macedonia and Peloponnese. Quick Fact File: Savatiano is the most widely planted indigenous Greek grape variety. It has been traditionally used for the production of Retsina. Savatiano is also a popular blending partner for Assyrtiko and...

Just about two years ago, Palate Press published an article in which I enumerated the misconceptions and chief arguments against Greek wines and proceeded to provide answers for each. I felt the time was ripe to examine if any progress has been made. My updates are included in Italic. Please note that I only copied

Yiannis Tselepos is one of the great pioneers of winemaking in Greece. He received a degree in oenology from the University of Dijon in 1979 and went on to work for several wineries in Burgundy. In 1989, he established the Domaine Tselepos in Arcadia (Peleponnese) as a high quality boutique winery. The first varieties planted

Limnos, the 8th largest island of Greece, is located in the northern Aegean. The vast majority of its vineyards are located at low altitudes. Only one grape is allowed for the two existing appellations: Muscat of Alexandria produces the dry Limnos PDO white wines, as well as the sweet Muscat of Limnos PDO wines. It

Retsina is a part of Greece?s heritage. I am using the term heritage, as it refers to "something inherited from the past". Wine with added resin has been made in Greece for about 2500 years. That is a long time! Despite its long history, it took all but 10 years for Retsina to become a

Nemea, Santorini and Naoussa are acclaimed by wine lovers. The best known Greek wine appellation however is Mavrodaphne of Patras ? known to the masses for its fortified, sweet port-style red wines. It is one of the strongest wine export products of Greece. Sadly, it might also be one of the most underperforming wine appellations

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW wraps up his insightful mini-series about the history of Greek wines by examining the developments that have taken place over the last six decades. Please refer to the earlier instalments Part 1 and Part 2. "The renaissance of Greek wine came late in the 20th century. The Second World War left a

The collapse of the local Greek wine market is picking up in speed. While at first the high end segment was hit hard, prices now erode quickly in the middle section. Greece?s largest supermarket chain, AB Vassilopoulos, has been discounting wines up to 40% on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for months now. Their offerings

Indigenous grape varieties from Greece are unique and authentic. Who needs Greek wines made from international grape varieties? Why bother to highlight those Greek producers that do excel with non-Greek varieties? My recent post "The Greek Rhone Rangers" triggered an email exchange with Kim Ginsberg, a New York based Wine Consultant/Spirit advisor....

The Boutari Iouliatiko is a sweet wine made from the indigenous Cretan red variety "Liatiko". It ripens early and matures in July (hence the VII on label, reference to the 7th month of the year). The freshly harvested grapes were sun-dried for 11 days, which results in an increased acidity due to concentration. The wine

If I had to name just one winery from Greece that defines multiculturalism while staying true to its Greek roots, it would have to be the Manousakis winery. Ted Manousakis was born and raised in the small village of Vatolakos, close to Chania in Crete. After the Second World War and the ensuing Civil War,

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW continuous to explore the history of Greek wine in this guest article. The first part can be found here. I am extremely grateful for his support ? his writings have truly added a remarkable level of education to elloinos. Thank you Konstantine! "In 146 BC, Greece became part of the Roman Empire

Tavernas in Greece offer affordable, delicious and authentic food. Unfortunately the accompanying wines usually share only one, either the "affordable" or the "delicious", attribute. Mediocre jug wines are the rule (affordable). If one is able to find selected bottled wine (delicious), their price tags are often reminiscent of the wine lists seen a...

I am currently spending some quality time with my family, but wanted to add my thoughts on some tough issues in regards to current developments within the Greek wine industry in this video.

When I started elloinos two years ago, my initial focus for exports was on the German and UK markets. Being located in Europe, this seemed to make intuitive sense. Of course I was aware of the importance of the US market in regards to wine, but as someone who had no formal background in the

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW shares his knowledge on the history of Greek wine. Significant think tanks, sommeliers and the quest for the perfectly shaped cup all played an important role in ancient Greece. "A number of wine professionals mistakenly believe that Greece was the first wine-producing country in history, but the general area of Mesopotami...

Xinomavro wines from Naoussa took on the Big Apple last Thursday and they certainly left their mark. In a remarkable event at Bar Boulud, a total of 13 wines were presented to importers and food/wine writers. I was consulting on the occasion and was more than happy to be there in person, together with the

The Greek wine industry is currently not in the position to function. All actions are on hold, and no decisions or payments can be made until the end of this month. After this time, the Greek wine industry might have ceased to exist in its current structure altogether. The EDOAO is the National Interprofessional Organization

VinPass is a smart social game for wine lovers who can win a number of different wine badges and earn rewards by sharing wine reviews. The company behind it is the well respected VinTank. VinPass has huge potential as it is has been executed in a truly innovative way ? it is the only wine

Konstantinos Lazarakis MW is a gifted educator and I am very grateful that he shares his knowledge through a number of guest posts on elloinos. In this installment, Konstantinos zooms into Greece and discusses the vineyards. Greece is the southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula. It is shaped by the way the spine of the

Greek wine introductions are more than plain fun, they are educational. This holds true for both, the "tutor" and the attendees. I hosted two very different events that were both totally worth the effort: A couple of weeks ago I visited the well known Campus Geisenheim in Germany (Oenology). I introduced about 20 high-end Greek