Summary
Wineproduction in Greece dates back thousands of years. Excavations at prehistoricsettlements have brought to light charred remains of Vitis Vinifera vines thatprovide the earliest indication of wine making in the Mediterranean, andremains of wine presses found in Crete suggest that wine was consumed on thisisland in the second millennium BC.
ModernGreek wine, however, started seriously to enter the international wine sceneonly in the last few decades of the 20th century, although it was commerciallyestablished long before. Most wine professionals around the world now recognizeGreece as a source of diverse high-quality wines with distinctive and uniquecharacter, and exports have seen a remarkable increase in both volume and valuewith more and more wine consumers appreciating the virtues of the Greek wine.Figures released in 2016 indicate that wine exports from Greece to the UnitedStates and Canada in the last five years have increased by 39% and 55%,respectively. Greek wine is enjoying growing demand despite increasingworldwide competition. Greek wine is shipped to more than 35 countries aroundthe globe.
The firstpart of Konstantinos Lazarakis's new book provides an overview of all Greekwine regions and appellations (new and old), their topographic, geographic andclimatic conditions and the various grape varieties. The wines of Greece also discusses renowned grape varieties such as Assyrtiko and Xinomavro as wellas traditional wines such as Retsina which is currently undergoing a revival.Part two of the book takes the regions in turn and the book concludes withseveral appendices covering old and new wine classification, labelling termsand how to read a wine label, distribution of native and international grapevarieties, total acreage under vine by region and a list of recommendedproducers. There are also maps of wine producing regions.
Greece has a richtradition of wine-making and there is no better guide to its quality andvariety than Konstantinos Lazarakis. The wines of Greece is a must-have for all lovers of Greekwine.
