Varieties
To make high quality wines we harness the full potential of some of Greece’s most exciting indigenous grape varieties including vibrant and versatile Agiorgitiko, delicious and grapy Moschofilero, elegant Roditis and aromatic Malagousia.
These native varieties are often blended with locally grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer, producing wines with exciting complexity, depth of flavor, superb balance and delightful finish.
Agiorgitiko, Nemea’s main red grape variety, was named after the village of Agios Georgios (St. George) in today’s municipality of Nemea, where at least as early as the mid-18th century large tracts of land were planted with grape vines that produced Agiorgitiko, a strong and flavorful dark red wine. It is a local indigenous variety possibly descending from the Fliasia grape variety whose cultivation continued uninterrupted through the centuries in the upland valley of Nemea. Agiorgitiko is a dynamic variety that provides excellent primary material for many types of wines with different quality characteristics. Depending on the vinification method, the grapes can yield red wines—either fresh or suitable for aging—or even rose wines with rich, fresh aromas. The same variety also sources high quality sweet wines from overripe grapes that have been partially sun dried.
Moschofilero, one of the finest and most interesting Greek white varieties, is cultivated mainly in the Peloponnese and most particularly in the region of Mantinia. Full of freshness and with great acidity, this noble and delicate reddish grape blends well with other varieties and is widely recognized for its intense aromatic flavor of rose petals and citrus flowers. A highly popular variety that produces wines with flowery bouquet and white flesh fruit in the mouth, Moschofilero is one of the four Greek varieties with a worldwide reputation.
Roditis—from rodon (rose)—is cultivated mainly in Aegialia and upland Achaia in the NW Peloponnese, as well as in other parts of Greece. A light and elegant variety, Roditis produces vibrant wines with pronounced acidity and intense nose that brings out flavors of citrus flowers, peach, melon and freshly cut grass.
Malagousia, which was saved from extinction in the 1980s, today is one of the most popular and enticing Greek white varieties. Fragrant, spicy, elegant and with a complex character, Malagousia grabs you with its rich flavor, crisp acidity and fruity mouthfeel.