6 of the Best White Wines From Greece

Winemaking in Greece goes back thousands of years. But although Greek wines were little more than a footnote for much of the 20th century — largely defined by an era of cheap, overly resinated Retsinas — Greece may be enjoying a golden age of wine, thanks to modern techniques, vastly improved production, and an emphasis on artisanal winemaking.

If you haven’t dipped into Greece recently, you’re missing out on some memorable wines made from a range of indigenous grapes not seen elsewhere.

From north to south, including the islands, Greece is a wine-producing country, and it’s a shame that the wines don’t get more attention in stores and in restaurants — except, of course, those that specialize in Greek food.

Molyvos, a top Greek restaurant in New York, for example, boasts around 750 choices on its all-Greek wine list. By contrast Eleven Madison Park, one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants, has a mere four Greek wines, all of them white, on its 230-page wine list. Most others have a smattering of Greek wines at best.

But instead of a Pinot Noir from California or Burgundy, why not try a Xinamavro with a few years of age? If you like fresh white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, Assyrtiko and Moschofilero are worth considering. And that only scratches the surface.

So why isn’t there more buzz about Greek wines among Americans? I put the question to Kamal Kouiri, the longtime wine director and a managing partner in Molyvos.

“The problem with Greek wines,” he says, “is people go to Greece. They have a fantastic time. They have this emotional connection with the country and the people and the food. And it’s almost like they don’t pay attention to the wine. And they say, ‘Oh, give us your house wine.’” They’re served wine that’s “made in the backyard,” as Kouiri describes it — ordinary wine that’s nothing to write home about.

He adds that “even though they remember the sun and the water and the food and the people, they say, ‘eh, the wine was OK,’ because they didn’t focus on it.”

Other obstacles include unfamiliar and hard-to-pronounce grapes and a reluctance by restaurants and retailers to put in the work required to sell them, preferring to focus on wines people know. “They don’t want to bother,” Kouiri says. “They want the easy way.”

The result is that people overlook wines that offer depth and value and the chance to experience memorable bottles from off the beaten path — including such areas as Macedonia in the north, Attica in central Greece, Peloponnese in the south, or the Aegean Islands and Crete.

While Greece is often thought of as a hot-climate region, “Greek wine is still widely misunderstood,” Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson note in the “World Atlas of Wine.” “Far from being too hot and dry to produce good-quality wine, most of Greece (like much of Italy) is mountainous and infertile,” conditions that can produce excellent wines. They add that “most Greek wine regions would actually qualify by most measures as cool climate.”

And a sampling of the wines, both red and white, bears that out. They are generally high in balancing acidity and have moderate levels of alcohol, which make them a pleasure to drink.

In this week’s column, I focus on some of the whites, which, as a category, are more familiar to Americans than the reds. They are crisp, mineral-driven, go with a variety of foods and offer excellent values. As with most white wines, their complexity reveals itself as they warm up a bit, so don’t serve them too cold.

Here are six top white wines from Greece to try:

Douloufakis Winery Vidiano 2022

This exceptional wine from Crete, Greece’s largest island located in the extreme south, is made from the Vidiano grape, which is native to the island. Ripe stone fruit flavors along with orange, pineapple, almond, and honey notes are framed by a distinct minerality that brings a pleasing texture. A luscious wine made without oak. The grape was mostly used in white blends until recently.

Price: $20
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Ousyra Winery Serifiotiko 2023

From the island of Syros in the Cycladic island chain (Mykonos is the best-known island), this wine is made from rare, indigenous Serifiotiko grapes grown on 80-year-old ungrafted vines. If you like very dry white wines, you should consider this one. Herb and flower notes dominate, with subtle green apple, lime, and white pepper. There’s a chalky minerality on the finish. It’s not a quaffing wine, but one to sip, savor, and enjoy gradually.

Price: $28
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Spyros Hatziyiannis Assyrtiko Santorini 2022

A classic Assyrtiko from Santorini showing Meyer lemon and herbs with hints of honey, pineapple, and sea salt. It’s a bit enclosed at first but opens up beautifully as it warms up. It’s framed by a chalky minerality.

Price: $27
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Domaine Skouras Moscofilero 2022

From Peloponnese in the southern part of the mainland, this wine is made from the Moscofilero (or Moschofilero) grape. It’s fruit-driven with orange, green apple, and honeysuckle notes. Not overly complex, but easy to drink and delicious on its own. A perfect wine to keep in your cooler on the beach, whether here or in Greece.

Price: $17
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Domaine Papagiannakos Assyrtiko 2023

An exquisite young Assyrtiko from Attica in central Greece. Grown in a non-irrigated vineyard with limestone soil, the wine is fresh and full-bodied with concentrated citrus fruit, especially Meyer lemon and orange, with secondary notes of almond and herbs. There’s a nice mineral texture on the long finish. Also worth trying: the winery’s dry and aromatic Savatiano.

Price: $22
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Gai’a Assyrtiko Santorini ‘Thalassitis’ 2022

Made from ungrafted old vines that grow in Santorini’s volcanic soils, this is one of the great white wines of Greece. Made without oak, it shows a waxy richness with aromas and flavors of honeysuckle and orange and hints of strawberry, ginger, and white pepper on the palate. An age-worthy wine to savor sip by sip as it opens up, revealing its complexity and beauty.

Price: $43
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Next up: The red wines of Greece

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