Greek wines excelled at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2024 laying claim to 296 medals, including two Platinums, 11 Golds and 111 Silvers.
Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) has established itself as the world’s largest and most influential wine competition. Respected globally for its rigorous judging process and world-class judges, DWWA results are trusted internationally by both trade and consumers.
“This year, one of the most exciting stories is the ascendency of Greek wines. It isn’t going too far to say that, in 2024, Greece really is the word,” DWWA says.
Among top Greek wines, Retsina makes a revival
Greek retsina wine, Kechris Tear of the Pine, produced with pine resin, won a prestigious Best in Show, one of only 50 awarded this year, making up just 0.28 percent of the 18,143 wines evaluated.
DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford said, “Eyebrows, we know, will be raised. What on earth is a retsina doing in the DWWA Best in Show selection?
“In truth, eyebrows were raised every time this wine was tasted in the competition – because no one could quite believe that a resinated wine could be as subtle and as good as this. But subtle and good it is: pale gold in colour, with aromas that seem simply perfumed rather than dominated by resin.”
Retsina, made by adding small amounts of Aleppo pine resin to white (or sometimes rosé) wines during fermentation, has existed for thousands of years.
The style most likely arose as a way sealing wine amphorae as they were transported around the Mediterranean. It gave the wine a piney, salty, tang – which people evidently developed a taste for, as the style survived for centuries longer than pure necessity dictated.
Yet, as a style retsina wasn’t often held in high regard, its resinous flavor was believed to ‘mask’ poor quality wine. Now, a nascent retsina revival is calling time on that theory – as Tear of the Pine proves,
Jefford also pointed out that this is an unusual retsina. “Note that this is an oaked wine, and you’ll find as much soft oak and creamy lees on the nose as you will a resinous twang.’ Then there’s the choice of grape variety: 100 percent Assyrtiko rather than the more usual Savatiano or Athiri.
Tear of the Pine was first released in 2005, after five years of experimentation. Winemaker Stelios Kechris explained to DWWA how it’s made:
“After pre-fermentation maceration and alcoholic fermentation in oak barrels of varying origins and types, selected fresh pine resin extracted from Pinos halepensis is added, followed by aging for six to seven months on the lees. Finally, we bottle.”
It’s a style he describes as “a traditional product produced using innovative and modern practices’,” He added, “Our aim is to showcase the unique qualities and characteristics of this wine style.”
Greek wines Assyrtiko from Santorini
Retsina is not the only Greek success story, DWWA says. Wines made from the Assyrtiko grape – particularly those from Santorini from which this grape originates – won particular plaudits from judges.
Two standouts (Gavalas Winery, Natural Ferment, Santorini 2022 and Tselepos Canava Chrissou Vielles Vignes, Santorini 2021) claimed Platinum, both awarded 97 points.
Additionally, two Santorini wines from Estate Argyros – the lightly oaked Cuvée Evdemon 2020 and stainless-steel vinified Assyrtiko 2022 – were awarded Golds, with 96 and 95 points respectively.
Top-scoring Greek wines of DWWA 2024
- Kechris, Tear of the Pine, Retsina 2022
- Gavalas Winery, Natural Ferment, Santorini 2022
- Tselepos, Canava Chrissou Vieilles Vignes, Santorini 2021
- Estate Argyros, Cuvée Evdemon, Santorini 2020
- Estate Argyros, Assyrtiko, Santorini 2022
- Artemis Karamolegos, Vinsanto, Santorini 2010
Greek wines were first produced 6,500 years ago
Greeks are amongst the first peoples to have produced wine into the world and Greece has some of the oldest vineyards extant, making the country justifiably famous for its great local wines.
The earliest evidence of wine production in Greece dates back to 6,500 years before the present day. Greek wine enjoyed high prestige in the times of the Roman Empire and during the Middle Ages, and highly prized wines were exported from Crete, Monemvasia and other Greek ports.
Today, as wine making has become a fine art, there are some Greek wines that stand out amongst any in the world. But for the most part, Greece still produces many varieties traditionally, and some vintners make wines that keep one foot in tradition and the other in innovation.
What remains constant, however, are specific grape varieties and places with unique types of soils, which give the grape characteristics that no other variety can match.
Related: Top Ten Greek Wines
