If there's one place I want to be right now, it's Greece—anywhere in Greece. Whether in Athens, the north, the Peloponnese, or the islands, every trip I've taken to this country has lifted my spirits. But since the start of the dreadful war, I can't bring myself to leave Israel, and when I see the crazy prices, my desire to travel diminishes even further.
So, I found a way to get as close to Greece as possible: Greek wines. I've discovered three light, refreshing white wines from family wineries, made from local grape varieties, that will brighten up the current gloomy reality.
For me, Greece is synonymous with terms like culture, art, architecture, sun, beaches, clear blue seas, wild landscapes, picturesque white villages, lively tavernas, music, ouzo, tsipouro, retsina, Greek salad, gyros, moussaka, and, of course, wine. Greece is a country with a wine-making history spanning thousands of years, blending the old with the new, the modern with the traditional, and featuring local grape varieties.
It's only a matter of time before Greek wines become popular among Israelis. These light, mineral-rich, and refreshing wines pair perfectly with Greek Mediterranean cuisine, which includes vegetables, olive oil, meat, and fish—elements that also characterize Israeli cuisine.
A Revival of Local WinemakingThe history of Greek wine bears some resemblance to our own. In Greek mythology, as in our own traditions, wine was highly valued and even had its own god: Dionysus. Greece was one of the first countries to produce wine in commercial quantities, but its golden age was cut short by Ottoman rule, which banned the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages, followed by world wars and other hardships. It was only in the 1980s that the Greeks began to revive their wine industry and restore it to its former glory.
Placing lesser-known Greek grape varieties at the forefront was a key part of the revival of local wines. The renewal of these varieties has brought a unique and exclusive identity to Greek wines without the need to compete with well-known classic varieties.
I tasted three white wines from three different wine regions in Greece: Santorini, Crete, and Central Greece, all made from local grape varieties.
Estate Argyros, Atlantis White 2022This wine comes from one of Greece's most prestigious and fascinating wine regions, the island of Santorini, known for producing dry, mineral-rich white wines with high acidity and lemony notes, based on the wonderful Assyrtiko grape.
The family winery was founded in Santorini in 1903 by Georgios Argyros and is now managed by Yannis Argyros, the third generation in the family. The winery specializes in local grape varieties, with Assyrtiko at the forefront. This wine, made from Assyrtiko with additions of Athiri and Aidani, is a delightful white wine—young, dry, refreshing, mineral, lemony, and slightly tropical, with nice and balanced acidity.
Price: NIS 95.
Boutari, Kretikos White 2023Boutari is a family winery founded in 1879 by Yiannis Boutari and has been owned and managed by the family ever since. It is one of the largest and most important wineries in Greece, nurturing a wide variety of local and international grape varieties. The winery includes six vineyards in Greece's most esteemed wine regions and islands, one of which is in Crete, where this wine is produced.
It is made from the local Vilana grape variety. The wine has aromatic aromas, tropical fruit, prominent floral notes, balanced and pleasant acidity, and a fun finish.
Price: NIS 60.
Greek Wine Cellars, Allegoria Assyrtiko 2023A family winery founded in 1879 by Vassilis Kourtakis, one of the first formally trained Greek winemakers. Today, the family winery is considered one of the largest and most important wine producers in Greece and is managed by Vassilis Kourtakis, the third generation in the family. They own several wineries in different regions of Greece, including one in Central Greece.
Here too, Assyrtiko dominates, producing citrus and mineral aromas, nice balance, and great freshness.
Price: NIS 55.