Top 9 Greek Wines

2. Achaia Clauss Retsina

Pine wine? If that's just fine with you, this version will probably please you. It's not as truly "resiny" as some and has a nice mouth feel. Best consumed chilled and accompanied with salty, spicy foods.

3. Achaia Clauss Mavrodaphne

Fan of sweet, rich dessert wines? You'll love Mavrodaphne, which is somewhat like port, somewhat like Quady's Elysium. It's one of my favorites, and this is my favorite winery for it. To me, it tastes like ancient evenings in a bottle - and the phrase "the wine-dark sea" was probably written thinking of Mavrodaphne.

4. Boutari Santorini White Wine

Wine aficionados claim they can taste the volcano in the wines grown on Santorini, where the grapes are grown in a unique 'basket' formation to try and protect them from the dry winds. There's no question that the soil must represent one of the most unusual terroirs in the world. One of the major Boutari vineyards is on the island and they present this white wine, named for its island of origin.

5. Domaine Spiropoulos Ode Panos Brut Greece Sparkling Wine Imported 750ml case

If it's hard to find Greek wines on line, it's even harder to find their sparkling companions. But the thought of a Greek version of bubbly is just too hard to resist. The effervescence will remind you of your favorite Greek!

6. Boutari Fantaxometocho Greece Crete Greek Still Wine 750ml

I sampled this wine at the Fantaxometocho Winery on Crete. Part of the pleasure of it is that it comes from this winery, which is allegedly haunted by ancient Minoans. If the master vintner is present, he may give you permission to approach the cottage which is said to be the heart of the haunting. He dismisses the rumors - and he should know. The cottage is his residence at the winery.

7. Gaia Estate Agiorgitiko Notios

"Red" is not quite the right name for this wine - the color is one of the most delightful things about it and will remind you of those evenings in Greece when the sea goes to purple just before dark, illuminated by a golden orange of a sun. Ah. The taste is intense and easy to drink by itself or with food. I've enjoyed this wine from several different vintages - it's a good choice for now or later.

8. Estate Hatzimichalis Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a Greek wine I discovered outside of Greece - at a smart little "wine lounge" called "The Oracle" which was at a local Greek festival in the States. It too has a beautiful color, rich deep flavor, and a touch of French oak from its aging process in barriques. The winery itself is well-known in Greece and is a very safe bet for your wine purchases in Greece.

9. Argyros Atlantis Red

I have to admit that I would choose this wine just for the pleasure of drinking something "from Atlantis" - in this case, the Greek island of Santorini which makes a claim to that title. As with all wines from Santorini, the volcanic terroir and the unusual "basketed" growing technique results in an unusual, complex wine. I've seen it described as having hints of "prune and leather" but that sounds too wrinkly to me for this intriguing wine and its hints of ancient times and civilizations. Whether or not Santorini was Atlantis is irrelevant - it was at the heart of the Cycladic civilization and was a Minoan colony or trading partner.. and one of those exports was wine, maybe just like this though a bit less volcanic before the final cataclysm. That's enough for me.