By Danai Alexaki

 

 

Greek wine exports reached 100 million euros last year for the first time in history. This number may be relatively small compared to the export performance of other sectors of the national economy, but Greek wine has a comparative advantage that no other' Made in Greece' product can claim: the fact that it penetrates so deeply into the homes of consumers all over the world.

 

Greek wine is one of the most important products-ambassadors of the country and, both in terms of quality and brand name, it can compete on equal terms with the international competition.

 

Production of wine amounted to 212,680 tons in 2022 (14% decrease compared to 2021 and 10% compared to the average of the last five years).

 

The number of wineries has grown significantly over the last decade, from 665 in 2010 to 1,617 in 2021. Of these, 1,400 are active, while 90% are very small, with a capacity of less than 100 tons. The vast majority are small family businesses.

 

Exports (2022) now reach 100 million euros, up 17% compared to the previous year and 25% compared to the average of the last five years, while in the decade the increase reaches almost 65%.

 

Exports to the EU have risen to 57 million euros, which corresponds to a rate of 21% from 2021 and 8.5% from the average of the last five years, and an average price of 10% from the previous year and 15% from the average of the last five years.

 

Exports to third countries totaled 42 million euros, up 11% from 2021 and 59% from the average of the last five years, and an average price of 14% from 2021 and 22% from the average of the last five years.

 

Meanwhile, Rural Development Minister Lefteris Avgenakis will inaugurate the Oenorama exhibition on March 1, with the participation of 250 wineries that will present approximately 2,500 wines.

 

There are more than 300 indigenous Greek varietals to choose from. More than 70 are used for winemaking and have proven themselves to do some really good wine stuff.

 

The history

 

The oldest wine press to ever be found, was discovered in the ruins of Vathypetro a village near Heraklion, in Crete. Historians estimate that this wine press dates back to 2.500 BC during the Minoan civilization era and it's the oldest wine press in the world.

 

Following the Minoan era, came the Mycenaean era, when Greek wine was used as a basic commodity and was transferred all over the known ancient world. It's interesting how it was transferred though. They used to put the wine in amphorae and then they sealed the lid with pine raisin. Retsina was the unfortunate result of this procedure. When some of the amphorae were returned to Greece, Greeks liked the aromatic character from the contact with the raisin.

 

Another interesting fact is that ancient Greeks always drunk their wine diluted in water and by that they were distinguished from the so called "barbarians" that took their wine straight. They put the wine in ceramic vase called kratiras and they diluted it with water. Kratiras name derived from the word krasis and nowadays "krasi" in Greek means wine! The reason that ancient Greeks diluted their wine is that they wanted to drink all night during their symposiums (feasts) but not to get drunk. They wanted to talk about philosophy and other cool stuff and not to get wasted like barbarians did!

 

Finally, there were found ancient prescriptions of the father of medicine, Hippocrates that shown how important and sacred wine was for the Greeks. In these prescriptions, Hippocrates advised his patients to take a tablespoon of wine as a remedy, every day.