Greek Wine Explained: Why Assyrtiko and Xinomavro Are Winning Over Wine Lovers
If you're of a certain age, there's a good chance the words "Greek wine" bring back memories of Retsina.
For many Irish wine drinkers, a summer holiday to Greece in the 1980s or 1990s involved at least one encounter with this distinctive pine-resin-flavoured wine. For some, it was love at first sip. For many others, it was enough to put them off Greek wine altogether.
Which is a shame.
Because while Retsina remains an important part of Greece's wine heritage, today's Greek wine scene couldn't be more different.
In fact, some of the most exciting wines being produced anywhere in Europe right now are coming from Greece. Sommeliers love them. Michelin-starred restaurants are pouring them. And increasingly, our customers are discovering grape varieties that offer something genuinely different from the usual Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir.
The Greece of 2026 is not the Greece of the package holiday wine list.
Today, Greece is producing world-class Assyrtiko, elegant Xinomavro, exciting sparkling wines and some of the most distinctive rosés on the market.
Why Is Greek Wine Becoming So Popular?
Greek wine ticks many of the boxes modern wine drinkers are looking for.
Freshness. Character. Indigenous grape varieties. Food-friendliness. Excellent value.
While many wine regions are built around international grapes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Greece has hundreds of native grape varieties that offer something genuinely different.
Two grapes in particular have become stars of the modern Greek wine story: Assyrtiko and Xinomavro.
What Is Assyrtiko?
Assyrtiko is Greece's flagship white grape and one of the most exciting white wine varieties in the world.
If you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or Chablis, there's a very good chance you'll enjoy Assyrtiko.
Expect flavours of lemon, lime, grapefruit and white peach, often accompanied by a distinctive mineral character and mouthwatering acidity.
Unlike many Sauvignon Blancs, Assyrtiko is less about grassy flavours and more about freshness, citrus and texture.
It is a grape that performs brilliantly with seafood, salads and Mediterranean cuisine.
The Regions To Know
The volcanic island of Santorini made Assyrtiko famous, producing some of the world's most age-worthy white wines.
Today, exciting examples are also being produced across mainland Greece and Crete.
Michelle's Recommendations
Kir-Yianni "The North" Assyrtiko
One of the wines that first made me fall in love with Greek wine. Fresh, vibrant and packed with citrus and stone fruit flavours, it delivers all the excitement of premium Sauvignon Blanc whilst remaining uniquely Greek.
Produced in Crete, this is a beautifully refreshing expression of Assyrtiko that showcases the grape's ability to combine freshness with remarkable concentration.
What Is Xinomavro?
If Assyrtiko is Greece's answer to Sauvignon Blanc, then Xinomavro is Greece's answer to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo.
Xinomavro produces wines with bright acidity, elegant tannins and complex flavours of sour cherry, cranberry, dried herbs and spice.
It has the elegance of Pinot Noir, some of the structure of Nebbiolo and a character that is entirely its own.
For wine lovers looking to move beyond familiar grape varieties, Xinomavro is one of the most rewarding discoveries they can make.
The Regions To Know
The most famous home of Xinomavro is Naoussa in northern Greece.
The cooler climate helps preserve freshness and produces wines capable of ageing for many years.
Amyndeon is another important region, particularly known for producing excellent sparkling wines and rosés from Xinomavro.
Michelle's Recommendations
One of our newest additions and a wine I absolutely love. Bright, refreshing and packed with wild strawberry, cranberry and watermelon flavours, it is proof that Greece can produce world-class rosé as well as red wine.
Kir-Yianni Xinomavro Sparkling Brut
One of the most exciting sparkling wines we've discovered in recent years. Think cranberry, raspberry and red apple flavours with plenty of freshness and energy.
Greece's Other Hidden Gem: Roditis
While Assyrtiko receives much of the attention, Roditis deserves a mention.
For lovers of Pinot Grigio, Roditis can be a wonderful discovery.
Expect flavours of pear, citrus and white flowers, with a refreshing, easy-drinking style that makes it ideal for everyday enjoyment.
Michelle's Recommendation
A brilliantly versatile white wine that offers freshness, flavour and exceptional value.
The Perfect Introduction To Greek Wine
If you're new to Greek wine, I'd recommend starting with a mixed selection.
Our Greek Escape Box includes some of the most exciting wines from modern Greece and offers a fantastic introduction to the country's most important grape varieties and styles.
It's the perfect way to discover why so many wine lovers are falling in love with Greece.
My Verdict
What I love most about Greek wine is that it doesn't feel like a copy of somewhere else.
Assyrtiko isn't trying to be Sauvignon Blanc.
Xinomavro isn't trying to be Pinot Noir.
These wines have their own identity, their own history and their own sense of place.
And in a wine world increasingly dominated by familiar grape varieties, that's exactly what makes Greece one of the most exciting wine countries in Europe right now.
If your memories of Greek wine begin and end with a glass of Retsina on a package holiday many years ago, it might be time to give Greece another chance.
You could be in for a very pleasant surprise.
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