Agiorgitiko
Encyclopedia
Agiorgitiko is one of the two widely-grown heat-resistant Greek wine
-making grape
varieties, the other being Xynomavro
. It is a red variety that has traditionally been grown in the Nemea
region of the Peloponnese
. It is one of the more commercially important indigenous
Greek varieties, and it can take on a large range of characteristics, from soft to very tannic, depending on factors in the growing and winemaking
processes.
style though it is notably blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
in the area around Metsovo
to make the table wine
which is traditionally called Katoi. In the region of Nemea it is often made into rosé
s of oak-aged red wines. The wines are known for their high level of fruitiness but tend to lack some acidity and body. After Xynomavro, it is Greece
's second most widely planted grape variety.
The red wine produced from the grape is characteristically spicy with notes of plum
. It has low acidity but good fruitiness and coloring.
Greek wine
Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. The earliest evidence of Greek wine has been dated to 6,500 years ago where wine was produced on a household or communal basis. In ancient times, as trade in wine became extensive, it was transported from end to end of the...
-making grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
varieties, the other being Xynomavro
Xynomavro
Xinomavro is the principal red wine grape of the uplands of the Naoussa in the prefecture of Imathia, and Amyntaion areas, in Northern Greece. Various writers have compared Xinomavro to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, etc....
. It is a red variety that has traditionally been grown in the Nemea
Nemea
Nemea is an ancient site near the head of the valley of the River Elissos in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. Formerly part of the territory of Cleonae in Argolis, it is today part of the prefecture of Corinthia...
region of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
. It is one of the more commercially important indigenous
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
Greek varieties, and it can take on a large range of characteristics, from soft to very tannic, depending on factors in the growing and winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
processes.
Viticulture
The grape is generally planted in dry, infertile soil, in order to encourage the production of fewer but more concentrated grapes, and ripens after mid-September. It is frequently host to a number of viruses, which may actually be in part responsible for its typical characteristics.Wine styles
The grape is typically made in a varietalVarietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
style though it is notably blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
in the area around Metsovo
Metsovo
Metsovo is a town in Epirus on the mountains of Pindus in northern Greece, between Ioannina to the north and Meteora to the south. The largest centre of Vlach life in Greece, Metsovo is bypassed by GR-6 and also by Egnatia Odos Motorway....
to make the table wine
Table wine
Table wine is a wine term with two different meanings: a wine style; and a quality level within wine classification.In the United States, table wine primarily designates a wine style - ordinary wine which is neither fortified nor sparkling....
which is traditionally called Katoi. In the region of Nemea it is often made into rosé
Rosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
s of oak-aged red wines. The wines are known for their high level of fruitiness but tend to lack some acidity and body. After Xynomavro, it is Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
's second most widely planted grape variety.
The red wine produced from the grape is characteristically spicy with notes of plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
. It has low acidity but good fruitiness and coloring.