We can't evoke the Greek wine without mentioning a few specialties such as Retsina, Muscat of Samos or Santorini Vinsanto. That's true, Retsina doesn't meet everyone's taste, but this can't be said of sweet wines, which are always delicious...

Retsina | Ρετσίνα

A white or rosé wine made with the Savatiano grape (sometimes blended with Asyrtiko and Rhoditis), with added Aleppo pine resin: a very special taste... A practice that dates back over 2,000 years: the resin was used to seal the jars and prevent oxidation. The Romans started using barrels during the 3rd century AD, thus the need for resin disappeared, but in ancient times spices and herbs were almost always added to the wine, so this resin taste remained in vogue and Retsina production lasted until the Modern Times.

Moschato Aspro | Μοσχάτο Άσπρο

The grape used for the famous Muscat of Samos, the white muscat with small grains which spread around the world: it is grown in France to produce the Beaumes-de-Venise muscat and in Italy for the Moscato d'Asti, to name but a few. Beware: there are only 1,600 hectares of vineyards on Samos, so the Muscat you find in supermarkets is not always of controlled origin, ask for advice from a specialist dealer!

Mavrodafni | Μαυροδάφνη

A dark red grape which produces the eponymous sweet wine, aged according to the Spanish solera method used for Sherry, Porto and Marsala. Apart from the Muscat of Samos, it's the best known Greek sweet wine.

Vinsanto | Βινσάντο

A specialty of Santorini which blend must include at least 51% of Asyrtiko grape, the remainder being Aidani, another indigenous grape. The grapes are harvested late, then sun-dried for 12 to 15 days and fermented without any chaptalization. Vinsanto must then be aged at least 24 months in oak barrels before being bottled and sold. Its ageing potential is over 50 years. Unlike Vin Santo of Tuscany, its name doesn't mean "Holy Wine" but "wine of Santorini".

Of course, sweet wines produced from sun-dried grapes are not a Santorini specialty, it's a method used all over Greece.