Eleven (11) wine-growing departments have been established for the classification of wine grape varieties taking into account the prevailing soil and climatic conditions in them as follows:
- Wine Region of Peloponnese, which includes the prefectures of Argolida, Arcadia, Achaia, Ilia, Corinthia, Laconia (including the island of Kythira) and Messinia.
- Wine Region of Central Greece, which includes the prefectures of Aitoloakarnania, Attica (except the island of Kythira), Viotia, Evia, Evritania, Fthiotida and Fokida.
- Viticultural District of Thessaly, which includes the prefectures of Karditsa, Larissa, Magnesia and Northern Sporades and Trikala.
- Viticultural District of Epirus, which includes the prefectures of Arta, Thesprotia, Ioannina and Preveza.
- Wine Region of Macedonia, which includes the prefectures of Grevena, Drama, Imathia, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Kastoria, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Chalkidiki and Florina.
- Vineyard District of Thrace, which includes the prefectures of Evros, Xanthi and Rhodope.
- Vineyard District of North Aegean, which includes the prefectures of Lesvos, Chios and Samos.
- Viticultural District of Cyclades, which includes the prefecture of Cyclades.
- Dodecanese wine-growing district, which includes the prefecture of Dodecanese.
- Viticultural District of Crete, which includes the prefectures of Heraklion, Lassithi, Rethymnon and Chania.
- Viticultural Department of the Ionian Islands, which includes the prefectures of Zakynthos, Corfu, Kefallinia and Lefkada.
* Wine grape varieties are classified by wine-growing district, as defined by ,, except for varieties that have other use than wine-growing, where they are classified within the boundaries of the prefecture.
Categories classification of wine grape varieties
* Wine grape varieties classified in one or more , Wine Districts are divided into the following categories:
(a) Recommended vine varieties, and (b) Authorised vine varieties.
The grape variety recommended for the production of wine products is defined as presenting:
the typical and generally accepted vine, morphological, physiological and productive characters of the variety, as determined by its polyclonal composition;
b) High adaptability to abiotic and biotic factors and high plasticity and dynamism in the applied good vine-growing technique; and
c) High and stable quality of wine products (either varietal or co-vinification with other cultivated varieties of the European vine), easily recognizable and market demand stable or growing.
The authorised vine variety for the production of wine products is defined as presenting:
the typical and generally accepted vitiographic and morphological characteristics of the variety, as determined by its polyclonal composition;
The physiological and production characteristics and the quality of the wine products are at a satisfactory level but have not been fully assessed.
Where a variety is classified as wine-making and is also included among the table varieties that may be planted, replanted or re-vaccinated in the country, the following shall apply:
Where such a variety is cultivated as a wine grape variety, in order to be entitled to produce wine for marketing it must be cultivated in accordance with Community and national provisions in the wine sector (legal planting right) and the parcels in question must be entered in the vineyard register with the code of the wine grape variety concerned.
b) If such a variety is cultivated as a table variety (without planting right), then these parcels are registered in the Vineyard Register with the corresponding code of the table variety and are not entitled to produce wine.
- When a variety is classified as winemaking and exceptionally as raisins within the boundaries of a prefecture, then the following applies:
(a) Where such a variety is cultivated as a wine grape variety, in order to be entitled to produce wine for marketing, it must be cultivated in accordance with Community and national provisions in the wine sector (legal planting right), those parcels must not have activated single payment entitlements under the CMO for fruit and vegetables and must be registered under the code of the corresponding wine grape variety.
Where such a variety is cultivated for the production of dry currants, such parcels shall be entered in the vineyard register with the corresponding dry currant code and may not produce wine for marketing.
· By 886/15441/06.02.2014 of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the wine varieties cultivated in the country were classified in the , wine districts as defined.
In order for a wine grape variety to be grown in one of the wine-growing districts, it must first have been classified in it.
* The varieties Muscat Hamburg N, Late Stress B, Muscat Alexandria B, Late Soufli B, Razaki (Kerino) B, Sultanina B may be grown as table (without planting right) throughout the country and as wine grapes . Where these parcels are cultivated as table parcels, they shall be entered in the vineyard register with the relevant table variety code and shall not be entitled to produce wine for marketing.
In cases where the above varieties have been classified as wine grape varieties, in order to be entitled to produce wine for marketing, they must be cultivated in accordance with Community and national provisions in the wine sector (legal planting right) and these parcels must be entered in the vineyard register with the code of the respective wine grape variety.
The Corinthian and Sultana varieties may be grown for dry currant production in certain prefectures in accordance with Annex I, Title II. In this case, these parcels are entered in the vineyard register with the corresponding dry currant code and cannot produce wine for marketing.
Where the above varieties are also classified as wine grape varieties, in order to be entitled to produce wine for marketing they must be cultivated in accordance with Community and national provisions in the wine sector (legal planting right), the parcels in question must not have activated single payment entitlements under the CMO for fruit and vegetables and must be entered in the vineyard register with the code of the wine grape variety concerned.
Source: Ministry of Rural Development and Food Ministerial Decision No 886/15441/06.02.2014 on the classification of wine grape varieties and grape varieties , Ministerial Decision No 659/9588/24-01-13 laying down the additional measures necessary for the implementation of Council Regulations (EC) No 1234/2007, No 555/2008 and No 436/2009 on the conditions and procedure for classifying wine grape varieties.
