01Where is the Attica wine region?
Attica is the region surrounding Athens, on a peninsula in the southeastern part of Central Greece. Its vineyards run from the Mesogaia plain east of the city to the slopes of Parnitha and Penteli in the north and Mount Kithaironas in the north-west.
02What is Savatiano?
A white grape variety, the most widely planted in Greece, covering about 5,500 of Attica’s 6,200 hectares. It is highly resistant to drought and fungal disease and ripens late, from early to mid-September. Its synonyms include Lefki Kontoura, Aspri Dobraina, Sakeiko, Savathiano and Perahoritiko.
03Does Savatiano age?
From low-yielding old vines, yes — often a decade or more, developing honey, toasted nuts and petrol-like notes with a mineral character. It is not a recent discovery: a Savatiano was released in 1935 after eight years in bottle, in a run of two hundred thousand.
04What does PGI mean on a Greek wine label?
PGI, or ΠΓΕ in Greek, is Protected Geographical Indication — the broader of the two EU tiers of protected origin. Attica works entirely at PGI level. It is not a lesser category but a wider one, and in a region where a grower may farm parcels in three different soils it is often the more honest fit.
05What is the difference between PGI Attiki and PGI Slopes of Kithaironas?
PGI Attiki covers the whole region and is warm, coastal and predominantly white. PGI Slopes of Kithaironas is a smaller, cooler, continental zone on the north-western edge, where altitude rather than the sea sets the terms, and it is the one where red wine is the point rather than the exception.
06Does Attica make red wine?
Yes, though it remains a small part of production. The reds worth seeking come mainly from Kithaironas, led by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, in styles from soft and fruity to rich and cellar-worthy.
07How old are the vines?
In areas such as Mesogaia, many vineyards still in production were planted in the late 1950s. They are trained in gobelet, dry-farmed, and yield 28–35 hl/ha. They survived because the land was too fragmented for anyone to clear and replant it.
08At what temperature should the wines be served?
Young dry Savatiano at 10–12 °C; old-vine, barrel-fermented or aged bottles at 12–14 °C, since over-chilling shuts down the honey and nut character. Kithaironas reds at 16–18 °C, with the fresher, fruit-driven styles worth trying slightly cooler.
09What food goes with the wines of Attica?
Fresh Savatiano with fish, shellfish, vegetables, white cheese and roast poultry; aged bottles with grilled fish, slow-cooked pork and meat casseroles. Kithaironas reds with grilled lamb and goat, roast meats, game and aged hard cheeses.
10Can the vineyards be visited?
Yes. The Mesogaia lies between central Athens and the airport, roughly half an hour from the city; Kithaironas is about an hour to the north-west. Most wineries receive visitors by appointment.
