The grape archive · Sample profile 001

Αγιωργίτικο

Agiorgitiko

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Greece’s most widely planted red grape can be bright and immediately fruity or structured enough to age. Its clearest reference point is Nemea, where altitude changes the expression from generous and ripe to fresher and firmer.

A ripe cluster of Agiorgitiko grapes on the vine — Agiorgitiko · Αγιωργίτικο

Typical flavour register

01Red cherry02Plum03Blackberry04Sweet spice05Dried herbs

In the glass

Fruit, velvet and altitude.

Agiorgitiko is unusually flexible. Vineyard height, yield and cellar choices matter, so these scales describe the classic dry red expression rather than every possible bottle.

1/5

Sweetness

DrySweet

3/5

Acidity

SoftFresh

4/5

Tannin

SilkyFirm

4/5

Body

LightFull

4/5

Fruit

SavouryFruit-led

Where it grows

Greek at heart. Rare elsewhere.

Agiorgitiko is a major red variety within Greece, but outside its home country the footprint is tiny. The visual distinguishes established cultivation from reported experimental plantings.

Greece

Established

Nemea, the Peloponnese, Attica and northern mainland regions

Italy

Experimental

Rare research plots and micro-vinifications

United States

Experimental

Very small Californian plantings are reported

Australia

Experimental

Very small trial plantings are reported

PDO NemeaCorinthiaArgolidaAtticaKavalaDrama

Vineyards across the rolling hills of Nemea in Greece — Nemea · PeloponneseAltitude is one of the keys to Agiorgitiko’s many expressions.

Three useful expressions

Fresh & fruit-led

Juicy red fruit, moderate structure and little or no oak. Often best enjoyed young.

Nemea classic

Red and dark fruit, sweet spice, velvety texture and enough tannin for the table.

Structured & age-worthy

Higher-altitude fruit and careful ageing can give firmer, fresher wines with real cellar potential.

Handling

Serve15–18 °C

GlassLarge red-wine glass

Decant30–60 minutes for structured examples

CellarDrink young; serious Nemea can age

At the table

Serve it with warm, savoury food.

Roast lambTomato-braised dishesGrilled aubergineCharcuterieAged hard cheeseWarm spices

Why Nemea matters

PDO Nemea red wine is made from 100% Agiorgitiko. Vineyards rise from roughly 200 to 850 metres, creating markedly different ripening conditions and wine styles.

The lower, warmer sites tend towards riper and more generous wines. Higher sites usually retain more freshness and can produce firmer, longer-lived expressions. That range is the key to understanding the grape.

Sources and further readingWines of Greece · PDO Nemea ↗Karakasis MW · Agiorgitiko ↗Wine Folly · Grape guide ↗