How many different wines are produced in Thessaly?

TEXT: Konstantinos Lazarakis
Many thanks to the magazine Cantina for granting permission to use the article.

Viticulture is not as widespread in Thessaly as one might expect because cereals and cotton are more profitable. The best vineyards thrive on hillsides at the edges of the region, where the grapes are of higher quality than those grown in the heavy and organically rich soils of the Thessalian plain. Water is plentiful, with many rivers, most notably the Pinios, used for irrigation, and snow in the nearby mountains doesn't melt until late spring. High yields are not uncommon in the vineyards of the Thessalian plain.

The vineyards of Thessaly are mainly located near the edges of the plain, and especially on hillsides. The presence of high mountains creates a protective shield against winds blowing from all directions and traps moisture at lower altitudes, encouraging, however, the appearance of diseases caused by harmful fungi. The main varieties are white (Assyrtiko, Roditis, Savvatiano, Batiki, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc) and red (Limnio, Limniona, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cinsault) along with some Italian varieties such as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. Although it contains low levels of sugars and acidity, the local variety Batiki can give well-structured wines. The local Limniona, although it resembles Limnio, is a different red variety that is grown mainly in Tyrnavos and Karditsa, and is the most interesting of all, as it has given impressive results after several years of research and experimentation. Wines from Limniona are deep in color, rich, with high, although not excessive, extract. They have a medium to full body, containing relatively soft tannins and fairly high levels of acidity. As for the aroma, notes of red and black fruits and herbs dominate.

The PDO wines
Thessaly produces three PDO wines. The Magnesia region includes the PDO Anchialos, which focuses exclusively on the production of white, dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet wines from Roditis, at a rate of at least 75%, and Savvatiano. The vineyards are close to the sea and thus benefit from the cool sea breeze that reduces high summer temperatures. There are detailed rules for the winemaking process, which, e.g., prohibit contact with the skins and aging in oak, so as to preserve the primary fruity aromas of the varieties.

The PDO Messenikola zone, which was not included in the list of PDO wines until 1994, is located at the northeastern end of Lake Plastiras, in the Karditsa region, where there are vineyards at altitudes of 200-600 meters (650-2,000 feet). The soil is light and gravelly with some spots with clay, has water retention capacity, and proves invaluable in times of drought. The wine is 70% Black Messenikola and 30% Carignan and Syrah. These aromatic wines are light in color, sometimes almost rosé, without tannic structure and extract.

The most important PDO zone, however, both in quantity and quality, is Rapsani, at the foot of Mount Olympus. The vineyards start from a low altitude of 100 meters (330 feet) and reach up to 700 meters (2,300 feet). The vineyards located at relatively high altitudes are considered the best, their soils are light and stony, schist with iron patches, while they receive the positive influence of the cold currents that come down from the mountains. The three varieties used and mixed in equal quantities are Xinomavro, Krasato and Stavroto, with the latter being difficult to cultivate because it is easily affected by fungi. Stavroto has low levels of sugar and produces wines with medium acidity and firm tannins. Krasato, on the other hand, is rich in dry extract with high levels of sugar and relatively deep color. The harvest of Stavroto takes place one week after Xinomavro and Krasato. Aging is a very crucial stage for Rapsani wines and is carried out in large oak barrels, while the process is closely and carefully monitored. A good Rapsani wine is an excellent example of modern Greek wine with ripe, although not excessively sweet, fruity aromas, with dried herbs and spices that indicate the well-integrated oak and velvety tannins.

The Rapsani area has three villages: Pyrgetos, Ampelakia and Rapsani itself. The village Krania, on the eastern slopes of Mount Olympus, was originally incorporated into the Rapsani PDO, but was excluded in 2001 in order to produce white and red PGI wines from international varieties.

Tyrnavos is another important winemaking area, although more known for the production of tsipouro than wine. The main varieties here are Muscat of Hamburg and Roditis. Muscat of Hamburg produces simple and aromatic wine, while Roditis, often called Roditis Damasi, gives good quality wines with high acidity and high extract.