Learn about the "wine villages" and wineries of Samos.
The famous Samos wine is the greatest ambassador of Greek wines abroad. We call it "Samos Moscato" instead of "White Moscato", as this variety is identified with the picturesque island of the eastern Aegean.
Of course, this is not without reason since Moscato, also known as Moschoudi, has been cultivated on the island for millennia. It is an integral part of the history, tradition, and wine culture of Samos and, of course, its best ambassador of Greek wine all over the world.
According to mythology, Dionysus, the god of vines and wine, gave the Samians muscat grapes when they helped him defeat the Amazonas and taught them viticulture and wine production.
From this grape, with its small pods and rich taste, the famous "White Moscato" has been produced for centuries, which is said to have received its name because its aroma is reminiscent of the equivalent of the island's flowers every spring.
Throughout the centuries, from antiquity, the Byzantine period, Ottoman occupation and the Wars of Independence to the Union with Greece in 1912, the viticulture and winemaking of White Moscato have marked the local history and society of Samos, which continues to the present day.
Today, "Samos Moscato" is famous worldwide and has wholly identified its name with its geographical origin, as is the case with the finest international varieties. For these reasons, Samos wine has one of the oldest protected designations of origin (PDO) and is entitled to be marketed internationally only under the name "Samos."
With a bright pale yellow colour and greenish highlights and beautifully balanced between dry and sweet, Samos Moscato expresses a specific, complex flavour profile with many aromatic characteristics.
They are dominated by fruits and flowers, specifically fresh grapes, orange blossoms, and rose petals. However, the grape dominates with its primary aromas. Although the aftertaste leaves a subtle sweetness, the grape's natural freshness prevails.
The secret of success
The success of Samos Moscato is not only due to the quality of the grapes grown on traditional stone terraces—terraces scattered in the mountains of the island reaching 900 m altitude—but also to the love and passion of the island's winegrowers, who have been passionately cultivating and producing the popular wine, which stands out for its rich and balanced aroma—for centuries now.
Today, there are approximately 25 "wine villages" throughout the island. These villages are systematically engaged in viticulture on traditional dry stone terraces at a high altitude and steep terrain around Mount Ampelos.
The secret lies in the high altitude, the terrain and the cool summer sea breezes. The Moscato vineyard also extends to the slopes of Mount Kerki (1,443 m.) in the western part of the island.
Global Ambassador
Until 2016, the exclusive producer of the wine was the Union of Wine Cooperatives of Samos, one of the oldest and largest in Greece, which to date has received dozens of distinctions and awards.
The wines produced by the Single Winemaking Agricultural Cooperative of Samos are sweet, semi-dry, and dry. In recent years, private wineries have also been active on the island, managing to export 80% of the island's total annual production.
Samos is the best-known Greek wine abroad and is included in the list of the top wines worldwide.
Samos Moscato wine is exported to countries such as France, Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Cyprus, Australia, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Finland, China, Hungary, Romania, etc. The total number of exporting countries is 25, and new markets are added annually.
The other varieties
Moscato Samos dominates on the island, covering 95% of the approximately 18,000 acres. In the remaining 5% of the island's vineyards, Fokiano is grown as a red wine and the well-known Ritino and Augustiatis.
Phokian comes from Asia Minor and is also known as Samiotiko or Damaskino. It produces good quality red wines characterised by moderate alcoholic strength, moderate acidity, and colour.
Retino is a red variety, with wine of high alcoholic strength, good acidity and moderate colour.
Finally, Augustiatis belongs to a group of very rare Greek varieties cultivated in a small area by a few wine producers but with impressive high-quality results.
It is a red grape variety that produces mainly dry wines. It has a deep, lively, dark red colour and intense aromas of ripe red fruits and Mediterranean herbs.
Visitable Wineries
Today, nine wineries operate in Samos, all open to the public and offer unique wine-tasting experiences. The Unified Wine Cooperative (EOS) of Samos operates two large wineries: one in Malagari, in the city of Samos, and one in Karlovasi (Samos wine.gr/Tel: 2273087510).
The wineries Nopera (noperawine.com/Tel: 6987083307), Vakakis (vakakiswines.gr/Tel: 6944941118) and Kostaki (www.kostakiwinery.gr/Tel: 6958185480) have their facilities in Karlovasi and the wider area. In central Samos, the Hatziioannou winery (hatziioannou-wines.gr, Tel: 6948302477) operates in the village of Mytilinioi, while in the mountainous village of Stavrinides is the small winery of the Eleftheriou family (Tel: 6932320353).
Also in Marathokampos is the Koutsodontis winery (coutsodontiswinery.gr/Tel: 6986502669). Near the village of Vourliotes, the Metaxa Liknon winery opened its doors (metaxa.com/Tel: 6956202709).
You can visit the wineries of Samos by appointment, which is a unique opportunity to enjoy the wines produced on the island. The guide "Digital Routes of Samian Wine" provides information about the organised route "Wineries" (samoswineroutes.gr).
Panagioti Savvidis is a columnist for Travel. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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