Μεσσηνία (Messinia)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The climate of the region is characterised by a long period of sunshine and an optimal annual rainfall of approximately 600 mm, both of which contribute to the quality of the wines produced.
• Winters in the region are mild while summers are warm and extended, conditions that favour viticulture.
• The soils of the region are lightly calcareous with a neutral to alkaline pH, and are considered ideal for vine development.
• Winds of moderate intensity combined with a rolling, hilly relief prevail throughout the region, while the vineyards benefit from excellent light exposure and ventilation.
• The sea breeze from the Ionian and Aegean seas cools the vineyards, contributing to better grape ripening during the technological maturation phase.

• Pausanias records that Dionysus and the women accompanying him exclaimed 'Enoi' for the first time after tasting the local wine, thereby giving its name to Mount Eva in Messenia.
• Excavations at the Palace of King Nestor at Pylos revealed, in the waiting room, two large wine pithoi intended for visitors, as well as an adjacent storeroom containing hundreds of kylikes arranged on wooden shelves.

• The wine produced is described as rich in pigments and aromas, with a deep colour and a pleasant palate.
• The concentrations of phosphorus, potassium, and boron in the soil have a significant influence in making the wine rich in aromatic compounds.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Greece

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-GR-A1009
• Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)