Πλαγιές Βερτίσκου (Playies Vertiskou)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The viticultural zone of the Vertiskos slopes is situated on the hillsides of Mount Vertiskos, at an elevation of 620 metres, in the Ossa area of the Municipality of Langadas.
• The soil texture is light with hard layers, soil depth ranges from deep to shallow, and erosion is moderate to severe, with well-drained, acidic soils.
• The zone has a south-westerly aspect, with the vineyards overlooking Lake Agiou Vasiliou (Langadas).
• Winters in the area are harsh, with sub-zero temperatures, prolonged frost lasting several days, and considerable snowfall, while spring is late, with satisfactory rainfall, and summer is generally mild without heatwaves.
• A significant diurnal temperature variation is observed, with temperatures of 14°C at 4 a.m. and 32°C at noon.
• Yields per stremma in the area were initially very low due to the rocky and stony soil composition, although they have stabilised in recent years.

• Church records contain evidence of tax receipts from the cultivation of wheat, rye, and vines covering 340 stremmata, with the vine taxed at twice the rate of the other crops.
• A Romanian dictionary describing notable commodities transported from Greece to Romania included hides and red wine from Ossa, which was then known as Vyrsa or Vidra.
• From 1970 onwards, gradual progress began in the establishment and cultivation of grape varieties, testing the resilience, knowledge, and patience of growers in the pursuit of quality wines that express the organoleptic character of the area.

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-A0266
• Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)