Θήβα (Thiva)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The viticultural zone of the Thiva PGI lies within the administrative boundaries of the Thiva regional unit, at elevations above 10 metres, with the highest-altitude vineyards reaching 700 m on the massif of Mount Helikon, in the Valley of the Muses.
• The soils of the area are diverse, ranging from sandy, sandy-loam and loam through to sandy-clay and clay, with medium texture and a predominantly neutral pH.
• A significant number of vineyards are now cultivated on sloping terrain, in order to favour drainage and improved sun exposure, in contrast to the traditional practice of planting on the more fertile areas.
• The climate of the area is characterised as Mediterranean, with a mean annual temperature of 17.16 °C, a mean minimum of 10.94 °C and a mean maximum of 23.41 °C, with the highest temperatures recorded in July and the lowest in January.
• Annual cumulative rainfall amounts to 556 mm, with a characteristic Mediterranean distribution — elevated during October through April — while winter winds are strong northeasterlies.

• According to one version of mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine, was born in Thiva, a circumstance linked to the origins of winemaking in the Greek world being traced to this region.
• The ancient historian Hesiod, who resided in the Valley of the Muses, describes a method of producing wine from sun-dried grapes that yields high-alcohol sweet wines.

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-A1195
• Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)