WINE-PRODUCING REGIONS | HALKIDIKI

HALKIDIKI

The vineyard of Halkidiki is mainly identified with the plantings on the slopes of Mount Melitona, on the Sithonia peninsula, where one of the largest single vineyards in Greece is found. In the early 1970s, in the poor soils of the area and on the steep slopes in places, Greek and international varieties were established, both in cup-shaped shapes and in linear, dry vineyards, under the guidance of Emile Peynaud. The adaptation of varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, thanks to the dynamic influence of the sea on the coastal vineyards, as well as the indigenous Assyrtiko, Roditis, Athiri and Limnio, was particularly successful. Special mention should be made of Malagouzia, a then rare white variety of central Greece, which since that period has evolved into one of the most dynamic Greek varieties. On the slopes of Melitona, at an altitude of up to 800 meters, is the PDO zone "Plagies Melitona", where white wines from Athiri, Assyrtiko and Roditis are produced, as well as red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Limnio. At the same time, in recent years, the Mount Athos region has also acquired an important role in the development of the Chalkidiki vineyard, with new linear plantings strengthening its potential. Furthermore, near Thessaloniki, the coastal zones of Epanomi and Agios Pavlos, thanks to their more fertile soils, offer ideal conditions for the cultivation of white varieties, such as Malagouzia and Assyrtiko.