Wines of Greece: CENTRAL MACEDONIA

The geographical zone of northern Greece stretches from the Pindos mountain range in the west to the borders with Thrace in the east. The vineyards of Macedonia (Drama, Kavala, Halkidiki, Goumenissa, Naoussa, Amynteo) host cultivars of foreign origin, yielding some of the best Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Syrah varieties produced in Greece, as well as native cultivars, notably Xinomavro, the noblest red produced by the vineyards of northern Greece.
The vineyards of Macedonia are usually scattered amidst other cultivations, orchards and crops alike. Vineyards are normally found on smooth terrain, but they may also be perched on mountain slopes or semi-mountainous terroirs. They frequently stretch along the coastline or lakesides, benefiting from the favorable temperate climate created by the Mediterranean waters. The soil they are planted in is generally fertile with fair moisture capacity and favors brisk vine growth, necessitating the use of advanced training systems and elaborate cultivation practices. Because of the region’s typically flatter terrain -in relation to southern Greece - and the ampler availability of natural resources like cultivable soil and water, the vineyards of Macedonia are almost all linear and irrigated, with medium to low planting densities - fewer than 4,000 vines stocks per hectare.