The vineyards of Drama and Kavala

Drama vineyards

The modern history of Macedonian viticulture has brought  the vineyards of Drama and Kavala to the forefront, showcasing them as the origin of premium wines, primarily from foreign varietals. The exceptionally temperate and humid climate prevalent in Kavala’s valley and the hilly terrain undulating between the coastline and Mount Pangeon—together with the deep, fertile soil—provide the ideal place for the acclimatization of the early-harvest, foreign white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon. The careful winegrowing practices of the vintners of an area long known for the excellence of its table grapes aid the growth of the vines and quality of their products. Northwest of Kavala, in Drama’s warmer and drier area, it is the international red varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah which have fared better alongside the native Assyrtiko. The latter is an outstanding, Cycladic, white cultivar which, basking in the temperature conditions prevalent in northern Greece, found its second home there and comfortably settled into yielding wines that are far more aromatic and elegant than those produced in its birthplace. Mostly linear and irrigated, the vineyards of Drama and Kavala are among the state-of-the-art and comprehensively organized vineyards in Greece. Winegrowing has also come to flourish in Thrace, to the east, with the main winegrowing zones being the coastline areas of Avdira, in Xanthi, and Maronia, in Rodopi. The beneficial influence of the morning sea breezes welcomed varieties, mostly foreign ones, to settle there in the company of certain native cultivars such as local Mavroudi.