New Wines Of Greece

With 7,400 acres planted with Agiorgitiko—the choicest of red varieties of southern Greece—the vineyards of Nemea form the largest zone producing PDO wines in Greece. Vinegrowing is divided into three altitude zones: the flatlands around the cities of Nemea and Ancient Nemea (altitude: 260-350 m); the semi-mountainous zone (altitude: 350-600 m) on the western-southwestern foothills circling the plain of Nemea; and the mountain zone (altitude: 600-800 m) which comprises the valleys and plateaus at the foot of Mount Kyllini. In the vineyards of Nemea, the vines are cordon-trained bilaterally. Planting densities are average, with 1,600-2,000 vine stocks per acre; at the lower altitudes, the soil is composed mainly of the alluvial deposits of the Asopos River -of thin texture in the center of the plain, which makes it deeper and more fertile, and coarser at the foot of the mountainous formations, where it has a higher gravel content, is less fertile and of a lower moisture retaining capacity. In the shallow, calcareous soil of the semi-mountainous terroirs Agiorgitiko ripens early due to the milder climatic conditions. On the mountainous terroirs, where it is colder, the grapes ripen late, in October, and depending on the weather.