London, Thanasis Gavos,

Events to promote it Greek wine organized at London on Tuesday and Wednesday the organization 50 Great Greek Wines (50 GGW) under the auspices of EOT.

This organization highlights through a competition every year and a half the top 50 wines in Greece and Cyprus and brought with it to the British capital 33 award-winning producers, who presented around 150 labels.

The two-day event began with a masterclass on Tuesday, culminated with a tasting event on Wednesday in Soho for British Masters of Wine, sommeliers, specialist journalists, importers and distributors and concluded with a consumer dinner.

Speaking to SKAI at the venue of the long-hour tasting event, Yannis Karakasis, Master of Wine and founder of 50 GGW, noted that the two-day event is part of the communication and outreach events held for Greek wine.

“We have recognized the UK as an important market for Greek wine and we are investing in trying to communicate this very high quality image of Greek wine to the British people, especially to the professionals who will in turn bring Greek wine into every household.” he added.

The producers with award-winning high-quality labels represented came from all over Greece, from Crete to northern Greece.

Yannis Lambrou, head of the Methymnaios winery in Lesbos said: “I am promoting here my wines that have been present in Britain since 2016 and the aim is to increase their sales and promote them more. I believe that in general Greek wine is becoming known abroad, not only in Britain, but it needs work. Of course, the quality is gradually improving and not only in a general sense, but to appeal to many people and the foreign consumer”.

Regarding the fact that recently there have been more publications in Britain about Greek wines, Mr. Karakasis said: “We have definitely made a lot of progress in recent years, we see a lot of love and attention from markets that did not pay attention to us in previous years. So slowly England’s moment came, it doesn’t impress me at all, various actions are taking place and one of them is ours. I think that we, like others, contribute to the upgrading of this image of Greek wine, which is also linked to the tourist product, i.e. someone who comes to Greece will look for a very nice sea and food and a very nice wine – and we have to we offer this.”

The most popular Greek varieties abroad, according to Mr. Karakasis and the producers, are Assyrtiko, Malagouzia, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro, but efforts are being made to open up the market for varieties such as Limniona, Moschofilero, etc.