Ionian islands / Ιονια νησια

An island in the Ionian island group off the coast of Greece, it has a surface area of around 400 km². There are long sandy beaches on the eastern shore, while the west features steep rocky cliffs that drop of into the ocean for as much as 300 metres, with a mountain range in between. Rainfall is adequate, on average. Indigenous grape varieties make up almost all of the plantings, they are Agoustiatis, Agiomavritiko, Areti, Asproudi, Fileri, Goustolidi, Katskoulias, Pavlos, Skiadopoulo, Stafidambelo and Valento. The traditional white wine Verdea is made from various white varieties, it is usually a blend of Skiadopoulos, Pavlos and Goustoulidi. The name is derived from the Italian word „verde“, for green, as the island was under the influence of Venice for many centuries. The grapes are picked early, and produce a “green”, acid-dominated wine. The wine has been produced since medieval times, although it was sweet at that time. In addition, large quantities of table grapes and raisins are also produced. Well-known producers include Komoutos, Solomos, Verdea and Voultsos. There are no OPAP or OPE appellations on the island.