The north-eastern side sea of the Mediterranean lies between the east coast of Greece and Turkey. The name goes back to the legendary King Aegeus of Athens. The region is rich in history, culture and scenic diversity and is one of the oldest settlement and wine-growing areas of mankind. The Aegean comprises countless islands and coastal strips of both countries. Despite national borders, both sides share thousands of years of history, in which viticulture has always played an important role.

Aegean - Greece

The Greek Aegean comprises numerous famous islands and archipelagos such as the Dodecanese, Sporades and Cyclades. Many of them were colonised by Greeks around 1000 BC. Viticulture and wine culture have an ancient tradition on these islands. Even in ancient times, famous Greek wines were produced here and exported as far away as Rome.

On the island of Chios (Khios), where the legendary poet Homer (8th century BC) is said to have worked, the wine was considered so fine that Chios was described as the "Bordeaux of Greek antiquity". In the Middle Ages, sweet wines in particular were exported from the islands all over the world via the port of Monemvasia.

The most important wine-growing islands today are Crete, Lesbos, Limnos, Mykonos, Paros, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini and Thasos (see map). Most of them have appellations classified as POP (Protected Origin of Production). A total of around 9,000 hectares of vineyards are cultivated. The Ionian Islands on the west coast of Greece are also sometimes geographically counted as part of the Aegean, but are not part of it in terms of wine law.

Aegean - Turkey

There is also a long wine-growing tradition along the 2,800-kilometre-long Turkish Aegean coast - particularly in the province of Izmir and around the Çeşme peninsula - which dates back to ancient times. Although viticulture is less present here than in Greece due to religious and social factors, a lively winegrowing scene with modern wineries has developed in recent decades.

Particularly in the regions around Denizli, Manisa, Selçuk and Urla, high-quality wines are now produced from international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah as well as indigenous varieties such as Boğazkere, Çalkarasi, Narince, Öküzgözü and Sultaniye. The climatic conditions along the Aegean coast, with hot summers, mild winters and cooling sea breezes, are ideal for growing aromatic and structured wines.

Ancient winemaking traditions are also increasingly coming back into focus - for example on the island of Bozcaada (Tenedos), where the indigenous variety Karasakiz (Kuntra) is cultivated. Today, Turkish Aegean viticulture is strongly characterised by innovative private estates, which are increasingly gaining international recognition.

Common heritage - shared traditions

The Aegean is an area of shared history, cultural interdependence and viticultural similarities. Viticulture was and is an expression of a Mediterranean way of life, characterised by hospitality, enjoyment and tradition. Even though there are political borders, the Aegean unites both countries in their vinophile identity.

Aegean Sea: by(Bamse) - Own work; translation of Aegean Sea, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link