Amathus Drinks has added 14 new Greek producers to its portfolio in response to strong growth in the category.
With nine retail stores spanning London, Brighton and Bath, the merchant has reported ongoing double-digit growth in its Greek wine sales and has been tapping into that positive trend with significant Greek additions.
“In terms of Greek wine generally – we have seen consistent annual double-digit growth in Greek wine sales over the last five years, and over that period we have expanded our range from two wineries in 2018 to 12 by this autumn, with 4 additions this year alone,” said Jeremy Lithgow MW, head of wine at Amathus.
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“Greece is blessed with a range of high-quality, distinctive indigenous grape varieties such as Assyrtiko and Xinomavro, varied terroirs and the current generation of talented and motivated winemakers successfully applying winemaking techniques while retaining regional identity – in short everything you could want from a wine-producing region.”
The new wines include a sparkling from Matamis in Thessaloniki, an Assyrtiko-led blend from Artemis in Santorini, a red blend from Papaioannou in Nemea, a Savatiano from Markou in Attica, plus others beside.
Lithgow added that Amathus was “only at the beginning of this contemporary phase of Greek wine”, suggesting that the company may increase its offer further still in response to strong demand.
Greece has been a rising phenomenon for some time in the UK, moving beyond its ‘off-piste’ credentials to become more of a ‘must list’ for many merchants and on-trade.
In tandem, the quality of the wines continues to rise, partly in response to strong international interest, with Lithgow concluding “the best is yet to come”.
Source: Harpers
