Macedonia: Northern Greece's PDO Heartland for Xinomavro

This article covers Macedonia the Greek wine region in northern Greece. It is not the country of North Macedonia. Wines of Greece, the National Inter-Professional Organization of Vine and Wine of Greece, describes the geographical zone of northern Greece as stretching from the Pindos mountain range in the west to the borders with Thrace in the east, and names the vineyards of Macedonia as those of Drama, Kavala, Halkidiki, Goumenissa, Naoussa and Amynteo. According to Wines of Greece, the vineyards of Macedonia host cultivars of foreign origin, yielding some of the best Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Syrah produced in Greece, as well as native cultivars, notably Xinomavro, described as the noblest red produced by the vineyards of northern Greece. The winemakers' association Winemakers of North Greece describes its own coverage as Macedonia, Thrace and Epirus, features 1993 among the figures on its own site, and organizes eight wine routes across the north of the country, including a Wine Route of Naoussa and a Wine Route of Pella-Goumenissa.

• The zone runs from the Pindos mountain range in the west to the border with Thrace in the east (Wines of Greece)
• Named vineyard areas: Drama, Kavala, Halkidiki, Goumenissa, Naoussa and Amynteo (Wines of Greece)
• Xinomavro is the noblest red produced by the vineyards of northern Greece (Wines of Greece)
• Winemakers of North Greece, covering Macedonia, Thrace and Epirus, features 1993 among the figures on its own site

Wines of Greece describes the vineyards of Macedonia as usually scattered amidst other cultivations, orchards and crops alike, and normally found on smooth terrain, though they may also be perched on mountain slopes or semi-mountainous terroirs. The vineyards frequently stretch along the coastline or lakesides, benefiting from a favorable temperate climate created by the Mediterranean waters. The soil is described as generally fertile with fair moisture capacity, favoring brisk vine growth and necessitating advanced training systems and elaborate cultivation practices. Because of the region's typically flatter terrain relative to southern Greece, and the greater availability of cultivable soil and water, Wines of Greece states that the vineyards of Macedonia are almost all linear and irrigated, with medium to low planting densities of fewer than 4,000 vine stocks per hectare. Within the wider region, Wines of Greece describes Kavala's valley as having an exceptionally temperate and humid climate, with hilly terrain undulating between the coastline and Mount Pangeon and deep, fertile soil that suits early-harvest foreign white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon. Northwest of Kavala, Drama's area is described as warmer and drier, suiting the international red varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah alongside the native Assyrtiko. The vineyards of Drama and Kavala are also described by Wines of Greece as mostly linear and irrigated, among the state-of-the-art and comprehensively organized vineyards in Greece.

• Vineyards are normally on smooth terrain but may sit on mountain slopes or semi-mountainous terroirs (Wines of Greece)
• Vineyards frequently run along the coastline or lakesides, benefiting from a temperate climate from the Mediterranean waters (Wines of Greece)
• Fewer than 4,000 vine stocks per hectare, mostly linear and irrigated planting, across the region (Wines of Greece)
• Kavala's valley: exceptionally temperate and humid climate, hilly terrain between the coast and Mount Pangeon, deep fertile soil (Wines of Greece)
• Drama's area, northwest of Kavala, is warmer and drier than Kavala (Wines of Greece)

Wines of Greece's appellations and classifications list groups the region's protected wines under the heading Macedonia. Four PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) wines are listed there: PDO Goumenissa, PDO Naoussa, PDO Amyndeon and PDO Slopes of Meliton. Under the same heading, Wines of Greece lists PGI Macedonia (Protected Geographical Indication) together with a further set of Macedonia-grouped PGIs, including PGI Kavala, PGI Thasos, PGI Pangeon, PGI Drama, PGI Agora, PGI Serres, PGI Slopes of Paiko, PGI Slopes of Vertiskos, PGI Thessaloniki, PGI Epanomi, PGI Halkidiki, PGI Sithonia, PGI Mount Athos, PGI Pella, PGI Florina, PGI Kastoria, PGI Imathia, PGI Pieria, PGI Kozani, PGI Grevena, PGI Siatista and PGI Velvento. Winemakers of North Greece describes the PDO designation as Protected Designation of Origin and the PGI designation as Protected Geographical Indication, and states that as a collective body it is involved in actions concerning the development, promotion and protection of these designations. Wines of Greece separately notes that Drama and Kavala have no PDO area established, although they are considered two of the most significant viticultural regions of Greece.

• Four PDO wines under Macedonia: Goumenissa, Naoussa, Amyndeon and Slopes of Meliton (Wines of Greece)
• PGI Macedonia plus region-grouped PGIs including PGI Drama, PGI Kavala, PGI Halkidiki and PGI Pella (Wines of Greece)
• PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin and PGI for Protected Geographical Indication (Winemakers of North Greece)
• No PDO area has been established in Drama and Kavala (Wines of Greece)

Five articles sit directly under this hub, matching the PDO and PGI wines Wines of Greece lists under Macedonia. Amyntaio PDO and Naoussa PDO are both Xinomavro-based appellations; Winemakers of North Greece states that Xinomavro grapes produce PDO Amyntaio as a dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet red and rosé wine, and a naturally sparkling, dry and semi-sweet rosé wine, and PDO Naoussa as a dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet red wine. Goumenissa PDO blends Xinomavro with the Negoska variety into a dry red wine, per Winemakers of North Greece. PDO Slopes of Meliton is named by Winemakers of North Greece as a wine that draws on the Assyrtiko, Athiri and Roditis varieties. PGI Drama, per Wines of Greece, sits in an area with no PDO of its own, northwest of Kavala, where international red varieties and Assyrtiko have found favorable conditions.

• Amyntaio PDO: dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet red and rosé Xinomavro wine, plus a naturally sparkling dry and semi-sweet rosé (Winemakers of North Greece)
• Naoussa PDO: dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet red wine from Xinomavro (Winemakers of North Greece)
• Goumenissa PDO: dry red wine blending Xinomavro with Negoska (Winemakers of North Greece)
• PDO Slopes of Meliton: draws on the Assyrtiko, Athiri and Roditis varieties (Winemakers of North Greece)
• PGI Drama: an area with no PDO of its own, northwest of Kavala (Wines of Greece)

Xinomavro is described by Winemakers of North Greece as the noblest of red varieties in northern Greece, grown mainly in Naoussa, Goumenissa, Amyntaio, Rapsani, Trikomo, Siatista, Pella, Velvendos and, to a smaller extent, on Mount Athos, in Ossa, Ioannina, Magnesia, Kastoria and Trikala. At average altitudes and appropriate soil, Winemakers of North Greece states that Xinomavro produces dry reds with good color, a typical bouquet, good acidity and high alcoholic strength, rich in tannins and able to benefit from ageing; at high altitudes it can yield rosés and sparkling wines with an aroma of red berries, especially strawberry, and it can also produce white blanc de noirs wines. Assyrtiko, per Winemakers of North Greece, originates on Santorini and has spread to Halkidiki, Epanomi, Drama, Pangeo, Attica and the Peloponnese, cultivated on over 1,150 hectares across Greece; in mainland Greece and northern Greece in particular it is described as particularly fruity and floral, compared with its more mineral and earthy character on Santorini. It is used in the PDO Slopes of Meliton wine as well as in the PGIs Epanomi, Drama, Mount Athos and Macedonia among others. Roditis is described as an old, indigenous gris variety grown across many Greek regions including Macedonia and Thrace, blended with Athiri and Assyrtiko to produce the dry white PDO Slopes of Meliton.

• Xinomavro is grown mainly in Naoussa, Goumenissa, Amyntaio, Rapsani, Trikomo, Siatista, Pella and Velvendos (Winemakers of North Greece)
• Xinomavro at average altitude gives dry reds rich in tannins that can benefit from ageing (Winemakers of North Greece)
• Assyrtiko is cultivated on over 1,150 hectares across Greece and is used in PDO Slopes of Meliton (Winemakers of North Greece)
• Roditis is blended with Athiri and Assyrtiko for the dry white PDO Slopes of Meliton (Winemakers of North Greece)
• In Kavala's valley, early-harvest foreign white varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon have found favorable conditions (Wines of Greece)
• In Drama's area, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and the native Assyrtiko have fared well (Wines of Greece)

Primary sources used: https://winesofgreece.org/regions/macedonia, https://winesofgreece.org/regions/drama-%CE%BAavala, https://winesofgreece.org/regions-wineries/appellations-and-classifications/, https://winemakersofnorthgreece.gr/en/, https://winemakersofnorthgreece.gr/en/vineyards/. Last verified 2026-09-17