Greek wine has become one of Europe’s most dynamic scenes, shaped by indigenous grape varieties, historic, even ancient, vineyards, and a new generation of producers exploring the potential of local terroirs. Over the past two decades, international wine critics and organizations have increasingly drawn attention to Greece’s distinctive grape varieties and regional styles.
Publications such as Wine Spectator and Decanter have repeatedly highlighted the rise of Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, and other indigenous varieties, while the national body Wines of Greece has worked to introduce Greek wines to a global audience.
Across the country, vineyards that date back centuries now sit alongside contemporary wineries, while cities such as Athens have developed an increasingly vibrant wine bar culture. For travelers interested in discovering wine through landscape and culture, Greece offers something distinctive: ancient grape varieties found almost nowhere else, vineyards stretching from volcanic islands to mountainous valleys, and a growing community of sommeliers and wine professionals eager to share the country’s wine traditions.
For Phoebe Guerrera Petroulia, founder and creative director of Oinoverse, wine sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, and experience. “Oinoverse began as a feeling before it became a brand,” she says. “Wine was always present in my life, not just as a product, but as a cultural connector.”
Over time that connection evolved into something more defined. “I realized that wine needed a more playful, artistic, and inclusive voice. Oinoverse was born as a universe where wine meets storytelling, illustration, fashion, and experience. It wasn’t a business decision at first. It was a creative need.”
A Universe Built Around Wine
Oinoverse now functions as a platform where wine culture intersects with design, storytelling, and experiences. Guerrera Petroulia describes it as “a creative wine universe, a lifestyle brand that combines wine culture with illustration, storytelling, apparel, immersive experiences, and curated events.”
As founder and creative director, she shapes the direction of each project. “I develop the concepts, the collaborations, and the storytelling behind every collection and project,” she explains. The work brings together illustrators, designers, sommeliers, wine professionals, and hospitality venues. At the center of the project is a simple belief: “Every wine and every person has a story worth telling.”
Wine As Culture, Ritual, And Chat
Her connection to wine began with the culture that surrounds it. “Wine carries identity. It carries land, history, personality, and human connection,” Guerrera Petroulia says.
What fascinated her most was the social life built around it. “The lifestyle around wine inspired me. The conversations, the tables shared with friends, the debates about varieties, the rituals of tasting.”
That ritual dimension still shapes how she approaches wine today. “Wine is not only about drinking,” she says. “It’s about experiencing. That sense of ritual and community fascinated me.”
A Novel Curiosity About Wine
During the past decade, Greece’s relationship with wine has changed noticeably. Wine bars, tastings, and vineyard visits have become more common, and younger drinkers show growing interest in indigenous grape varieties. “Greece has changed dramatically in the last decade,” Guerrera Petroulia says. “There is definitely a trend element, but beyond that I see genuine curiosity.”
Wine conversations have become more detailed and more informed. “Wine is no longer just ‘red or white.’ People want to know regions, producers, grapes, techniques.” Indeed, last year the Financial Times published an article titled ‘Athens – The Coolest Wine Scene in Europe?’ Read more about Athens’ thriving wine bar scene here.
The renewed attention to indigenous varieties has also been noted by leading wine writers such as Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke, who have both highlighted Greece’s historic grape varieties as one of the country’s most compelling strengths. “Younger generations are more educated, more experimental, and more open to indigenous varieties,” Guerrera Petroulia says. “It’s becoming part of cultural identity again, not just another drink on the table.”
The Diversity Of Greek Grapes
Asked about favorite Greek wines, she pauses before answering. “That’s a difficult one,” she says. “There are so many Greek wineries doing amazing work that it’s hard to single out any.”
Instead she points to varieties that reflect the diversity of Greece’s vineyards, where dozens of indigenous grapes define the country’s wine identity. “I have a deep love for Assyrtiko, especially when it expresses its mineral intensity,” she says, referring to the white grape associated with the volcanic vineyards of Santorini. “I admire old vine Xinomavro for its structure and complexity.” Other varieties also capture her attention. “I’m very drawn to Vidiano when it’s balanced and elegant, and to refined Agiorgitiko and Liatiko expressions.”
For visitors exploring Greek wine for the first time, she believes the country’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths. “Greece’s diversity is its greatest treasure,” she says. “I genuinely recommend trying all the Greek varieties, if possible.”
Athens Growing Wine Bar Culture
Athens has become an increasingly interesting destination for wine lovers. Over the past several years, a number of wine bars have focused their lists on Greek producers and regional grape varieties, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the country’s wine landscape without leaving the city.
Guerrera Petroulia often gravitates toward places where knowledge and personality shape the experience. “I love spaces where wine is curated with personality and intention,” she says. “Places where the team truly knows the list and can guide you.”
Smaller venues often provide the most engaging encounters with Greek wine. “I also appreciate wine bars that focus on Greek producers and offer thoughtful pairings.” Among the places she enjoys drinking wine in the city are Heteroclito, Gamay, Junior Does Wine, Oinoscent, Topa, and To Koperti.
Discovering Greece Through Wine Travel
Across Greece, vineyard visits have become an increasingly compelling experience for travelers. Regions such as Nemea, Naoussa, Crete, and Santorini offer dramatically different landscapes and wine styles.
Many wineries now welcome visitors for tastings, vineyard walks, and introductions to local grape varieties, making wine tourism an increasingly important part of Greece’s travel experience.
For Guerrera Petroulia, tasting wine in the place where it is made changes the entire experience. “Wine tastes different when you’re surrounded by the landscape that created it.”
Expanding The Oinoverse
Oinoverse itself continues to evolve as Guerrera Petroulia develops new collaborations and projects connecting wine with art and travel. “Oinoverse is constantly evolving,” she says. “We are expanding more into immersive wine experiences and international collaborations.”
Future plans focus on cultural projects that bring together creative fields and wine culture. “I’m focusing on creating deeper cultural projects that connect wine with art and travel.” For her, growth is not simply about scale. “Growth for me doesn’t mean bigger,” Guerrera Petroulia says. “It means more meaningful.”
