Decanter Awards 2018 for Greek and Cypriot wine: Better than ever

This year the awards for Greek wines feature a Best in Show award (the previous International Trophy) which was announced last week and which is regarded as the jewel of the crown in the Decanter Awards. Best in Show winners are all wines that have already received Platinum medals and have been re-tasted several times to make it to the top-tier; they have been tasted by Decanter co-chairs, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Andrew Jefford and Michael Hill Smith MW. Only 49 wines in the world, among the 17.000 participating wines, received this medal!

Among these, Karamolegos Santorini 2016, a wine described by the judges as 'an outstanding summary of this unique terroir'.

In total, the collection of medals includes 1 Best in Show, 2 Platinums and 9 Golds (versus 4 Platinums and 13 Golds in 2017). Cypriot wines maintain their strong presence with 1 Gold and 9 Silvers. You can check the Platinums and Golds below, bearing in mind that a wine with a Gold Medal has received a minimum of 95 points.

The overall level was very high. The Santorini wines were impressive delivering crystalline purity, richness and memorable finish. There were also stunning examples of other varieties such as Plyto, Agiorgitko and Mavrodaphne. The reds remain the Achilles heel of Greek wine; they need more refinement of tannins for Naoussa and Xinomavro, and better oak balance for Agiorgitiko and Nemea. 

Platinum-Best in Show

Artemis Karamolegos, Assyrtiko, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2016 98/100

Platinum

Gaia, Wild Ferment Assyrtiko, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2017 97/100

Monemvasios, Vin Liastos Malvasia, Monemvasia, Peloponnese, Greece, 2010 97/100

Gold (alphabetical order)

Artemis Karamolegos, Pyritis Mega Cuvée, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2016 95/100

Estate Argyros, Vinsanto 20 Years Barrel Aged, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 1994 96/100

Gerovassiliou, Museum Collection, Epanomi, Macedonia, Greece, 2017 95/100

Kechris Winery, Tear Of The Pine, Retsina, Greece, 2017 96/100

Ktima Biblia Chora, Ovilos White, Pangeon, Macedonia, Greece, 2017 95/100

Lyrarakis, Psarades Vineyard Plyto, Crete, Crete, Greece, 2017 95/100

Mitravelas Estate, Ktima Agiorgitiko, Nemea, Peloponnese, Greece, 2016 95/100

Petrakopoulos, Mavro, Slopes of Enos, Epirus & Ionian Islands, Greece, 2015 95/100

Sigalas, Assyrtiko, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2017 95/100

Gerolemo Athendorou, Muscat, Cyprus, 2014 95/100

For Greece you can check also the 61 Silver Medals here and the 129 Bronzes here and all the medals for Cyprus wine here. 

Congratulations to all winners.