Greek wine has been part of the country’s story for millennia, its roots stretching back to ancient amphorae and epic banquets. But in 2025, it’s the new wave of Greek winemakers who are writing the next chapter, with a focus on indigenous grapes and a confidence that’s catching the world’s attention.
While international varieties dominate many wine regions, Greece continues to champion its own varieties, from crisp Assyrtiko from Santorini to structured, spice-laced Xinomavro from Naoussa. Each speaks of its landscape, volcanic, mountainous or coastal, giving Greek wine a sense of place that is impossible to replicate.
A decade ago, the country’s modern wine revival was still finding its footing. Now, with ambitious wineries springing up from Crete to Mount Athos, the momentum is undeniable. And this year’s IWSC results prove just how far Greece has come.
Estate Argyros once again led the charge, building on its stellar performance in 2024, where it took home two Gold medals and the highest-scoring Greek wine of the competition. This year, its Vinsanto Late Release 2004 earned a Gold medal, a wine of impressive depth with caramel and marmalade richness, alongside candied orange and a lingering finish of warm spice. From the same Santorini producer, the Vinsanto First Release 2016 showed elegance, with honey and toasted almond on the palate.
Elsewhere, Holy Monastery of Hilandar impressed judges with its St. Sava’s Field 2018 from Mount Athos, a red layered with ripe plum and supple red fruit. Kir-Yianni’s Ramnista Xinomavro 2020, from the highlands of Naoussa, delivered bold dark fruit notes and savoury depth, while Zacharias Winery’s Kidonitsa 2024, from the Peloponnese, offered delicate peach and blossom notes that highlight the lighter, fresher style of Greek wine.
Each wine was blind-tasted by a panel of international experts, including Cat Lomax, Maria Boumpa and Matthieu Longuère MS, and the results underline a truth long known in Greece: that its wines have both ancient history and modern brilliance on their side. If you’ve yet to explore the country’s vinous output beyond the occasional holiday glass of retsina, now’s the time.
How do we judge these wines?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous wine tasting process. That means that each wine sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC wine judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the wine industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
How do we score these wines?
Only the best wines sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, wines have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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12 of the best Greek wines from the IWSC 2025
