Greece
Despite the Athens Olympics being a distant memory, the interest in the wines of the cradle of European viticulture continues unabated. On the volcanic island of Santorini the Hatzidakis winery is producing a complex and mineral-laden white wine. The Erythros from Domaine Vassiliou has a mixed black fruit nose with concentrated Cabernet fruit, whilst the Samos Nectar Muscat is rich and sweet.

Lebanon
It is fair to say that producing wine of any sort in Lebanon at the moment is frankly miraculous! Wines are made principally in The Bekaa Valley, forty miles inland from Beirut over the high Jebel Liban mountain range. Here at an altitude of 1000 feet, hot days, cold nights and mountain streams make viticulture a dream with no need for sprays or fertilisers.