The red grape variety originates from Greece; namely from islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. Synonyms are Amorgiano, Amorghiano, Dombrena Mavri, Domvrena Mavri, Doubraina Mavri, Doubrena Mavri, Doumbrena Mavri, Doumpraina Mavri, Doumprena Mavri, Doympraina Mavre, Doympraina Mavro, K'ntoura Kai M'ntoura, Kontoura, Koudouro, Koutoura, Koutouro, Koundoura Mavri, Koundouro, Kountoura, Kountoura Mavri, Koyntoura, Kytoura, Mandelaria, Mantilari, Mantilaria and Montoyra. The parentage is unknown. According to DNA analyses, the white variety Savatiano (Kountoura Aspri) is not a colour mutation, which is indicated by the synonym Kountoura Mavri.
The late-maturing vine is resistant to drought and dryness, but susceptible to downy mildew, botrytis and grape rot. It produces dark-coloured, tannin-rich, but rather low-alcohol red wines, which are therefore often blended with the higher-alcohol variety Kotsifali. It is grown mainly on the Aegean islands of Crete, Paros, Rhodes and Santorini, also in some OPAP wines, as well as in the Peloponnese and in the regions of Attica and Macedonia. In its pure variety, it is used for the red wine version of the resin wine Retsina. In 2016, a total of 932 hectares of vines were reported in Greece (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
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