People who study wine call the field oenology. Others call it fun. We owe the word 'oenology'
to the ancient Greeks, for whom wine was so important one of their 12 classical gods was Dionysus, the god of wine.
Much of our knowledge about ancient drinking habits is due to shapely clay containers once used to store wine. The preserved containers, called amphorae, have been unearthed throughout the Mediterranean region, even in the sea itself, helping us to understand the extent of the ancient wine trade. Early amphorae were sealed with natural resins such as pine pitch to prevent leakage. The resins inevitably changed the wine's bouquet and the ancients actually developed a taste for pine-flavoured wines. To this day, a wine called retsina is made by throwing lumps of pine pitch into fermentation tanks to reproduce the flavour. Retsina is a novelty for inexperienced palates and its dare-you-to-drink-it popularity wreaks havoc with the reputation of high-quality Greek wines, but if offered a glass, give it a try.
Glass bottles are the primary means of storing wine these days, although many Greeks take empty plastic bottles to wineries or roadside vendors to fill. Containers may have changed over the centuries, but wine is still a primary part of the Greek meal and is always on the table - somewhat like mobile phones in Hong Kong.
Boutari is a good-quality wine producer with operations throughout Greece, including the picturesque Santorini Island, which is a hot, arid volcanic crater. It is hard to believe vines can thrive in these conditions, but islanders keep them trained low to the ground by winding their long tendrils into circles. These wreath-like shapes protect the vines against the wind, provide shade for the ripening grapes and help retain moisture. Here, Boutari produces a crisp white wine. In the cooler Naoussa region, it makes a fine medium-bodied red wine with blackberry jam flavours (available from Manful International, tel: 2341 6838).
Traditional Greek wines are markedly oxidised, as though the bottles have been left open for a few days before serving.
