An ode to greece

hoW Delightful to come across several pages devoted to the wonderful assyrtiko grape in your august issue. i have long felt that this grape is completely under the radar and the greek wine industry should be doing more to champion this grape in the way that spain has done with albariño and new Zealand has done with sauvignon Blanc. it was only on a recent visit to santorini that i realised the potential that assyrtiko has to be very successful in the uK market.

i have always been staggered, given its long winemaking heritage, that greece does not play a more prominent role on the world wine stage. however, after speaking to several young people (several of whom own small vineyards), i could see why. there is a real reluctance to start new businesses, as they feel they are held back by bureaucracy and excessive taxation.

surely the greek government should be encouraging small producers to showcase their exciting native grapes, especially in an age where a brand awareness can be developed quickly via social media. i for one am now waxing lyrical to all my friends about assyrtiko and the joys of greek wine, and will continue to do so! Benjamin Lewis, Greenwich, London