Greek City Times reports that Australian growers are increasingly experimenting with Xynisteri, an ancient Cypriot white grape, as drought, extreme temperatures and higher irrigation costs put pressure on conventional varieties. Riverland grower Yianni Koutouzis says Xynisteri has cut his water use by about 75% compared with Shiraz and Chardonnay, while the thick-skinned grape has also performed well during temperatures approaching 49°C. Commercial trials are expanding in the Riverland and Barossa Valley as producers search for varieties capable of coping with climate change and Australia’s difficult grape-price environment.
Greece
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Greek Research Unlocks Science Behind Natural, Sulfite-Free Wine Production
Greek Reporter reports on findings from the University of Thessaly’s three-year BioWineries research project into producing stable wines without added sulfites or commercial yeast. Researchers working with the indigenous Limniona and Malagouzia varieties found that native yeasts could successfully dominate fermentation, while grape pomace, pomegranate peel and olive extracts showed potential as natural antioxidants, with pomegranate particularly benefiting aroma and flavour. The study also identified an organism associated with early spoilage and found that clay amphorae encouraged beneficial micro-oxygenation and bacterial development compared with stainless steel, suggesting more technically controlled routes towards genuinely low-intervention wine.
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On Greek Island of Santorini, Winemakers Try to Adapt to Heat and Drought
Reuters reports that Santorini’s winegrowers are battling severe heat and drought, with Assyrtiko output falling sharply and old kouloura-trained vines dying after extreme conditions from 2023 to 2025. Producers are testing treated wastewater irrigation, new planting layouts, subsurface watering and atmospheric water harvesting, as the island’s water pressure is intensified by tourism and wider Mediterranean climate stress.
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Greek Wine Exports to UK Rose 6.66% in 2025
The Drinks Business reports that Greek wine exports to the UK rose 6.66% in value in 2025 versus 2024, with volumes up 3.6% and average export prices up 3.1%. The broader significance is that Greece appears to be building both scale and premium positioning in Britain at the same time, with the report also noting export value to the UK is up 142.75% since 2019.