📍 Samos

Samos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, near the coast of Türkiye, known for sweet Muscat wines. It is part of the Aegean Islands. The island is mountainous, and vineyards lie on steep terraces held by stone walls, on the slopes of Mount Ampelos, whose name means “grapevine”.

The main grape is white Muscat (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, locally called “Samiotiko Moscho”). It makes several types of sweet wine under the Samos appellation. There are sweet wines with arrested fermentation, barrel-aged ones and fortified versions. The wines are amber, with aromas of honey, apricot, flowers and citrus zest.

The main producers on the island are cooperatives that unite small growers. Work on the terraces is laborious and done by hand.

Samos suits dessert-wine lovers: Muscat is served chilled with fruit, cheese and desserts. Neighbouring Aegean islands are also known for sweet wines, for example Lemnos. Samos Muscat goes well with fruit, soft cheese and nut desserts, and chilled it works as a simple aperitif. The island lies so close to the Turkish coast that the strait between them is only a few kilometres wide, but the wine from here has always been regarded as Greek. Samos Muscat is also used in confectionery and baking.