Greece’s white wines rival Italy, Spain

Three bottles of Greek wine, left-right: 2011 Alexakis Crete Vidiano; 2010 Gerovassiliou Epanomi Malagousia; 2011 Gaia Estate Thalassitis Santorini Assyrtiko as seen in San Francisco, California, Wednesday, July 11, 2012. Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle / SF
Greece has been on a charm campaign here in the United States, and considering its deep economic woes, you can imagine why. Its wine industry is similarly putting on the charm, and in this case it’s more than welcome.

In the five years since we last conducted a broad tasting of Greek white wines, they have stepped from a curious and ambitious side note to something truly exciting.

These are white wines as compelling and complex as the best of Italy or Spain. Greece’s other issues aside, a sustained quality push among winemakers has succeeded.