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Greek wine law provides for two categories of wine: quality wine and table wine, each subdivided into two classes. The term Controlled Appellation of Origin is applied to sweet wines from the Muscat and Mavrodaphne only, and each bottle bears a blue seal under the capsule. Dry wines take the term Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality, and their seal is printed red on pink. There are 27 wines from delimited areas, although one of these, Kantza in Attica, has been discontinued. Labels may also show the words Reserve or Grande Reserve, indicating wines of extra quality with longer ageing.
One of the strengths of Greek wine has always been a number of highly successful branded table wines, but today the term table wine can also be used for some high-quality and expensive wines which do not qualify for any appellation.
Cava is a term used to describe high-quality table wine that is produced in small quantities, and aged for a long time.
Table wines also embrace vins de pays. Greece has a number of these areas, producing some interesting wines. Permitted grapes for vins de pays often include non-Greek varieties, and many of the wines blend Greek and non-Greek grapes, Important vins de pays include Crete, Attica, Drama, Macedonia and Thiva.
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