We are delighted to announce the return of the premier event for showcasing and promoting Greek wine, Great Greek Wines (GGW), taking place from May 1 to May 4, 2025, at the brand-new Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens. This event, designed to highlight the 2025 wine list, offers an exceptional opportunity to promote the excellence of Greek wines to international markets.
A Major Upgrade
Master of Wine Yiannis Karakasis, founder of Great Greek Wines, recently unveiled the innovative changes planned for 2025 during a special event. Yiannis emphasized the need for the institution’s evolution, blending tradition with progress.
“Staying true to the values of transparency, inclusivity, advancement, and creation, GGW is investing in building a bridge for dialogue between producers, consumers, and markets,” stated Karakasis. “After five successful years, we are redefining our name in collaboration with Grigoris Michailos, transitioning from GGW50 to a brand that better reflects the high quality of Greek wines in a modern way.”
This strategic shift aims to highlight a broader range of high-quality wines that capture the dynamic nature of Greek vineyards. The award-winning wines on the new list will be exclusively based on quality and the number of entries, maintaining a strict cap so that no more than 10% of participants are recognized. Additionally, a new GREAT VALUE WINES category will be introduced for wines with a retail price of up to €19, showcasing another advantage of Greek winemaking.
The International Judging Panel
As in previous years, the event will be supported by a panel of internationally renowned wine judges whose expertise ensures the quality and impartiality of the evaluation process:
- Mark Andrew MW (Noble Rot Magazine & Restaurants): One of the most influential figures in the global wine industry with expertise in Assyrtiko. Mark is the co-founder and writer of the globally recognized Noble Rot Magazine and has significantly contributed to public education on wine.
- Paz Levinson (Wine Director at Groupe Pic): Paz, from Argentina, is the Executive Chef Sommelier of the renowned Groupe Pic Restaurants. Named Best Sommelier of Argentina in 2010 and 2014, she also won the Best Sommelier of the Americas in 2015 and ranked 4th globally in the 2016 ASI Best Sommelier of the World competition.
- Lenka Sedlackova MW (Head of Brand Management and Buyer for Central and Eastern Europe – Bancroft): A distinguished wine professional with a passion for Greek varieties, Lenka has closely followed the development of Greek wine.
- Wojciech Bońkowski MW (Wine Writer & Journalist from Poland): A renowned Polish wine writer and Master of Wine who has gained international acclaim. Wojciech has played a vital role in promoting Greek and international wines in Poland.
- Christophe Heynen MW (Leading wine merchant in Belgium and France): Christophe is a prominent figure in the global wine scene, known for his work in Belgium and France, where he promotes both established and emerging wineries.
- Stefan Neumann MS (Wine Consultant and Master Sommelier): A highly influential figure in wine, Stefan has contributed significantly to wine education and fine dining, having served as Wine Director at The Fat Duck – Heston Blumenthal.
- Peter Richards MW (Writer & Broadcaster): An award-winning writer, presenter, and Master of Wine with 12 years of TV experience on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen and the series The Wild Side of Wine, Peter is celebrated as one of the UK’s most beloved wine communicators.
Registrations for Great Greek Wines 2025 are now open! Register Here