Robola: The Elegant White Wine of Greece

Robola is Greece’s white wine star. It’s bright acidity and peach and citrus overtones make it an excellent choice for a summer aperitif or to drink with grilled chicken or fish. Unlike some of the better known Greek wines, Robola is a dry white wine. A grape as well as a wine, Robola is grown almost exclusively on the Ionian Islands of Western Greece in the Adriatic Sea, primarily on the island of Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands.

Robola of Kefalonia is a designated wine district and all of the wine labeled as Robola must, by Greek wine law, come from Kefalonia. The Robola grape thrives in the higher elevations there and in the rugged limestone soil, where it has been grown for over 700 years. The cool, wet winters followed by long arid summers provide ideal growing conditions for the hearty, elongated grape.

The History of Robola

Six wineries on Kefalonia produce Robola, the largest of which is Gentilini. This family-owned winery, founded in 1978, produces just about 22,000 cases annually, about half of which is exported to Western Europe and the United States. The wines of Kefalonia have a long history. They are even mentioned in Homer’s Trojan War epic, the Iliad. It was, however, the wine-loving Venetians, who occupied the Ionian Islands for over one hundred years in the 17th century that made wine-growing one of the region’s primary industries. The Island of Kefalonia celebrates its wine heritage each August at the Robola festival, a three-day gala with live music, lots of food, and, of course, wine.

Drinking and Serving Robola

The delicate Robola goes well with grilled fish, such as tuna, swordfish, or salmon sprinkled with lemon juice. It is also a nice accompaniment to simply grilled chicken as well as to cooked vegetables and almost any seafood dish. It is also refreshing when served as an aperitif on a hot summer’s day. Robola is best when it is consumed young, within two years of bottling. Serve it lightly chilled in a standard white wine glass.

Where to Buy Robola

Find Robola at Greek and Mediterranean Markets and in some wine stores. Although much of the Robola of Kefalonia production is consumed within Greece, a larger percentage is making its way to the United States and Canada each year. Depending on your local taxes, expect to pay around $15 to $25 for 750 ml. Bottle of Robola. If you can’t find this wine at your local market or wine store, you can buy Robola wine online from Corti Brothers, a specialty food and wine purveyor