The gods of Olympus were said to drink nectar — but if they'd ever set foot on Rhodes, they might have reached for something closer at hand. Greece has been cultivating vines for over 4,000 years, and its wines remain among the world's most underrated treasures. Bold reds, aromatic whites, and sun-kissed rosés — all grown from indigenous grape varieties that exist nowhere else on earth. During your stay on Rhodes Island, exploring Greek wine is as essential as visiting the Old Town or watching the sunset from the harbour.
Here is your guide to the best Greek wine varieties and bottles to seek out — and how to enjoy them in style from your suite at Olympus Hospitality.
Why Greek Wine Deserves Your Attention
Greek wine has undergone a quiet revolution. Once dismissed as a holiday novelty, it has surged onto the world stage, earning top scores from international critics and filling the cellars of Michelin-starred restaurants. The secret lies in the country's extraordinary range of indigenous grape varieties — more than 300, many found nowhere else in the world — and in terroir shaped by volcanic soils, sea breezes, and relentless Mediterranean sunshine.
Rhodes itself has a proud winemaking tradition dating to antiquity. The island's wine was so prized in ancient times that it was exported across the Mediterranean and the amphorae bearing the island's stamp have been found as far away as Egypt. When you raise a glass of Rhodian wine today, you are drinking in two millennia of unbroken heritage.
Athiri: The White Wine of Rhodes
If you try only one Greek wine variety on Rhodes, make it Athiri. This ancient white grape is indigenous to the island and produces wines of remarkable freshness — pale gold in the glass, with aromas of citrus blossom, green apple, and a whisper of sea salt that speaks directly to the Aegean air around you.
Athiri wines pair beautifully with the fresh seafood for which Rhodes is famous: grilled octopus, prawns with lemon and olive oil, or a simple plate of fried calamari enjoyed at a harbourside taverna. Look for bottles from CAIR (the island's historic cooperative winery) or the boutique Emery Winery, both of which have been crafting Athiri for generations.
Served well-chilled in the late afternoon — perhaps on the garden terrace at Olympus Hospitality — an Athiri is the definitive taste of a Rhodes summer.
Mandilaria: The Bold Red You Didn't Expect
Rhodes surprises visitors who assume Greek island wine means light, simple whites. Enter Mandilaria: a deeply coloured, intensely flavoured red grape grown on both Rhodes and the broader Aegean islands. Its name means "handkerchief" in Greek — a reference to the inky, almost purple hue it imparts to the wine.
Mandilaria produces wines with bold tannins, rich dark fruit, and a spicy finish that lingers long after the last sip. It's the kind of wine that demands a worthy companion: slow-roasted lamb with rosemary and garlic, aged graviera cheese, or a generous plate of moussaka at one of Rhodes' better tavernas.
For the best expression, look for Mandilaria blended with Syrah or Grenache from Rhodian producers — the international varieties smooth the edges while the indigenous grape provides the soul.
Assyrtiko: The Volcanic Superstar
No guide to Greek wine varieties would be complete without Assyrtiko — arguably the most celebrated white grape in modern Greek viticulture. Though most famously grown on Santorini's volcanic soils, Assyrtiko is increasingly cultivated across the Aegean, and bottles from Rhodes and the wider Dodecanese are well worth seeking out.
Mineral, taut, and electrifyingly fresh, Assyrtiko achieves a rare balance: high acidity that makes your mouth water alongside a body and concentration that commands respect. The volcanic terroir of the Aegean seems to concentrate everything that makes this grape exceptional — limestone, sea minerals, and the memory of ancient fire.
Paired with a seafood platter or a plate of fresh feta drizzled in olive oil, a well-made Assyrtiko is one of the great food wines of the Mediterranean. Ask at Rhodes Town's wine shops for Aegean island expressions — you'll find bottles that rival their Santorini cousins at a fraction of the price.
Muscat of Rhodes: The Liquid Sunlight
For those who prefer their wine sweet and their evenings golden, the Muscat of Rhodes is an essential discovery. This amber-hued dessert wine is produced from Muscat Blanc grapes grown in the sun-baked soils of the island, and it carries within it the concentrated sweetness of an entire Rhodes summer.
Rich with flavours of apricot, orange blossom, honey, and toasted almonds, Muscat of Rhodes has been enjoyed since antiquity — it was a wine fit for celebrations, for offerings to the gods, for the end of a perfect evening. Today, CAIR produces a well-regarded version that is widely available across the island.
Serve it lightly chilled alongside baklava, loukoumades (Greek honey doughnuts), or simply on its own as the stars appear over the Aegean. It is, in every sense, liquid Rhodes.
How to Explore Greek Wine During Your Stay
Rhodes Town has a growing number of excellent wine bars and specialist shops where you can explore the island's vinous heritage with expert guidance. Seek out places that focus on small Greek producers — you'll discover bottles from Crete, Naoussa, Nemea, and the volcanic islands alongside the local Rhodian labels.
For a deeper dive, the Emery Winery in Embonas village (about an hour's drive inland into the Rhodian mountains) offers tours and tastings in a spectacular setting. The village itself, perched among vineyards at altitude, is one of the island's best-kept secrets.
Back at your suite, the fully equipped kitchen at Olympus Hospitality makes it easy to create a private tasting evening — pick up a selection of bottles from a Rhodes Town wine shop, add some local cheeses, olives, and mezze from the market, and settle in for a leisurely evening on the terrace as the Aegean glimmers below. The Zeus Suite's commanding terrace is particularly well-suited for this kind of unhurried, god-like pleasure.
Raise a Glass at Olympus Hospitality
Greek wine is more than a drink — it is an entry point into the soul of this ancient land. Every bottle tells a story: of volcanic soil and Aegean winds, of grape varieties that survived the collapse of empires, of winemakers who chose tradition over trend. During your stay on Rhodes, let wine be part of how you know this island.
Ready to experience the best of Rhodes in luxury? Book your stay at Olympus Hospitality — www.olympushospitality.eu — and settle into the Zeus, Poseidon, or Ares Suite. Your fully equipped kitchen, your terrace, your view of the Aegean, and a very good bottle of Athiri are all waiting for you.