Verdea is a traditional white multi-variety wine, produced in Zakynthos, an Ionian island in western Greece, which has been in Venetian possession for centuries. I

ts named Verdea from the Venetian influence, from the Italian word “verde”, meaning “green”, referring to the green color of the almost unripe grapes used to increase the acidity of the wine.

Verdea, first appeared in the early 19th century and was identified with the later wine history of the island. 

Despite the small size of Zakynthos, for decades many dozens of native vine varieties have been cultivated there.

A typical testimony is a poem of 1601, where in a few verses 34 varieties are listed, most of which survive to this day!

However, the name Verdea does not refer to a grape variety, but to a wine type. The main varieties involved in the production of the variety are as follows: