The wines of "Macedonia" and the solitary Hermes of Praxiteles
By Yiannis Karakasis MW

 

 The first part concerns the wines of North Macedonia (known as Skopje or FYROM) and the second the Hermes of Praxiteles. Ideally, there should be a connection between the two. If you don't find it, blame it on the rain yeah, yeah… 
 

 Prowein is undoubtedly the wine event of the days. The most important exhibition in the world that gathers exhibitors from all countries and which I have attended numerous times, wearing naturally the national flag of Greek wine. A few days before its start, I saw on social media an invitation to a masterclass by the excellent colleague Carolyn Gilby MW, which correctly states in writing that it will present wines from North Macedonia. However, the printed accompanying invitation, originating from the neighboring country, is of a Harry Potter inspiration, having erased the North and prominently stating only "Wines of Macedonia". In case someone doesn't notice it at the first mention. 

 

                  
 

 My reaction was instantaneous, sending the information to the responsible authorities SEO, EDOAO, and ENOABE (acronyms for: Association of Greek Wine, National Interprofessional Organization, and Union of Wines of Northern Greece) who assured me that a demarche has been made to Prowein and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
 

 The story is well known and certainly not recent. Now it has possibly ballooned, like Carl Fredricks' house in the Disney movie Up! but, for example, the site winesofmacedonia.mk has been active for years . Ouch. And if some crazy Gauls resist in a small village in Armorica, they will probably find their trouble and be described as quaint. 
 

 Today (18-3-2019), the Kathimerini newspaper discusses the "New episodes in the unknown 'wine war' with Skopje" referring to the fact that Skopje proudly presented wines with labels "Wines of Macedonia", despite the country having changed its name and Greece having long secured "Macedonian wine" as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the European Union. It continues by saying that the protests of the Greek side, with interventions by the competent authorities to the organizers of the exhibition, were not enough to prevent the presence alongside the Greek "Macedonian wine" of wines originating from (just) Macedonia.