Athens is one of the most historic cities in the world. The imposing Acropolis at the center of the city surrounded by narrow streets filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops. You can’t take 3 steps without bumping into something ancient. It’s quite amazing to imagine you’re sipping retsina on the same streets that Socrates, Plato, and Sophocles strolled thousands of years ago.
What you may not realize is that just outside of the center of the capital is the largest wine region of Greece: Attica. Within a short drive out of the city, you’ll find several world-class wineries. The wineries have both indigenous grape varieties like Savatiano and Roditis as well as international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Photo Credit: Wine Folly
A Word about Retsina
When in Rome, er Athens, you must drink retsina. You’ll be happy to know that retsina has had a complete makeover. For those of you that are unfamiliar with retsina, it’s a white wine that is flavored with resin (sap) from the Aleppo pine tree. Previously, retsina was poorly made, to say the least, and smelled more like turpentine than wine.
Retsina originates in antiquity. It is believed that retsina happened unintentionally when the sap was used to seal amphorae but also seeped into the wine. The Ancient Greeks liked the flavor and Greeks continue the tradition today. In the last decade or so, young Athenian winemakers have a mission to make retsina great again. They use quality grapes and quality retsini to make their wines. Give retsina another chance when you’re in Athens.
The main grape of Attica is the white grape, Savatiano, sometimes spelled Savvatiano. It’s a drought resistant grape that gives good yields. Because of its association with retsina, it was not highly regarded. Retsina’s improvement in quality was only made possible by the improvement in quality of Savatiano. Lower yields and greater care in the vineyards has led to a rebirth of the grape’s image. Savatiano smells like citrus, apples, pears, and flowers. It shines on its own but also shows great elegance when barrel aged.
Wineries Near Athens
The four best wineries to visit while staying in Athens are Mylonas Winery, Domaine Papagiannakos, Kokotos Estate, and Markou Vineyards. The wineries are located east of the city all within an hour drive, even with Athenian traffic.
If you’re planning to visit the town of Marathon, make sure you stop in at Kokotos Estate. Kokotos Estate’s organic vineyards are in the shadows of Mount Pendeli where Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, was worshipped. Their tasting room is open daily. Although they are famous for their red wines, be sure to also try a glass of Savatiano.
Photo Credit: Kokotos Estate
Just by the airport are Domaine Papagiannakos and Markou Vineyards.
Markou Vineyards is one of the most beautiful wineries in Greece. You can’t imagine you’re only minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown Athens when you’re tasting wine in their garden. There’s a small wine museum as well. The Markou family has vineyards in Attica as well as in the wine region of Nemea so don’t miss out on their Agiorgitiko wine.
Photo Credit: Markou Vineyards
The Papagiannakos family has been making wines from Attica for over 100 years and Domaine Papagiannakos is responsible for my personal odyssey back to retsina. They make a perfectly balanced retsina wine from 100% Savatiano. They offer wine tasting and winery tours, including a stop in their wine cellar, every day but Sunday. You can taste through all of their wines in the tasting room so you’ll have a chance to fall in love with retsina, too.
Photo Credit: Domaine Papagiannakos
To the south, near all the best beaches, you’ll find Mylonas Winery. I try not to judge a wine by the label, but you won’t help from falling in love with each label at Mylonas. Beyond the label, their wines are exceptional. They make 6 different expressions of Savatiano from barrel aged to late harvest to, of course, retsina. The winery is open to guests by appointment only. A tasting of all their wines is possible as well as a tour of the property. Be sure to visit the Temple of Poseidon to catch the sunset after your visit!
Photo Credit: Mylonas Winery
About the Author
Anna Maria Kambourakis is a Certified Sommelier, owner of Chania Wine Tours, and wine blogger at Unraveling Wine. When she isn’t giving wine tours on the island of Crete or writing new useful blog posts, she loves to travel to wine destinations, try out new recipes, and spend time at the beach with her family.
Yamas! ~ Cindy
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