Wine and Greece have a history that goes back thousands of years… So a visit to the Peloponnese Wines Route with a tasting at Nemea or Nemea brings you closer to one of the oldest vineyards in the world. If you take the Peloponnese wine route, you’ll discover a fascinating and mythical terroir, vineyards, grape varieties and wineries.
We go there often and never tire of it. So we can recommend which wineries to visit, where to go for a tasting, where to eat and how to get there, so let’s get going!
Nemea wine route, its terroir
Nemea is one of the Peloponnese’s top destinations. It’s also nicknamed “Little Tuscany” for its “thousand hills” Mediterranean landscape. But above all, it’s an important wine-growing region. Not far from Corinth and Loutraki, Nemea is surrounded by fertile plains and hills. Here you’ll find Greece’s largest vineyard, producing world-renowned wines. In fact, Nemea is Greece’s largest wine-growing region. It produces one of the finest indigenous red grape varieties, Agiorgitiko. Other grape varieties include the mineral Mantineia and the surprising Moschofilero.
The Agiorgitiko grape variety, registered designation of origin
The vast Nemean wine-growing area covers 26,000,000 m2. In fact, the grape variety that has been grown in the region for over 3,000 years is the red Agiorgitiko. Often compared to Merlot, it is nicknamed Saint-Georges or Blood of Hercules, in reference to the myth of Heracles or Hercules and the skin of Nemea. These centuries-old vineyards produce top-quality red and rosé wines.
The white clay soil, the region’s special microclimate and the particular relief between sea and mountains produce grapes that give rise to a wide range of wines. Indeed, some are characterized by red fruit aromas such as ripe strawberries, blackcurrants and caramel. Others are full-bodied, with complex aromas such as fig jam, plum, raisin or dried fruit. Others have the potential to mature into vintage wines.
Wineries: where to go for a tasting in Nemea?
The region’s vineyards are dotted with dozens of cellars. They are open to visitors and offer vineyard tours, tasting sessions and wine and food pairings. Here is a non-exhaustive list of Nemea domains. We love Seméli Estate for its magnificent setting and its “Grande Réserve” wine. Similarly, at Palivou Estate, we enjoy the “xryssa terra” wine. But our preference is undoubtedly for Papaioannou‘s “mikro klima” wine.
This estate lies just above the picturesque village of Koutsi. A very fine domaine, with wines like the “Grande Réserve” that we really appreciate. Lunch available. The winery is superb, as is the tasting room. A great time!
Recent estate with a beautiful tasting room. The range of wines is of the highest quality, providing a realistic palette of Greek wines. Wine tastings and guided tours available.
It’s an organic estate. Thanasis Papaioannou is highly respected in the region. He is one of the pioneers in the qualitative revival of Agiorgitiko wine. His wines are highly aromatic and one of the great surprises of Greek wine in general!
It’s a family estate on the road to Nemea. We like his wine: “petrines plagies”. It’s a white, half Chardonnay and half Malagouzia. The acidity of the Chardonnay is balanced by the sweetness of the Malagouzia, resulting in a delicate wine.
How do I get there?
Nemea is about 1h30 from Athens. The road is beautiful and fast all the way. To the Isthmus of Corinth, you take the freeway, then a beautiful national road. The easiest and most flexible way is to get there by car. You can easily rent a car in Athens for the day. It is not very expensive. We recommend you to make a price comparison of the rental companies on RentalCars.
We advise you to book your tasting online or call ahead.
The region is magnificent, with hills planted with olive trees, vines and aromatic plants. You can easily combine the wine route with a visit to Mycenae or Nafplio, and why not Epidaurus?
If you prefer to be guided, we’ve spotted but not tested this small-group excursion with excellent reviews, Nemea Vineyards Wine Tour. Departing from Nafplio, it includes the site of Nemea and a guided tour of two of the region’s award-winning vineyards, with wine tasting. More infos.
Or this private excursion from Athens : Nemea and Nafplio Private Wine and History Tour. Guided by an experienced sommelier, you’ll visit two wineries (tasting included) and enjoy free time to wander around the pretty town of Nafplio. More infos.
Good tasting and as the ancient Greeks say, “to each thing, its measure”…we taste, we don’t abuse!????
Céline P.
Updated February 16, 2024
