Author
George Papadellis | SG Head
Meteora wines are the wines produced in the PGI Meteora zone, a semi-mountainous and mountainous area at an altitude from 150 m to 800 m, established in 2006 in the northwestern part of Thessaly, around the cities of Meteora and Kalambaka, at the edge of the huge plain of Thessaly, surrounded by the Pindos mountain range and the Chassia Mountains. The area can be characterized as a circle around the archaeological site of Theopetra Cave and the village Kastraki. It is full of old traditional vineyards that produce wine and the local liqueur “tsipouro”, made of grapes with anise, a seed that gives a distinctive sweet flavor and a deep white color once mixed with water or ice. The wine produced traditionally was red.
Photo by: iStock.com | zoom-zoom
Climate
The climate is continental, with plenty of rain and snow in the winter, and with dry and very sunny summers. The cool northern winds from the slopes of Pindos, combined with Pineios and Litheos rivers, form ideal viticulture conditions.
Grape Varieties
Wine is being produced from native varieties (e.g. Malagouzia, Assyrtiko) and international varieties (e.g. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon). Specifically, white wines are produced from Assyrtiko, Malagouzia, Batiki, Debina, Roditis and Chardonnay, red wines are produced from Zalovitiko, Xinomavro, Limniona, Vlachiko, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Merlot and Syrah, and rosè wines are produced from Vlachiko, Zalovitiko, Limniona, Roditis, Xinomavro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Merlot, Syrah, Debina, Malagouzia, Batiki and Chardonnay.
Photo by: Takeaway at the English Wikipedia, Greece meteora monasteries, CC BY-SA 3.0
Meteora Wines
The types of wines produced in the PGI Meteora zone are:
· White dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet
· Rosè dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet
· Red dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet
· White sparkling dry, semi-dry
· Rosè sparkling dry, semi-dry
· White sparkling aroma dry, semi-dry
Wineries
Today, two wineries produce PGI Meteora wines: Loudas Winehouse and Domaine Liakou.
Loudas Winehouse is a family winery established in the beginning of the 20th century in the village Diava, on the easy slopes of Koziakas mountain. The winery is focused on quality wine production, with respect to the Greek cultivation and winemaking methods.
Domaine Liakou is located on the road from Kalambaka to Gavros, north of Meteora, at an altitude of 470 m. The winery uses grapes from both its vineyards and the Local Association of Meteora.
Excellent varieties!
It's the soil and the micro-climate!!