01History
The vineyard of Attiki has a long-standing winemaking history. Wine is thought to have been produced in the region since ancient times, and is considered to be among the oldest and most important vineyards in Europe. Wine has always held an important place in the religious and cultural life of the city of Athens, being connected with the social, economic, religious and artistic aspects of Greek life. Early in its history, the city of Athens developed strong commercial activity. Amphoras containing wine were sent all over the known ancient world, while kylix, kraters and other clay vessels, found in archeological excavations or shipwrecks, witness the city's importance to wine-making.
In ancient Greece, the “symposium” (meaning drink together) was part of a banquet that took place after the meal. Wine was at the center of these social events and drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals or conversation. It was a forum for men of respected families to debate, plot, boast, or simply revel with others. They were frequently held to celebrate social and family achievements such as victories in athletic and poetic contests. Some of the greatest ideals of philosophy and democracy were born through the “symposia” (plural for symposium) in important cities of the ancient world such as Athens, Elefsina, Megara and Marathon, all located in the Attica region. Many of the topics, often philosophical, discussed during symposia still represent some of the great ideals of the modern world.
The ancient Greeks loved wine and faithfully served its god, Dionysus. The visual images and symbols used in art work (iconography) of the Attic pottery prove the extent of the Dionysian worship. Legend has it that Dionysus, during one of his travels came to Attiki. Icarius was a man from Athens who welcomed the god Dionysus and was cordial to him. Dionysus gave the gift of vine and wine to Icarius as a reward for Icarius' generous hospitality. Comedy and Drama were also born in Attiki through the worship of Dionysus.
Following an uninterrupted history of 4 millenia in winemaking, the Attiki vineyard is still one of the most important, as well as the largest vineyard in Greece. Wine has always been and still is crucial to local people's everyday life there.
02The Attic myth
(As depicted by Stavroula Kourakou Dragona in her book: Vine and Wine in the Ancient Greek World).
Almost two centuries before the reign of legendary Theseus, two new gods arrived in Attiki, Demeter and Dionysus, both chthonic gods of vegetation. Since then, cereals and vine have been cultivated in Attiki. Dionysus found hospitality from Icarius and his daughter Erigone on the north-eastern slopes of Penteli, in the largest municipality of Attiki, Icaria, near the area that today is called Dionysos. There, the god taught Icarius how to cultivate the vines and produce wine from their fruit. Dionysus instructed the king to plant vines in a semi-mountainous area, since he knew that vines, in order to produce good quality wine in dry, hot areas, needed to be grown on the cooler slopes. But there were pastures there. Icarius followed Dionysus's advice to introduce others to the cultivation of the vine that yielded the divine drink. The vineyards were expanded and the pasture land decreased, but not without a negative impact on pasture land, angering the shepherds.
According to the myth, the shepherds became intoxicated from the wine from Icarius' wineskins and, thinking that he poisoned them, murdered him. The next morning, after the wine's effects had gone, becoming terrified, they buried him in secret under a tree. Erigone, after wandering for several days, found her dead father, together with his faithful dog, Maira. Overcome by grief, she hanged herself from the branches of the tree.
The Olympian gods felt sorry for all those who had perished unfairly and transformed them into bright stars: Erigone was transformed into Virgo, Icarius into Arcturus and the dog Maira into Sirius. However, Dionysus was not content only with punitive, he was also vengeful, so a god-sent hysteria overcame the inhabitants of Attiki, who began hanging themselves, en masse. The people of Attiki consulted the oracle at Delphi who advised that in order to purify themselves, they needed to punish the killers of Icarius and honor the deceased. Since then, it became a custom during harvest, winegrowers of Attiki would offer the first grapes to Icarius and Erigone.
The protagonists of this myth are depicted in the ancient theater of Dionysus, at the base of the Acropolis. The picture highlights the moment when the god gives Icarius a huge vine, while in the background of the scene the faithful dog Maira and his daughter Erigone are depicted.
03Where the myth actually happened
One detail in this story is easy to read past, and it is the one that matters most to anyone planning a visit. The myth is not set in a vague ancient Attiki. It is set at Icaria, on the north-eastern slopes of Penteli, beside the area that still carries the god's name today: Dionysos.
That places the oldest vine-planting story in Greek myth inside the boundaries of PGI Attiki, roughly forty minutes from central Athens, in country that is still planted today. Very few wine regions can point at a hillside and say that this is where their founding story is set and that the vineyard is still there. It is worth saying out loud rather than leaving the reader to work it out.
The instruction Dionysus is said to have given Icarius is also more than decoration. He tells the king to plant on the cooler semi-mountainous slopes rather than the plain, because in a dry, hot country that is where good wine comes from. That is a piece of viticultural advice, and it is the same advice a consultant would give in Attiki today.
04The modern era
Attiki, defined by the imposing presence of Athens, has always been a huge wine market and one with great opportunities for the growers. Attiki is not only blessed with ideal climatic conditions, perfect vineyard sites and distinctive soils, but has also a significant commercial advantage. The region's proximity to Athens and the port of Pireus made life easy for local farmers and producers. The producers could consistently sell everything they grew and bottled, not only in Athens but throughout Greece. Early in the region's history, this comparative advantage was recognized from the locals who established the first wineries in the 19th century. However, the quality potential of the region remained largely untapped, until quite recently.
The large, heavy wine drinking population naturally influenced the local wine industry, which was booming. In the 1880s the railways added extra wagons during harvest to transport grapes to the city. The advent of Phylloxera in the first half of the 20th century destroyed the local vineyard and brought an end to the days of prosperity for the local producers.
The ravages of Phylloxera brought about the replanting of the vineyard in the 1960s. However, Attiki's producers only began offering better quality wines after the 2000. A new generation of ambitious winemakers and producers began to raise the standards of quality, bringing a “breath of fresh air” to the region. During these last years, their dedication to unique, native varieties, with Savatiano at its center, together with the appropriate mix of tradition and modern winemaking techniques, has led to the successful production of quality wines, which truly express their origins.
05Savatiano and a warming Mediterranean
Attiki has always been hot and dry. What has changed is how much that matters.
For most of the last century, the old bush vines of the Mesogaia were valued for the volume they gave, not for what they could withstand. They were farmed to supply a city, and the wine they made was judged by the litre. That framing has quietly collapsed. Growers across southern Europe are now looking for vineyards that can be worked without irrigation, and Attiki has been doing exactly that for generations — not as an experiment, but because there was never enough water to do anything else.
The method is old and specific. Vines are trained in gobelet, low to the ground and free-standing, with no wire and no trellis. The canopy shades its own fruit through the hottest hours of the afternoon. Spacing is wide, so each vine draws on more soil than a trellised vine would. Because the surface holds almost no water through the summer, the roots go down instead of out, into poor limestone subsoil, and stay there.
The numbers behind this are already on this site. Mesogaia receives around 2,900 hours of sunshine a year and less than 400 to 450 mm of rainfall — figures that would be a problem almost anywhere else in the wine world, and are simply the working conditions here. Savatiano itself is highly resistant to drought and to fungal disease, and ripens late, from early to mid-September. The variety and the place were matched to each other long before anyone framed it as climate adaptation.
The same dryness keeps disease pressure low. Downy and powdery mildew both need moisture and warm nights to establish, and Attiki supplies neither in quantity during the growing season. That is the practical reason so much of the region can be farmed with little or no spraying, and why organic conversion here is a smaller step than it is in wetter parts of Greece.
None of this was designed as a response to a warming climate. It is what a dry country has always required. What is new is that the rest of the wine world has started asking the same questions Attiki answered long ago.
06Athens – a global gastronomy hub
Attiki possesses a rich culinary heritage. A great number of unique agricultural products are produced within the region and form the basis of the Mediterranean diet. The local gastronomy scene is booming and is considered to be one of the world's most important and rapidly evolving gastronomic scenes. Athens is a leading gourmet destination and it is home to a large number of diverse restaurants: from fine-dining establishments to authentic street-food culture and traditional eateries (taverns) that offer an elevated gastronomic experience. Many of the top restaurants are reinventing traditional recipes to satisfy the modern palate. The vibrant city center is recognized as an Epicurean destination with visitors able to sample a world of flavors. Attiki is a melting pot of different gastronomic cultures from all over the world. During the last years, a number of wine bars have opened offering fantastic wine experiences to locals and visitors. The multicultural gastronomic scene of Athens and the wonderful wines of Attiki will undoubtedly satisfy the most elegant and demanding palates.
Attiki is a farmer's paradise for a number of local products. Honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dairy products and animal husbandry are among the greatest “ambassadors” of the land. Among these products, wine occupies a distinct place. The agricultural products of Megara, the hand-made pasta of Elefsina, the vegetables of Marathon, the pistachios of Aegina, the honey of Kythira, and the PGI wines of Attiki create a rich culinary canvas.
07Serving the wines
Temperature does more work with these wines than it does with most. Savatiano carries its aromatics at moderate intensity, and resin is volatile: a few degrees decide whether either one reaches the glass.
- Young dry Savatiano — 10–12 °C, in a standard white wine glass. Cold enough to stay fresh, not so cold that the apple and stone-fruit character is shut down.
- Old-vine, barrel-fermented or aged Savatiano — 12–14 °C, in a wider bowl. These suffer most from over-chilling: honey, toasted nut and the petrol-like note of bottle age need warmth to show at all.
Old bottles of either style are worth standing upright for a day and opening without decanting. There is rarely sediment, and the aromatics are easily lost.
08Sight-seeing attractions
Athens, a metropolis of the world, is the capital of Greece and a place rooted in glorious history. It is one of the oldest cities of the world, as evidenced by the plethora of its archeological sites.
The Parthenon, on the top of the “rock” of the Acropolis, the state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Market (Agora) and the multitude of Hellenistic and Roman monuments in the historical center, make Attiki the center of attraction for millions of tourists every year. But, by travelling to every corner of the region, you will experience the unique history of this region.
Athens also hosts some of the most important Museums of the world. The Acropolis Museum houses the findings of the Acropolis of Athens, a strong attraction for millions of tourists. The National Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Greek Folk Art and Musical Instruments, the War Museum, the Benaki Museum, the Numismatic Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the National Gallery, the Planetarium, the Foundation of Hellenic World and many more art galleries adorn the center of Athens. In fact, the whole city center is really an open-air museum that combines archeological treasures with modern cultural monuments.
The first Modern Olympic Games were held in the city of Athens in 1896. This lost tradition of Ancient Greece was reborn in the city, after almost 1500 years of being banned. This major international multi-sport event again returned to Athens for a second time in 2004.
Leaving the urban landscape behind, no more than 10 miles from the center of Athens, the large coastline with beautiful beaches and crystal-clear, blue waters is another source of attraction for tourists. Traveling on local ferries will take you to the picturesque neighboring islands of the Saronic Gulf, an excuse for a weekend excursion both for Athenians and the city's visitors.
The new international airport is the largest and busiest of Greece, serving its capital Athens and the region of Attiki. Southwest of the city center is the port of Piraeus, the largest passenger port in Greece. It is the gateway to the Greek islands. It is a huge draw for cruise ships from around the world and serves also as a major commercial port. The ports of Rafina and Lavrio also carry local residents and visitors to many of the nearby islands.
A very developed network of highways and roads connect the city of Athens with the rest of the region. In this complex mosaic, you can find scattered vineyards in a close proximity to the city center. It is therefore easy for the visitor to access the archaeological treasures of Attiki, swim at nearby beaches, enjoy the natural settings the region offers, as well as tour the vineyards and wineries there. Everyone will be overwhelmed by the great hospitality, the millennia of tradition, the authenticity of local people and will drink heart-warming wines.
09Visiting the vineyards
The practical point is easy to miss in all of this, so it is worth stating on its own. The vineyards of Attiki are among the very few in Europe you can reach between an afternoon at a museum and dinner in town.
The Mesogaia sits directly between the city and the airport. A visitor can land, drive half an hour, and be standing in front of bush vines planted in the 1950s without ever entering central Athens. For anyone with a single free day, that is a completely different proposition from the two-flight, overnight-stay logistics that most Greek wine regions require.
The northern part of the region — Stamata, Kapandriti, the slopes below Parnitha and Penteli — is roughly the same distance in the other direction, cooler, and greener than most people expect of Attiki. Kithaironas, to the north-west, is an hour out and feels like another country: snow in winter, rolling slopes, red wine.
Three landscapes, three styles of wine, none of them more than an hour from the Acropolis.
