Sporades islands create an archipelago in the northwestern part of the Aegean Sea. The inhabited islands of Sporades include Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros. They are all places of exceptional natural beauty, with lush greenery and amazing landscapes. On these islands, viticulture has flourished over 4,000 years ago and continues on its subtle, yet distinctive course. Let’s have a look at some interesting facts about viticulture in Sporades.
In Skopelos, there is written evidence that the first inhabitant was named Staphylos, the son of Dionysus and Ariadne, translating to “Grape” in Greek. The ancient name of the island was Peparithos and therefore the local dark red grape variety has been named “Peparithios”, as a signature. You can taste wonderful local wine from Skopelos in one of your visits to the wineries. Not only Peparithios, but other varieties as well, featuring Savatiano, Roditis and Assyrtiko. Indulge in wine tasting, food pairing and other gastronomic activities of the finest quality standards.
Parissis Winery is definitely one of the most significant historic places on the island of Skiathos, when it comes to wine making. This has been the first winery on the island and Mr. Parissis has been a pioneer in viticulture. There is a wide variety of wine products for you to sample, such as Rhoditis, Malagousia and Moschato Alexandra, Syrah and Merlot. Wine making in Sporades could not exclude Alonissos, of course. Once you visit the island, you will come across Patitiri. This is the capital of the island by the port, having taken its name after the wine presses used by the locals to produce wine. So you can see that the bonds of the islanders with viticulture go a long way.