Aigialeia
An up and coming wine destination
Aigialeia is a province in the north-western part of the Peloponnese, the peninsula shaped like a hand, extending into the Mediterranean Sea.
With high mountain ranges carved through with rivers, covered with vineyards and olive trees, an expansive coastline of crystal clear waters, lush green landscapes, a protected wetland, local cuisine, distinctive architecture, festivals and hospitable inhabitants. Ιt is without a doubt, the place of culture, history, flavors and joy!
It is also one of the country’s largest wine-growing regions, comprising approximately 13,000 acres of vineyards of which 10,000 acres consist of Corinthian raisins and 3,000 acres of wine-making grape varieties with Roditis being dominant.
Viticulture in Aigialeia is demanding. The mountainous vineyards require a lot of manual labour, and the vineyards in some cases are small, steep and difficult to access fulfilling all the conditions of “heroic viticulture”.
This is the place where you can discover wine tourism destinations, explore authentic vineyards full of colours and aromas and taste excellent wines at their place of production.
The Terroir Phenomenon
If like us you are on a quest for new wines to enjoy and to add to your collection, you have undoubtedly come across the term “terroir”. But how does the terroir in AIgialeia give the wines a distinctive character?
At high altitudes of 300m to 1100m with a north, north-east orientation, the vineyards are stretched across the fertile limestone and loamy slopes, with an average gradient of approximately 33% which helps with drainage, ventilation and exposure to the sun.
The morphology is ideal, as the cool sea breezes coming off the Corinthian Gulf from the North, regulates the high temperatures in the summer months, dropping by 0,72ºC for every 100m moving up the slopes. While in the South, the mountain ranges create a barrier to the hot winds coming from the Mediterranean and North Africa thus protecting the grapes from the heatwaves. As a result of the microclimate created in the area, the temperatures range from between 18ºC at night and 30ºC during the day.
All these factors create ideal conditions for the cultivation of premium quality grapes and spectacular wines!
