Paros wineries make crisp, saline whites and characterful reds under the Paros PDO from native grapes, led by the historic Moraitis estate near Naoussa and a handful of smaller, family-run producers. The island has made wine since antiquity. This guide covers the wines, the wineries to visit, the tastings and how to book a wine tour.
Wine is one of the island’s oldest traditions, a flavourful thread in the guide to Paros food and wine. Its vineyards spread across the interior. The sections below cover the wineries and the wine.
What wine does the island make?
The island makes crisp, saline whites and rosés from native Monemvasia, and characterful reds from a Paros PDO blend of red Mandilaria and white Monemvasia. A sweet Malvasia Paros PDO, from sun-dried Monemvasia with a little Assyrtiko, completes the range.
The island’s wines are distinctive and food-friendly. The Paros PDO governs its most serious bottles, requiring an unusual co-fermentation of the red Mandilaria and white Monemvasia grapes, which yields characterful reds, while the whites and rosés, made largely from Monemvasia and other native varieties, are crisp and saline-edged, made for the local seafood. A separate Malvasia Paros PDO, granted, covers a naturally sweet wine from sun-dried Monemvasia with up to 15 per cent Assyrtiko. The island grows a wide range of indigenous grapes. One winery leads the scene.
What is the Moraitis winery?
Moraitis is the island’s leading winery, in Naoussa, founded and now run by the fourth generation. With around 10 hectares of vineyards, it makes nearly 20 wines, and its old building houses ageing cellars, a wine museum and a tasting area open from noon to 4pm.
Moraitis is the most accessible introduction to Parian wine. Established by Manolis Moraitis and still family-run four generations on, the Naoussa estate farms about 10 hectares of well-known and rarer native grapes, producing nearly twenty wines and around 300,000 bottles a year, from reds and whites to rosés and sweet Malvasias. Its single-site premises hold the winemaking and bottling areas alongside the old building’s underground ageing cellars, a wine museum and a tasting room, open for visits from noon to 4pm. A short walk from the town, it is an easy stop, set out in the guide to Naoussa Paros. Smaller estates add variety.
What other wineries can you visit?
Beyond Moraitis, the island has around six wineries, including smaller family and organic producers making limited, artisanal bottles. Wine bars and restaurants also pour these lesser-known labels by the glass, often the most interesting wines on the table.
The island rewards looking beyond its biggest name. Around six wineries operate across the island, several small, family-run and organic, producing limited bottles from native grapes that rarely leave Paros. These artisanal labels are often the most characterful, and local wine bars and restaurants pour them by the glass or bottle, with the maker frequently on hand to explain them. Seeking out a smaller estate or asking a taverna for its best Parian label uncovers the island’s wine at its most personal, complementing the guide to Paros food and wine. A guided tour ties them together.
How do wine tours and tastings work?
Wine tours typically visit two wineries over about four hours, with tastings of several wines paired with local meze and hotel pickup from Parikia or Naoussa. Tastings at Moraitis can also be visited independently during opening hours.
A wine tour is the easiest way to taste the island’s range. Most run about four hours with hotel pickup from Parikia or Naoussa, visiting two wineries for tastings of several wines each, served with Greek finger food and a scenic drive between estates. Independent visitors can also call at Moraitis during its noon-to-4pm opening for a cellar tour and tasting. Combining a wine tour with a village drive through Lefkes makes a full cultural day, set out in the guide to Paros tours. Booking ahead in summer is wise. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
How do you book a winery visit?
You book a winery visit through a guided wine tour online or with a local operator, or directly with the winery for an independent tasting. Confirm opening times, the number of wines and whether food and transport are included before you go.
Booking a winery visit is simple with a little notice. Guided wine tours sell through operators and platforms, and confirming a few days ahead is wise in the busy summer months, especially for small-group trips. For an independent tasting, contacting the winery to check opening times avoids a wasted drive, since smaller estates may visit by appointment. Travellers confirm what a tour includes, such as the number of wines, the meze and the pickup point. My Greece Tours can help arrange a wine-and-village tour tailored to a group, reachable on +30 697 236 4387. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
What is the history of Paros wine?
Paros has made wine since the Cycladic era thousands of years ago, and ancient Parian wine was prized across the Aegean. The island became one of the first in Greece to gain PDO status, reviving its winemaking from the 1980s onward.
Wine runs deep in the island’s history. Vines have grown here since the early Cycladic period, and in antiquity Parian wine was traded and celebrated across the Greek world alongside the island’s famous marble. After centuries of traditional family production, Parian viticulture was modernised from the 1980s, when the island became one of the first Greek regions to win a Protected Designation of Origin, with a separate Malvasia Paros PDO following. This long heritage gives the wines their character, set within the wider Parian marble and craft story. You can visit the wineries independently too.
Can you visit wineries independently?
You can visit Moraitis winery independently during its opening hours, around noon to 4pm, for a cellar tour and tasting, while smaller estates may welcome visitors by appointment. A car or scooter reaches the wineries scattered around Naoussa and the interior.
Independent winery visits are easy to arrange. Moraitis, in Naoussa, opens to visitors for tastings and a look at its cellars and wine museum during set hours, so dropping in is simple, while the smaller family and organic estates often prefer a phone call or appointment first. A rental car or scooter reaches the wineries around Naoussa and the central hills, letting you set your own pace. For those without transport, a guided wine tour with pickup is the easier option, set out in the guide to Paros car rental. The wines pair beautifully with local food.
What food pairs with Parian wine?
Parian wine pairs naturally with the island’s food: the crisp, saline whites and rosés suit fresh seafood and grilled fish, while the reds match slow-cooked meat and local cheeses. The sweet Malvasia complements desserts and the island’s almond sweets.
The island’s wine and food are made for each other. The crisp, saline-edged whites and rosés, born of the sea-swept vineyards, are a perfect foil for the fresh fish, grilled octopus and sea-urchin salads of the harbour tavernas, while the characterful Mandilaria-based reds stand up to slow-cooked lamb, stuffed vegetables and aged cheeses such as graviera. The sweet Malvasia rounds off a meal with almond sweets or honey desserts. Tasting the wines with local dishes is the best way to know them, set out in the guide to Paros food and wine. Timing a winery visit helps.
When is the best time to visit a winery?
The best time to visit a winery is from late spring to early autumn, when the estates are open and the vineyards green, with the September harvest an especially atmospheric time. Booking a tour or tasting ahead is wise in the busy summer months.
The wine season follows the island’s calendar. From late spring to early autumn the wineries are open and the vineyards in leaf, making any visit rewarding, while the grape harvest around September brings the vineyards and cellars to life and is a memorable time to call. Summer is the busiest, so booking a tasting or a tour ahead secures a place, especially for small-group trips. Winter sees many estates close or visit by appointment only. Paros wineries reward a relaxed afternoon whenever you go, as the guide to the best time to visit Paros notes. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What wine is Paros known for?
Paros is known for crisp, saline whites and rosés from native Monemvasia, and characterful reds from a Paros PDO blend of red Mandilaria and white Monemvasia. A sweet Malvasia Paros PDO, from sun-dried Monemvasia, completes the range.
Can you visit Moraitis winery in Paros?
You can visit Moraitis winery in Naoussa, founded and now in its fourth generation, for a cellar tour and tasting from noon to 4pm. Its old building houses underground ageing cellars, a wine museum and a tasting area.
How do Paros wine tours work?
Paros wine tours typically visit two wineries over about four hours, with tastings of several wines paired with local meze and hotel pickup from Parikia or Naoussa. Booking a few days ahead is wise in the busy summer months.