Olympia wine tasting means a visit to one of the family wineries in the hills and plains around Ancient Olympia, in the Ilia region of the western Peloponnese, either on its own or as part of a tour that adds the ancient site, a bee farm or an olive oil tasting. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the wine area, the estates, the grapes, the visit itself, the tour types, length and inclusions, the season, getting there, who it suits, food pairings and booking, with links into the Olympia pages. The tours shown are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.
What is Olympia wine tasting?
Olympia wine tasting is a guided visit to the family estates around Ancient Olympia in Ilia, in the western Peloponnese, where you walk the vines, see the cellar and taste red, white, rosé and sweet wines made on the property.
Greece counts 34 Protected Designation of Origin zones and over 100 wines with Protected Geographical Indication status, and the Peloponnese has its own established wine road. Olympia wine tasting is the stop on that road where a working winery sits beside one of the top cultural sites in Greece.
The producers pour their own bottles, and each Olympia wine tasting is led by the estate family or its team. The cellars welcome organised groups and independent visitors alike, so you join a guided tour or arrive on your own and taste where the grapes grow.
Where does Olympia wine tasting take place?
Olympia wine tasting takes place across Ilia, a regional unit in the western Peloponnese, at estates spread between Ancient Olympia, the town of Pyrgos and the cruise harbour of Katakolo, with the closest cellar only 2 km from the ancient sanctuary.
Olympia Land Estate is based at Koskina, 2 km from the centre of Ancient Olympia and 20 km to the east of Pyrgos. Its vines grow along the Kladeos, the river on the western edge of the ancient site, so an Olympia wine tasting here is a short ride from Archaia Olympia town.
The Mercouri Estate lies on the coast, on the plateau of the Ichthys peninsula beside the village of Korakochori. Katakolo is 2 km away, Pyrgos 12 km and Ancient Olympia 32 km. Mercouri bottles carry the local Protected Geographical Indications of Letrini, Ilia and Pisatis.
Which wineries host Olympia wine tasting?
Olympia wine tasting centres on three named wineries: Olympia Land Estate at Koskina, Drouva Winery, which joins it on a two-winery tasting tour, and the Mercouri Estate at Korakochori near Katakolo, a family property that receives both large and small groups.
Olympia Land Estate, Ktima Olympia Gi in Greek, is a family-owned winery bottling small runs of quality wine since the early 2000s. Its modern winery has run since 2008, the vineyard has grown from 14 to 40 hectares, and the estate calls itself the first certified visitable winery in Greece.
Vassilis and Christos Kanellakopoulos, brothers from the fourth generation of the family, run the Mercouri Estate, and about 40% of its output goes abroad. Drouva Winery shares a guided Olympia wine tasting with Olympia Land, while Abelon by Ktima Brintziki is another producer listed near Olympia.
Which grape varieties does Olympia wine tasting pour?
Olympia wine tasting pours Greek grapes such as Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Roditis, Agiorgitiko, Mavrodaphne and the local Avgoustiatis, alongside Refosco, a red grape first brought from northern Italy, and international grapes such as Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Viognier, all grown on the estates.
At Olympia Land the vineyard holds Moschofilero, Roditis, Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Agiorgitiko, Avgoustiatis, Chardonnay, Syrah and Merlot. Its Ekecheria blends Assyrtiko with Malagousia, and Artemis is a Syrah rosé. The estate’s Malagousia grows on the limestone ground of Ancient Olympia and shows aromas of jasmine and apricot.
Mercouri grows more than 15 varieties. Refosco comes in two clones, and the house red blends it with Mavrodaphne, the “black laurel” grape native to Achaea in the northern Peloponnese. The Foloi white is 90% Roditis and 10% Viognier, and the vines behind an Olympia wine tasting here also include Mourvedre, Robola and Albariño.
How old is the wine tradition behind Olympia wine tasting?
The tradition behind Olympia wine tasting reaches back to the earliest Greek winemaking, with evidence 6,500 years old, and continues through estates founded in the 19th century, such as Mercouri in 1864, and family vines first tended at Koskina 150 years ago.
Greece ranks among the oldest wine-producing lands in the world, and in ancient times its wine travelled from one end of the Mediterranean to the other. Greeks have held the land around Olympia sacred for close to 3,000 years, and in the late 19th century nearby Pyrgos grew fast on raisin exports through Katakolo.
The modern chapter of Olympia wine tasting begins with Theodoros Mercouri, a trader with business in northern Italy and Alexandria, who bought the estate land in 1864 and soon planted Refosco. Ships later loaded oak barrels of its red wine in the private bay for Trieste, and in 1930 Leonidas Mercouri added underground cellars for about 300 tonnes.
What happens during a winery visit on an Olympia wine tasting?
An Olympia wine tasting visit starts with a guided walk through the vineyards, moves down to the underground cellar to show how the wine is made, and ends at the tasting table, where visitors report five or six estate wines plus a distilled spirit.
At Olympia Land the visit lasts around 90 minutes. The guide explains grape farming and terroir among the vines, then leads the group into the underground cellar. The tasting follows in the tasting room, beside a restored well or in the vineyard, with the estate’s own olive oil and olives, and the mills are covered under Olympia olive oil tasting.
A Mercouri Olympia wine tasting tours the production rooms, vineyards, olive groves and a small folklore museum of old farm tools. Guests walk through the trees down to the beach, and the tasting ends under old pine trees looking out over the Ionian Sea towards Zante. The old engine room now serves as a tasting room, and peacocks roam the grounds.
Which Olympia wine tasting tours combine the ancient site and a winery?
Olympia wine tasting tours that pair the ancient site with a winery include the Ancient Secrets and Wine Tasting Experience, the Olympia Boutique Expedition with wine and olive oil, and the Viator Olympia Highlights and Winery Experience, a four-hour combined tour.
The Ancient Secrets and Wine Tasting Experience pairs a guide-led walk round Ancient Olympia with a spell among local vineyards, so the ruins and an Olympia wine tasting fit into one outing. Its listing presents the day as a blend of history, leisure and regional flavour, built around cruise guests.
The Olympia Boutique Expedition keeps the group small. A guide shows the home of the ancient Games, free time in the village follows, and the trip closes with tastings of local wine and olive oil. Travellers who want longer among the temples than an Olympia wine tasting combo allows can reserve a separate Ancient Olympia guided tour as well.
Which Olympia wine tasting tours add honey and olive oil?
Olympia wine tasting tours that add honey and olive oil include the agrotourism tour, with stops at an olive oil mill, a winery and a honey farm, plus the Katakolon honey farm and winery excursion and a private Viator listing for oil, honey and wine.
The agrotourism tour on GetYourGuide shows guests Olympia, where the ancient Games began, and then calls at an apiary, a winery and an olive mill, where guests taste what each one produces. The Olympia wine tasting is one farm stop among the others, and the plan also leaves time to relax on a beach.
The Katakolon shore excursion pairs the archaeological site with a beekeeping visit and an Olympia wine tasting. Viator adds the Katakolon 7hour tour that strings together Olympia, honey farm, winery and beach stops, and the Private Olympia Flavors of Olive Oil, Honey and Wine for travellers who want all three products in one booking.
Which Olympia wine tasting tours suit cruise passengers from Katakolo?
Olympia wine tasting tours that suit cruise passengers from Katakolo include the Olympia Land and Drouva winery tour from the port, the Norwegian Cruise Line Olympia and Wine Tasting excursion, and a 4-hour Viator shore excursion that adds a beach.
The Olympia Land and Drouva Winery Tour departs from Katakolon Port, and its summary names only the two wineries, the local grape varieties of Western Greece and guided tastings, with no stop at the sanctuary listed. Viator lists a winery-focused Olympia wine tasting from the same port that visits two boutique wineries, each with its own tasting.
Norwegian Cruise Line runs its own excursion: the archaeological site first, then a countryside drive to a family-run vineyard for the Olympia wine tasting. The cruise line promises that the ship waits if one of its organised tours runs late. The pier and the town are covered on the Katakolo port page.
Which private Olympia wine tasting tours can you book?
Private Olympia wine tasting tours you can book include the Ancient Olympia private tour with the site, museum, bee farm and winery, the private Katakolo excursion with wine and olive tasting, and the Olympia Land and Drouva winery tour for private groups.
The Ancient Olympia private tour takes the group through the excavated sanctuary and its museum, then to a bee farm and a winery, with pickup available. The operator sells it as a stress-free way to reach the Olympic birthplace, with the scenic drive part of the appeal and the Olympia wine tasting at the winery stop.
The private-group flag also sits on the GetYourGuide agrotourism tour with honey, wine and oil, while the Drouva tour carries the small-group label too. Viator lists two more private Olympia wine tasting options: one from Katakolon that adds a beach to the ancient site and a winery, and one that pairs the site with a bee farm and a winery.
How long does an Olympia wine tasting tour take?
An Olympia wine tasting tour takes from 4 to 5.5 hours on GetYourGuide, four and a half hours on the Norwegian Cruise Line excursion and 7 hours on the longer Katakolon Viator tour, while a winery tasting booked alone lasts 1 hour.
On GetYourGuide, the Katakolon honey farm and winery excursion and the Olympia Land and Drouva tour each run 4 hours. The Ancient Secrets tour, the Ancient Olympia private tour and the Katakolo wine and olive excursion take 5 hours, and the agrotourism tour and the Olympia Boutique Expedition fill 5.5 hours of an Olympia wine tasting day.
Norwegian Cruise Line gives an estimated four and a half hours, with about one and a half miles on foot over level paths, dirt and gravel. A stand-alone Olympia wine tasting at Olympia Land Estate, sold by Gastronomy Tours, lasts 1 hour. The drive between the ship and the sanctuary is set out on the Katakolo to Olympia page.
What does an Olympia wine tasting tour include?
An Olympia wine tasting tour includes the wine tasting and, on the listings that say so, a guide and pickup; the GetYourGuide summaries do not name entry tickets, while Norwegian Cruise Line states that its prices cover transfers and entrance fees.
Pickup is flagged on the Katakolon honey farm excursion, the Ancient Olympia private tour, the Katakolo wine and olive excursion and the Drouva tour. The Ancient Secrets tour, the Boutique Expedition and the Katakolo wine and olive excursion name a guided site visit, while the Drouva listing names guided tastings at each Olympia wine tasting stop.
Skip-the-line access is flagged on the agrotourism tour, the Katakolon honey farm excursion and the Katakolo wine and olive excursion, and the museum appears on the private bee farm tour and the Katakolo excursion. On the Norwegian Cruise Line Olympia wine tasting, the vineyard family serves snacks with its wines.
The stand-alone Olympia Land Estate visit, booked through Gastronomy Tours, is a guided tour for up to 40 persons, run in Greek, English and French, so a tasting in a language other than English is easy to arrange there without a full-day tour.
When is the best season for Olympia wine tasting?
The best season for Olympia wine tasting is harvest, from late August to early October, when the bulk of Northern Hemisphere grapes are picked, while Olympia Land Estate is listed as active in every month and pours summer tastings in its garden.
North of the equator, grape picking runs from August to October and peaks between late August and early October. An Olympia wine tasting in those weeks meets the vintage itself, as growers read sugar, acid and tannin to judge ripeness.
In summer, Olympia wine tasting moves to the estate’s green garden or its stone mansion. Gastronomy Tours shows the estate active from January to December. Around Pyrgos, summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and rainy, and rainfall peaks in late autumn.
How do you get to an Olympia wine tasting?
You get to an Olympia wine tasting on a shore excursion from Katakolo port, with pickup flagged on four of seven listings, or by car from Pyrgos, which sits 20 km west of the Olympia Land Estate tasting room near Ancient Olympia.
Katakolo is a popular cruise stop, and its port gives passengers a way to reach the site of Olympia. Four Olympia wine tasting listings are built for Katakolon cruise guests and start at the quay, so passengers keep the ship’s schedule in mind when they book.
By car, an Olympia wine tasting is reached from Pyrgos on National Road 74, which runs on through Olympia to Tripoli, and regular trains link Pyrgos with Katakolo and Olympia. Private door-to-door rides are on our Olympia transfers page.
Who suits Olympia wine tasting?
Olympia wine tasting suits adults first, with one shore excursion setting its adult band at 18 and another at 17, yet families book child places, wheelchair users find a fully accessible estate, and non-drinkers taste olive oil and olives instead.
Age bands differ by operator: one Katakolon shore excursion counts guests of 18 to 99 as adults, another counts adults from 17, and a third Olympia wine tasting tour accepts no children aged 5 or younger. Five of the seven listings sell child places, and two add an infant band.
Olympia Land Estate calls its winery fully accessible to visitors with special needs, and four of the seven listings carry a wheelchair-accessible label, so an Olympia wine tasting stays open to wheelchair users. Family plans beyond the vineyard are on our Olympia with kids page.
Which food pairs with Olympia wine tasting?
Olympia wine tasting pairs with the estate’s own olives and extra virgin olive oil, with local honey from nearby bee farms and with seafood, since the winery itself matches its crisp, well-chilled Assyrtiko white wine with fresh fish and shellfish.
At Olympia Land Estate, an Olympia wine tasting comes with dining services and organic products on site. For Greek Easter, the winery suggests its Assyrtiko with magiritsa after the Resurrection service on Holy Saturday and its Pheidias for Easter Day.
Local producers widen an Olympia wine tasting day: the Oilympian Koufolias olive oil mill works in Olympia, the Lampropoulou Family Farm makes organic products in the Pyrgos area, and Olympia tour listings add honey farm stops and olive oil tastings.
How do you book Olympia wine tasting?
You book Olympia wine tasting either with Olympia Land Estate, which runs guided visits only after it confirms a reservation, or on GetYourGuide, where all seven checked listings carry free cancellation and close bookings 20 minutes to 10 hours before departure.
The quickest Olympia wine tasting listing takes bookings 20 minutes before departure, others close 30 or 40 minutes out, one an hour and a half ahead, one 4 hours ahead, and two private tours need 10 hours of notice.
Two listings cap each Olympia wine tasting booking at 8 guests, others stop at 15, 16 and 20, and four run as private groups. The estate’s own guided tours take up to 40 people. Travellers adding a second wine region find it on our Nemea wine page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which languages are spoken at an Olympia wine tasting?
An Olympia wine tasting at Olympia Land Estate runs in Greek, English and French, according to its Gastronomy Tours listing. GetYourGuide tours widen the choice: one agrotourism tour near Olympia offers English, Greek, French, German, Italian and Spanish, and a Katakolon shore excursion offers French, English, Italian and Spanish.
Can you bring a dog to an Olympia wine tasting?
Yes, the Gastronomy Tours listing marks Olympia Land Estate as pet friendly, so a dog is welcome at an Olympia wine tasting there. The same listing confirms toilets on site. Mention the dog in your reservation so the estate plans the visit around it.
Can you buy wine after an Olympia wine tasting?
Yes, Olympia Land Estate keeps a retail shop at the winery and an online shop on its website that lists its shipping methods, so bottles chosen at an Olympia wine tasting travel home in a suitcase or by delivery. Its newsletter announces new releases and offers.
Does Olympia wine tasting run on Sundays?
Olympia Land Estate opens Monday to Saturday, so a regular Olympia wine tasting there falls on a weekday or a Saturday. The exception is the estate’s Open Doors day, held on a Sunday in spring, with free tastings, guided tours of the premises and offers on the whole wine list.