A Preveza wine tasting pours the wines of Epirus at a session in Preveza town or at vineyards in the same regional unit of north-western Greece. Plan the wider trip with Greece Tours.
The questions below take a Preveza wine tasting step by step: the bookings, the grapes, the vineyard trips, the harvest and the practical details.
What is a Preveza wine tasting?
An instructor pours Greek wines in the city of Preveza. The Preveza wine tasting teaches you to judge each glass by color, smell and taste. Wikipedia defines wine tasting as the sensory examination and evaluation of wine.
Preveza is a city in the region of Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The city stands on the northern peninsula where the Ambracian Gulf opens to the sea. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza. A Preveza wine tasting takes place inside that city.
Tasters work in four stages: appearance, the aroma in the glass, the sensations in the mouth and the finish. The finish is the aftertaste. Each glass of a Preveza wine tasting passes through the same stages.
Wikipedia lists five basic steps in tasting wine: color, swirl, smell, taste and savor.
- Color: put the glass at an angle against a white background and read the shade.
- Swirl: a gentle swirl exposes the wine to more oxygen and releases more aroma.
- Smell: the nose of a wine is the major determinant of the flavor you perceive in the mouth.
- Taste and savor: hold the wine in the mouth for a moment so it reaches the taste buds.
Color gives the taster clues to the grape variety and to whether the wine aged in wood. Pausing at each step is what separates a tasting from simple quaffing.
A tasting flight is a set of wines poured for sampling and comparison. The reference INAO glass takes a pour of 50 ml, and its narrow opening concentrates the bouquet. A Preveza wine tasting compares its glasses the same way.
Temperature changes the taste at a Preveza wine tasting, too. Lower temperatures emphasize acidity and tannins and mute the aromatics. Higher temperatures reduce acidity and tannins and raise the aromatics. Each wine type has its own serving range.
The setting of the Preveza wine tasting is a cozy space. It belongs to one of the oldest wine cellars in the city, according to The Abroad Guide. The space is a dedicated tasting room, not a restaurant.
Which Preveza wine tasting can you book in town?
GetYourGuide lists the session “Preveza: Wine tasting” for the city. A local instructor pours five wines, two white, two red and one rosé, and pairs each with a regional cheese. The listing calls it a friendly session for guests staying in the city.
The cheese platter at this Preveza wine tasting includes PDO cheeses, and breadsticks come with it. The wines come from regions such as the Peloponnese and Naoussa. The instructor explains what makes each region unique, from soil to climate.
The Abroad Guide calls the instructor of the Preveza wine tasting a seasoned sommelier. The hour opens with an overview of Greek wine history and the wine-growing regions. You then learn how climate, terroir and grape variety shape the flavor of each wine.
The listing sets the terms in plain labels.
- Length: one hour.
- Language: English.
- Group: a private group and a small group, with one to eight people on a booking.
- Access: wheelchair accessible.
- Cancellation: free cancellation, with booking at least 10 hours ahead.
The Abroad Guide states that pregnant women and children under 18 are not eligible, because the session involves alcohol. Check that rule against the live listing before you pay.
Three longer wine trips sit near the town tasting, and each has its own listing. Other trips from the town sit on the page for Preveza tours.
- “Parga: Private Wine Tasting and Acheron Food Tour” runs 6 to 7 hours and is listed under Parga.
- “Wine Experience – From Ziros Lake to the Vineyards” runs 3 hours and is listed under Ziros.
- “Lefkada: Waterfalls, Winery, and Olive Oil Tour” runs 5.5 hours and is listed under Lefkada.
Which grapes fill the glass at a Preveza wine tasting?
A Preveza wine tasting of Epirus wines centres on two local grapes. Debina is a white grape for dry whites and sparkling wines. Vlahiko is a red grape for dry reds. Both come from the cool, mountainous north-west of Greece.
These are the local grapes of Epirus, the region that Preveza belongs to. Wikipedia counts about 200 vine varieties in Greece. Learn these names before a Preveza wine tasting and the labels read easily.
Debina is a white grape grown primarily in the Zitsa region of Epirus. Visit Greece says it fills 95% of the vineyards in the Zitsa viticultural zone. It produces the white wine PDO Zitsa and semi-sparkling and sparkling wines.
Wines of Greece describes Debina as a grape for dry whites and for semi-sparkling and sparkling wines. Its high acidity suits sparkling wine. The grape oxidizes easily, so until recently only people living near the vineyards drank its wines.
The cold climate of Zitsa gives Debina a fresh character. Wines of Greece says tasters get the impression of biting into a freshly picked Granny Smith apple. The mild, low-alcohol PDO Zitsa white holds that impression. The sparkling wines add aromas of brioche and biscuits.
Vlahiko is a red grape from the coldest parts of north-western Greece, mainly Epirus. It makes dry reds. Red-wine fans at a Preveza wine tasting can look for it by name.
Judge the colour first at a Preveza wine tasting. A Vlahiko wine shows a bright ruby colour, never a deep one. Aromas suggest fresh red berry fruit, green leaves and spices. Alcohol is moderately low, rarely above 12.5%. Tannins are discreet and fine-grained, while acidity is high.
Vlahiko is frequently blended with Bekari. That local grape is deeper in colour and higher in alcohol and tannins. Wines of Greece pairs Vlahiko with cold cuts and charcuterie. It suggests serving the wine slightly chilled on a warm summer evening.
Epirus grows international grapes too. Metsovo holds the highest mountain vineyards in Greece, at 950 to 1,000 metres. Cabernet Sauvignon was first planted on Greek soil there. Other wine grapes there include Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Traminer and Chardonnay.
Epirus is mountainous, with the bulk of its terrain at an altitude of 700 metres. That height is one of the main reasons for the humid, cool climate. The Ionian Sea moderates extreme weather, and the Pindos range blocks humid winds from the Adriatic Sea.
Rain is rarely a problem for the growers. The soil is clay with a medium lime content, so it holds moisture all year and needs no irrigation. Wines of Greece ties both grapes to the cool climate. Remember that link when you compare bottles at a Preveza wine tasting.
How do Epirus wine labels shape a Preveza wine tasting?
Labels tell tasters where each bottle comes from. The Wines of Greece list shows one PDO for Epirus, Zitsa, and three PGIs: Epirus, Ioannina and Metsovo. Wikipedia glosses PDO as an Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality.
Greece set up an appellation system so buyers can trust the origin of a wine. Wikipedia sorts Greek wines into three groups: PDO, PGI and table wine. Ask the host of a Preveza wine tasting which group each bottle belongs to.
- PDO Zitsa: the only Epirus PDO on the Wines of Greece list.
- PGI Epirus: the label that carries the name of the whole region.
- PGI Ioannina: a label named after Ioannina.
- PGI Metsovo: a label named after the mountain town of Metsovo.
Zitsa lies in the Ioannina regional unit. Epirus has four regional units: Thesprotia, Ioannina, Arta and Preveza. A Preveza wine tasting that pours PDO Zitsa serves a wine from the same region but a different regional unit.
The semi-sparkling and sparkling wines of Zitsa share the geographical indication of the white wine. They come bottled, dry or semi-dry. Wikipedia says Zitsa became a centre of wine production in the Ottoman era. Wine and tourism are still its two main activities.
Metsovo has its own PGI. Visit Greece says the robust reds of mountainous Metsovo have a strong personality and improve with age. A PGI Metsovo label names that town.
Epitrapezios Oinos is the third group. Wikipedia glosses it as table wine, not certified to a region of Greece. It adds that the label does not reflect the real quality of the wine.
Wikipedia lists two more styles under table wine. Cava is an aged reserve blend. The minimum ageing is one year for whites and two years for reds. Retsina is a traditional wine flavoured with pine resin.
At a Preveza wine tasting, check three things on any label: the tier, the place name and the grape. Those three lines tell you what is in the glass before the first sip.
What does a Parga wine tasting by the Acheron add to a Preveza wine tasting?
It turns a Preveza wine tasting into a private trip of 6 to 7 hours. The trip adds a boutique vineyard, a river gorge and a riverside lunch. The wine is one stop in a longer day.
BEYOND LIMITS GR sells the trip as a “Private Wine Tasting and Acheron Food Tour” under Parga. The group is private, with 2 to 8 guests. A live guide leads it in English or Greek. Pickup is available from your hotel or a spot you choose.
Parga sits on the Ionian coast between the cities of Preveza and Igoumenitsa. It lies in the north-western part of the Preveza regional unit. This trip therefore stays inside the same regional unit as any Preveza wine tasting.
The wine stop is a boutique vineyard, and the owner leads the private tour. The highlights list three wines inspired by local legends. The description calls them a “Mythological Trilogy” of rare labels and adds local appetizers.
Next comes the Springs of Acheron, which the listing links to the “Gates of Hades”. You explore the gorge and its turquoise waters at your own pace. Entry to the springs and gorge is included. The packing list names water shoes, a towel and swimwear.
Lunch at a riverside spot is where a Preveza wine tasting meets food. The listing names hand-crafted Epirotic pies, aged local cheeses marked PDO and rare cold cuts. Each is paired with the wines from the vineyard. Food and drinks beyond the set menu are not included.
Wine tasting on this trip is strictly for guests aged 18 and over, and minors receive non-alcoholic drinks. Children over 7 must come with an adult. Guests declare allergies and diets when they book.
Cancellation for the Preveza wine tasting trip is free up to 24 hours before the start, with a full refund. The operator confirms a booking within 24 hours. The trip is outdoors, so extreme weather brings a new date or a full refund. The listing asks for good physical condition.
The river behind this Preveza wine tasting trip is the Acheron, in the Epirus region of north-western Greece. It is 52 km long and drains an area of 705 km². Its source lies close to Zotiko, a village in the Ioannina regional unit. The river flows into the Ionian Sea at Ammoudia, near Parga.
Greek myth counts the Acheron among the five rivers of the underworld and calls it the river of woe. Charon ferries the dead across it. Pindar, Aeschylus, Euripides, Plato and Callimachus all place Charon on the Acheron.
Not every ancient source treats the river as grim. The Suda describes it as “a place of healing, not a place of punishment”. Plato, in the Phaedo, ranks it as the second greatest river in the world, after Oceanus.
How does the Lake Ziros vineyard visit fit a Preveza wine tasting?
It adds a second, shorter tasting to a Preveza wine tasting without leaving the regional unit. The Ziros Lake listing, “From Ziros Lake to the Vineyards”, runs for 3 hours with a small group. It pairs Kokkinopilos Explore with the Mitou Winery.
The listing sells the visit as wine tourism in the heart of Epirus. The group holds up to 6 guests, and the tour runs in English, German or Greek. Cancellation is free. A booking needs at least 10 hours of notice.
The Ziros visit is the shorter of the two trips. It suits a Preveza wine tasting with less time to spare. Ziros lies in the same regional unit as Preveza and Parga.
Lake Ziros is a small lake in the eastern part of the Preveza regional unit. A dense lakeside forest rings it. The lake lies 2 km west of the old Arta-Ioannina national road, opposite the community of Pantanassa in Arta.
Geologists believe the lake was once a lake cave whose roof collapsed about 10,000 years ago. The Thesprotian Mountains rise to its west. The Louros River flows very close on its east side and links to the lake underground.
The municipality of Ziros takes its name from the lake, and its seat is the town of Filippiada. Travelgo lists hiking, cycling, swimming and canoeing as the outdoor activities around the water. The lake appears in the title of this Preveza wine tasting trip, ahead of the vineyards.
A little further north rise the Kokkinopilos hills, a group of red clay hills between 100 and 150 m high. Travelgo describes them as a site of geological and archaeological interest.
The Agios Alexandros Children’s Town, called Ziroupoli, was built on the lake shore by Swiss architects. It cared for orphans of the Second World War and the Civil War. In its working years it hosted about 800 boys aged 6 to 17.
When does the grape harvest change a Preveza wine tasting?
September is traditionally the grape harvest month in Greece, says Visit Greece. Wines of Greece places the Debina harvest in Zitsa, Epirus, in late September. A Preveza wine tasting booked in that window falls in the same weeks as the picking.
Folklorist Dimitrios Loukatos, quoted by To Vima, records the Greek harvest as beginning after 15 August and peaking in September. Wikipedia places the bulk of Northern Hemisphere harvesting between late August and early October. A Preveza wine tasting in July or in November sits outside both windows.
Ripeness and weather set the picking date, not the calendar. Wikipedia says winemakers judge ripeness by sugar, acid and tannin levels. Heat, rain, hail and frost can damage grapes and shape the timetable. The first picking day therefore moves with the season. Ask the operator how the harvest stands before you book a Preveza wine tasting in September.
Visit Greece describes autumn weather as unstable. Vineyard chores must end before sudden rain can ruin the crop. Family, neighbours and friends gather early and work through the day, singing and teasing one another. Each person gets a specific task.
Pickers place the grapes carefully in baskets. The strongest workers carry the baskets and stack them on trucks. In the past, donkeys did that carrying.
Customs mark the start of the work. On 6 August, winemakers used to send a basket of the first ripe grapes to the church for a blessing. A Preveza wine tasting in early August meets that custom.
On the first day of picking, winemakers also brought a priest to say a prayer. They left a small part of the vineyard unharvested as a sign of thanks.
At noon everyone stops to eat the food that the wine grower offers. Over the meal they make first guesses about the quality and quantity of the crop. The grapes then go to the patitiri, the wine press. One group presses while the rest enjoy meze and drinks.
Visit Greece says wine tasting began on the feast day of one of two saints. They are Agios Dimitrios on 26 October and Agios Georgios Methistis on 3 November. A Preveza wine tasting in late October meets the first of those dates.
To Vima adds that pressed grapes brought the first sweets of the season. They were petimezi, a grape syrup, and moustalevria, a pudding of must and flour.
Can a Preveza wine tasting share a day with Nikopolis?
Yes, on distance alone. Wikipedia puts the ruins of Nikopolis about 5 km north of Preveza town. They stand on a small bay of the Gulf of Arta. A Preveza wine tasting in town and a visit to the ancient city need only that short hop.
Octavian founded Nicopolis in 29 BC and gave it a name that means City of Victory. He built it to mark his win over Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium. Wikipedia dates that battle to 2 September 31 BC, in the same month Visit Greece calls the grape harvest month.
Today the site is known as Palaea Preveza, which means Old Preveza. Wikipedia says the town of Preveza took the place of Nicopolis in the Middle Ages. A Preveza wine tasting therefore happens in the town that took over from the ancient city.
Wikipedia names these standout features of the ruins:
- the Actium monument of Augustus
- a theatre with 77 rows of seats
- an odeon, the baths and large sections of the original walls
- the nymphaeum, or great fountain
- the Roman villa of Antoninus, with a mosaic
- the stadium, home of the Actian Games
The aqueduct brought water from the Louros river over a distance of about 50 km. Octavian started the Actian Games in honour of Apollo, and they ran every four years. Emperor Nero took part and was crowned winner of the chariot race. Wikipedia estimates the stadium held at least 10,000 spectators.
The Archaeological Museum of Nicopolis also stands 5 km north of Preveza. Wikipedia counts more than 10,000 objects, with 1,100 on display. They include a marble head of General Agrippa. They also include the last surviving bronze ship ram from the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra. The listed hours run from 8 am to 8 pm every day.
Check the start time of your Preveza wine tasting on the booking page. Then set the ruins before it or the museum after it.
How do you reach a Preveza wine tasting from Lefkada or Parga?
Lefkada lies 26.8 km from Preveza by road, a drive of about 24 minutes. Parga lies 60.6 km away, a drive of about 56 minutes. Both drives end in the town of Preveza, where the Preveza wine tasting takes place.
Wikipedia describes Lefkada as joined to the mainland by a long causeway and a floating bridge. The same encyclopedia says the Aktio-Preveza undersea tunnel greatly shortens the trip between Preveza and Lefkada. Rome2rio supplies the road figures above.
Guests who sleep on the island can also take the bus. Rome2rio lists it at about 45 minutes from Preveza to Lefkada. They can compare this plan with a Lefkada wine tasting at the island’s own wineries.
Wikipedia lists KTEL bus links between Parga and Preveza. Rome2rio puts the bus trip from Preveza to Parga at 1 hour 40 minutes including transfers. That bus is the public route to a Preveza wine tasting for guests who stay in Parga.
Who can join a Preveza wine tasting?
Adults can join. Greek law sets 18 as the age to buy alcohol, in a venue or in a shop. The booking form for the Preveza: Wine tasting gig sells one ticket type, Adult, labelled Age 99 and younger.
Wikipedia’s table of drinking ages lists 18 for drinking in public and no set age for drinking in private. The law that bans minors from drinking in public does not apply to private events or private premises.
A guest who drives to a Preveza wine tasting faces the standard Greek limit. It is 0.05% blood alcohol, or 0.25 mg/L on the breath. Wikipedia adds that traffic police run routine breath tests without probable cause, especially on weekends and major holidays.
Above 0.11% blood alcohol, or 0.60 mg/L on the breath, the offence is a flagrant misdemeanour. Wikipedia lists up to two years of imprisonment, a court fine and the loss of the licence for six months.
Which questions come up before a Preveza wine tasting?
Preveza is a town in Epirus with a population of 30,000, according to Wikivoyage. The answers below cover the roads and rules around a Preveza wine tasting. They run from the tunnel and the Lefkada bridge to the new-driver limit.
Can you walk or cycle through the tunnel to a Preveza wine tasting?
No. Wikivoyage states that crossing the Aktio-Preveza tunnel is not allowed for bicycles or on foot. Officially, a regular bus carries bicycles through the tunnel.
When does the Lefkada bridge open on the way to a Preveza wine tasting?
Wikivoyage says the bridge moves aside every hour on the hour to let yachts cross. It warns of significant delays at the bridge on peak weekends in high season.
Which drink-driving limit applies to new drivers?
The limit falls to 0.02% blood alcohol, or 0.10 mg/L on the breath. Wikipedia applies it to drivers licensed for less than two years, to motorcycle drivers and to professional drivers.
Is Parga part of the Preveza area?
Yes. Wikipedia places Parga in the north-west of the Preveza regional unit in Epirus. Preveza is the capital of that unit.
Which road joins Preveza to Igoumenitsa?
Wikipedia says the E55 national road links Preveza to Igoumenitsa and other coastal settlements. Wikivoyage places Parga on the Ionian coast between Igoumenitsa and Preveza.
How far apart are Parga and Lefkada?
Rome2rio gives 85 km, or about 1 hour 17 minutes by car. Its bus listings for the same trip run via Preveza and take about 2 hours 45 minutes.