Spend Time at the Geravassiliou Winery in Thessaloniki, Greece
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Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, which means that there is plenty here to do and see. Not only is it located in a physical beautiful area of Greece, but there is also a lot to do. The city is also home to a great wines that were made at Geravassiliou Winery. Here’s what you should know about visiting this winery:
Get to Know the Geravassiliou Winery
Geravassiliou Winery is located in the Papamola region of Epanomi, about 25 km southeast of Thessaloniki. The winery was started by Vangelis Geravassiliou in 1981 when he decided to revive his family’s vineyard. The vineyard extended for over 2.5 hectares. Geravassiliou mainly planted Greek grapes, but also included some foreign varieties. The first vinification at the winery occurred in 1986 at the modern winery that was built at the vineyard.
Vangelis Geravassiliou studied at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s School of Agriculture. He specialized in viticulture, oenology, wine-tasting, and the technology of wine-making equipment at the University of Bordeaux in France. From 1976 – 1999, Vangelis Geravassiliou worked as an oenologist at Domaine Porto Carras. In 1998, with oenologist Vassilis Tasktsarlis, Geravassiliou created the Estate Biblia Chora, a 48 hectare private vineyard.
What to See at Geravassiliou Winery
The vineyard at Geravassiliou Winery is surrounded by the sea on three sides. The west side of the vineyard faces the Thermaic Gulf and Mount Olympus. The soil of the vineyard is mainly sandy with some clay and calcareous rocks. The soil is rich in sea fossils. Some of the grape varieties that grow in the vineyard include: Malagousia, Assyrtiko, Limnio, Syrah, and Merlot.
The Geravassiliou Wine Museum consists of 2600 corkscrews. This collection was started by Geravassiliou in the 1980s. Other pieces in the museum date back to the 18th century. They are unique and rare items that show exactly how far technology in wine-making has come.
Spending Time at the Winery
Children under 18 who visit Geravassiliou Winery, as well as students of colleges/schools that are related to the field of wine and vine, are granted free admission. Geravassiliou Winery is accessible to those with disabilities. Photography, without flash, is allowed during your visit. Filming is not allowed at the winery.
You can take a tour of Geravassiliou Winery with an experienced guide who will educate you about everything you are seeing. There are a few tours daily. A tour includes a short walk around the vineyard, a tour of the wine-production, bottling, and ageing areas, and a walk through the museum. You will also be able to taste the wines produced at the estate in the wine-tasting rooms.
While tasting wine, you will have a spectacular view of the vineyard. If you want to try more wines, there are different tour options including an option to taste all the wines, an option for a private wine-tasting, and an option for a tasting of food and wine. These options require reservations, but if you are a serious wine-lover, it will be well-worth it.
Once in Thessaloniki, you can get to Geravassiliou Winery by taking the bus. The bus will stop just 2 km from the winery, so you just have to walk the rest of the way. You can also take a taxi or car if you prefer.
Categorized in: About Thessaloniki, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
