Nemea

REGION

To the West of Athens is the famous region of Peloponnese, in ancient Corinthia. The Peloponnese region can attribute most, if not all of its fame, to a lesser known sub-region and exquisite wine appellation, Nemea. A beautiful land of rolling hills and fertile soils, named “a sanctuary” by Zeus himself, Nemea feels a world away from not only the busy cities, but the 21st century altogether. Here, Hercules fought the great Nemea lion, which had terrorised and created havoc among the people of the ancient city. In tribute to the legendary figure, wines made from the region’s grape Agiorgitiko, where called from then on, ‘The Blood of Hercules’ by the ancient peoples. The ancient wine of Fliasion (now the Nemea-Agiorgitiko known throughout the world) was even known to be flavoured with the blood of the lion itself, thus giving the wine it’s rich and mysterious flavour. In this sleepy region, you can easily get lost in the mythological world of Greece; the ruins of the massive Nemean Games stadium; the Temple of Zeus; or simply, the idyllic peaceful nature of the region, on your way to a nearby winery. Legendary Greek wine, mythology and breath-taking surroundings, the region of the Peloponnese and it’s jewel in the crown Nemea, have much to teach, offer and escape to.

TERROIR

Nemea climate is characterised as sub-arid and sub-humid, with average annual precipitation 700-800 mm and average temperature that ranges from 16 to 18 Celsius degrees. With mountains and valleys surrounding Nemea, the region can be easily split into three distinct microclimates, with their own terroir. Rolling hills are found to the East of the village, mountains to the north, and flat land surrounding the West and South. The changing landscape around the village of Nemea results in a high degree of variation between the Nemean wines and is a characteristic of the appellation. White clay soils, with deposits of schist and limestone are predominate in the region. More gravelly soils are found in the vineyards on the slopes of the hills, with the flat grounds rich in organic matter, producing blood red coloured tilled furrows. Nemean wineries make expert use of the altitude available to them, producing dry red wines and rosé from higher, cooler vineyards, and use warmer, lower vineyards for sweet wine making from the Agiorgitiiko grapes.