” … and when Kephalos settled on the island at the end of his travels, he brought with him the vine, that plant that is blessed by Dionysos, and thus won over the land, the heart and the soul of the Cephalonians“.
“The Grapes of Hanaan – Albert Mousson
Corfu and Cephalonia – A Tour in 1858.”

Kefalonian wines are among the most sought after in Greece for their fine quality and excellent taste. According to Homer, the wines were already well- known at the time of Trojan wars, hence the local experience in the art of wine- making derives from the ancient times. During the centuries, the Kefalonian wines had been enjoyed by the Spanish-Venetians, French and British occupiers of the island and it has been only after the WWII and following the 1953 earthquake that producers improved their methods, thus enabling the exquisite taste to be captured, and, literally, bottled. As a result, production volume increased and consequently, wines became widely available.

Kefalonia is a rather big island, so there are three zones for the elaboration of regional wines: The slopes of Mount Ainos in Omala Valley (white and red vines), Metaxata village in Livathos area (red) and Mantzavinata village  in Paliki peninsula (white, rose and red). These zones produce high quality wines of differing varieties.

Kefalonia boasts three appellations of origin: Robola, Muscat and Mavrodaphne, while several local wineries use five white and two red grape varieties.

Robola

This deliciously crisp and fruity wine, historically first mentioned in 1544, is produced from grapes grown on the slopes of Mount Aenos and is a great introduction to the unique tastes of the island. Its characteristic bouquet is that of citrus blossoms, peaches, lime and apple. This wine accompanies best fish dishes, although people from Kefalonia prefer it with almost any food or as an aperitif as well.

Mavrodaphne

is a sweet red wine distinguished by its deep red colour and ripe cherry and wild berry flavours. The wine has good tannins, is full-bodied with a long aftertaste and matures well. It can be served as a sweet dessert wine.

Muscat

The appellation zone covers certain communities on the Paliki peninsula but this variety is not widely cultivated. The grapes are sun-dried and the bouquet of the wine has varietal characteristics.

Cheers!