Wines of Amyntaio, Florina!
The area of Amyntaio is listed among the most important wine areas of Greece since ancient years! The findings of the strong bonds in the area with the Ancient Greek God Dionysus – God of Wine and Wine cultivation and the Saint Trifon, during Christian years, shows how important were from ancient years wine and wine cultivation for the area and its people!
The vineyards of Amyntaio lie at an altitude of 650 meters and the area mainly cultivates an indigenous variety Xinomavro – known also as Popolka. The red wine of Amyntaio along with the sparkling wine recognized as VQPRD and since 1995 rose wine of Amyntaio is the only Greek Rose Appellation of Origin wine, the VQPRD Amyntaio Rose along with the Regional Wine of Florina, a white with impressive fruitiness! The elements that are contribute in the creation of this great wine is of course the high altitude (600-750 meters), the strong winds that the slops are facing, the many lakes and rivers, the sloppy sandy and light soil of the area, the climate during winter and the snow that the area faces and finally the great temperature difference between night and day. Also due to the lack of pesticide use the wine cultivation in the area is considering as organic!
In 1960 the local wine makers establish the Union of Agricultural Cooperation in Amyntaio in order to meet the needs of the area, to improve the quality of their products, to make Amyntaio wine recognizable internationally and of course to make sure that the local wine can compete the demanding standards of the international level! Due to the efforts of the Amyntaio Agricultural Cooperation, the cultivation zone of Amyntaio as has been recognize as Rose Appellation of Origin wine. The Agricultural Cooperation is producing the only sparkling rose with Appellation of Origin and in Greece that due to its quality characteristics is listed among the European Roses.
In the area wineries that are open to public for visit are the Kyr- Yianni in A. Panteleimonas, the Alpha Estate and the Amynteo Co-operative winery.
