Bacchus Wine Tasting Tour

The Bacchus wine tasting tour is a great choice not only as a dedicated wine tour, but as a vacation with family and friends too. Thessaloniki is a city full of surprises, with many choices for entertainment, from museums to restaurants and bars. From Thessaloniki the group will visit Domain Gerovassiliou at Epanomi and Domain Babatzimopoulos at Ossa. Lake Kerkini is one of the most important wetlands in Europe, and an excellent destination for relaxation and varied activities.

Goumenissa is a small countryside town but the area produces "Goumenissa" red wine recognized as V.Q.P.R.D since 1979. Naousa has been recognized as Appellation of Origin since 1971, and its wines are based on the indigenous variety of Xinomavro. Visits to selected wineries are combined with visits to prominent attractions like the archaeological sites of Vergina and Pella, areas of natural beauty like Lake Kerkini, monuments like the Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki and lovely hotels; making this tour truly pleasurable.

This description applies to guided tours, and is recommended for individual travellers too.

Day 1
Participants will be picked up at the airport and taken downtown to a centrally located hotel. There will be some time to relax, before the welcome dinner.

Day 2
The group will visit Domaine Gerovassiliou which overlooks the Thermaikos Gulf, in the small town of Epanomi, very close to Thessaloniki. The winery has received several international awards, and it is also home to a very interesting oenology museum. Exhibits include a large collection of rare corkscrews dating back to the 18th century, amphorae of the Mycenaean and Byzantine eras as well as 28 rare handmade wine-presses.

The varieties cultivated here are Sauvignon Blanc, Malagouzia, Assyrtiko, Chardonnay, Viongier and Syrah, Limnio, Merlot, Mavrotragano, Grenach Rouge and Mavroudi.

Day 3
North of Thessaloniki, on the slopes of Vertiskos Mountain, Anestis Babatzimopoulos cultivates his vineyards completely organically and produces some of the most innovative wines in Greece. The Babatzimopoulos family also has a long tradition in the production of Ouzo, so the group will also see the distillery and taste this traditional Greek drink. The group will then continue North to the beautiful Lake Kerkini.

Day 4
The programme for this day does not include a winery, but the hotel offers several options. Participants may relax in the garden or next to the large fireplaces, or opt for a boat tour, canoeing in the lake, walking or biking.

Day 5
Goumenissa lies between Mount Paiko and Axios river, and has a long tradition in wine making. The group  will visit the Boutari-Goumenissa winery. The Boutari family has played a very important role in the development of the area through the promotion of local wines. Participants will have the opportunity to taste some of the more characteristic local wines here.

The tour will then continue towards the final destination for the day, the town of Naousa, after stopping at the archaeological site of ancient Pella.

Day 6
Naousa was well-known for its wines from the era of the Ottoman empire, and after the almost complete destruction of the vineyards in between, the recent years have seen the area producing some excellent wines again.

The tour will visit the archaeological site of Vergina before returning to Naousa and the small winery of Dalamara to see how tradition co-exists with modern technology; and time permitting, also visit the Boutari -Naousa winery, where all the old vintages of the company are kept.

Day 7
Kyr-Yanni winery is located just a few kilometres from Naousa, and it is managed by one of the most prominent person in modern Greek wine history, Mr Yannis Boutaris, of the Boutari family. He produces some excellent wines in this small estate, and the participants will have the opportunity to taste them there. The tour will then return to Thessaloniki, where a goodbye dinner will have been arranged.

Day 8
On the last day of the tour, the participants will be escorted to the airport for their flights home. Participants with late flights may have time for a last coffee at Thessaloniki's promenade.

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