Acheon Winery is situated in the northern part of the Peloponnese, at Aigialeia, in Achaia.
The Peloponnese, the southern-most tip of the Balkan Peninsula, is a mountainous area, divided into two main vine growing regions by the ranges that traverse it.
One region encompasses the central and northern parts, where Mantinia and Nemea are the main winemaking hubs respectively. The western part, which stretches from the northern slopes of Mount Panachaiko (near Egio and Patras) to the coastline of the Ionian Sea down to Messinia, represents the second region. Its main vine growing areas are Achaia in the north and Ilia and Messinia in the south.
The vineyards of the Peloponnese and the Ionian Islands are in areas featuring a mild Mediterranean climate, due to the moderating effect of the sea in the Gulf of Korinthos (Corinth) to the north, as well as the protection and the cool winds offered by the mountain ranges of continental Greece and the central Peloponnese.
Factors such as altitude, mountain slopes, aspect and the proximity to the sea create many different mesoclimates. The vineyards of the Peloponnese and the Ionian Islands are concentrated on the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas, either on rugged terrain or on plateaus and valleys wedged in between the mountain massifs.
Achaia is one of the largest viticultural zones of Greece, in terms of volume. The vineyards of Achaia in the northern Peloponnese include those of Aigialia, one of Greece’s most beautiful vine growing areas, stretching along gentle slopes with a northerly orientation and protected by the cool sea breezes of the Gulf of Korinthos (Corinth) in the summer. The vineyards of Aigialia lie at altitudes ranging from 250 to 850 meters, and their soil varies from white calcareous to fertile sandy loam with good drainage. The temperate climate, which is partly due to the presence of plenty of lush ravines and rivulets that flow to the sea, make for the gentle ripening of the blush variety of Roditis, yielding the most aromatic white wines from this varietal.
The vineyards of Patras are situated at lower altitudes to the west (450-500 m), in similar climatic conditions. Roditis here ripens earlier, yielding wines of a fuller body.
At even lower altitudes in the Patras area thrives the red varietal Mavrodaphne, which yields the well-known desert wine, while the coastal flatlands between Patras and Rio to the east are dominated by the white Muscat.Achaia is one of the largest viticultural zones of Greece, in terms of volume.
(source Wines of Greece).
Aigio, known also as the "Corinthian Gulf balcony" due to its geographical location, has been in the past one of the most important ports for the shipment of the famous “Vostitsa” raisin to Europe. Now days its population reaches about 20.000 people.
