Pausanias, the famous Greek traveler and geographer who lived in the second century AD, in his lengthy work Description of Greece that describes ancient Greece from his first-hand observations refers to Aigialeia slopes saying, “the conditions for planting vines in this region are ideal”.
Indeed, the vineyards in the slopes of Aigialeia stretch from 300 to 1000 meters above sea level with a northerly orientation, protected, from the high summer temperatures, by the cool sea breezes of the Gulf of Korinthos (Corinth), making the region one of the most beautiful vine growing areas in Greece.
Seven rivers, Krios, Krathis, Vouraikos, Kerinitis, Selinous, Meganitis and Foinikas create a terrain full of ravines and rivulets keeping the climate temper along with the breeze of the Corinthian Gulf with temperatures ranging from 30oC in the day to 18oC at night during summer making the conditions ideal for vine cultivation.
The exceptional climatic conditions pair perfectly with the various soil types of the land. Over the past millennia tectonic movements in the area elevated the land high above the sea reaching 2000m. The drainage of the sea water over the years left marine residues on the soil that craft the full of limestone terrain of the Aigialeian slopes today.
The combination of climatic conditions, the incline, and the soil make the slopes of Aigialeia one of the most interesting terroirs around the world to cultivate vines on leading to PDO and PGI classifications of wines produced.
The PDO Patras zone (est.1972) comprises semi-mountainous and mountainous terrain in the areas of Aegira (Aeges, Vela, Monastiri, Oasi, Seliana, Senevros, Chrysambela or Chrysanthio), Aegio (Daphnes, Koumaris, Mavriki, Melissia, Paraskevi, Pteri, Selinounda, Hatzis), Akrata (Akrata, Ambelos, Valimi, Voutsimos, Kalamia, Platanos and Paralia Platanou), Diakopto (Ano Diakopto, Diakopto, Zahloritika, Kerynia, Mamousia, Trapeza), Dymi (Elaeohori), Erineos (Ano & Kato Salmeniko, Arravonitsa, Damakini, Erinaeos & Neos Erinaeos), Kalavryta (Plataniotissa), Larissos (Velitses, Mihoyo), Patras (Ano Syhena, Elikistra, Mira, Souli, Haradro), Rio (Ano & Kato Kastritsi, Argyra, Pititsa, Sella), Sympolitia (Agios Konstantinos, Alsos, Verino, Graikas, Grigoris, Dimitropoulo, Doukaneyka, Krini, Lakkos, Loggos, Mageiras, Myrovrisi, Neratzies, Rododaphne, Selianitika, Toumba), Tritaia (Aghia Varvara, Agia Marina, Drosia, Erymanthia, Kalfas, Manesi, Roupakia, Skiadas, Skouras, Spartia, Chiona), Farres (Ano Starohori, Vasiliko, Elliniko, Kritharakia, Mirali, Halandritsa), Olenia (Galaneika, Ganeyika, Kato Mazaraki, Mitopoli, Portes, Santameri, Flokas, Haravgi), Kalentzi (Avrami, Agios Georgios, Bouteika) and Leontio (Ano Mazaraki).
The variety of the PDO Patras is Roditis (100%) giving White Dry, Medium Dry and Medium Sweet wines.
The PGI Slopes of Aigialeia zone (est.1997) comprises the municipalities of Egira, Akrata, Diakopto, Egio and Sympolitia, and the areas of Valta, Vilivina, Goumenissa (former Vryssari), Ano & Kato Doumena, Drossato, Ano & Kato Zahlorou, Kerpini, Korfes, Petsaki and Plataniotissa in the Kalavryta municipality. Zone vineyards must be planted at altitudes exceeding 250m using Lagorthi with Chardonnay (over 60%), Volitsa (over 60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (over 40%) and other recommended/approved varieties giving dry white, rose and red wines.
*References from Wines of Greece
