2nd October

It doesn’t matter how many times I visit, it is still incredibly moving.
As reprisals for the resistance, on 13th December 1943, Germans approached from all sides. Killing and burning as they went. Everyone was pushed into the school. Men and boys over 13 one way, women children and old men in another room. The men were taken up the hill and machine gunned. 700 killed. The village was set on fire. The women realised that they were to be burned in the school, so broke down a door. A sole German sentry let them run down the hill. The next day when the women returned, they found their men. Many used bare hands, as their houses had been destroyed to bury their family.

We then slid down the hill for two wine tastings. Amazing scenery on the way up and down.

Winery No. 2 – Mega Spilleo

The winery had been attached to the monastery of the same name. The Germans also burned this and killed some of the monks. Since the war, the vines had been left for the goats and sheep to graze. The land was leased out in 1999 since when the owners had expanded and are making some interesting wines. Given the geographic layout there is no irrigation as they rely on the morning dew.

Winery No. 3 – Tetramythos

A lovely lady, happy to chat but the wines v poor – a poor comparison to Mega Spilleo. 

But we got to see the wines being sorted, crushed and piped into a vat.

And the lovely girl suggested a fab traditional grill restaurant with views for an early supper. Funnily enough, the others felt wined out! I managed a few gins!