Nemea & Final Wineries

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Clunegapyears

Monday 5th October 2026

F&E again up earlier than their natural body clocks. Early at Ancient Nemea… beating the coaches and crowds again. However, not a major site so no coaches at all.

Ancient Nemea was the birthplace of the Pangellenic Games in 4 BC. However, like so many prototypes, subsequent versions were better. The Games moved to Argos.

*3 columns erected in 2000 to help folk visualise …*

… *So many column pieces should they decide to erect more*

The stadium was close by. Through a tunnel that another tourist dawdled through. 4000 spectators but they had to perch on the ground as no evidence of seats.

Winery No. 6 – Lantides

Despite email confirmation, they had forgotten our reservation. However, the son of the founder stepped up. No nibbles though.

Very good wines and inexpensive compared to some. Purchases.

Winery No. 7 – Aivalis

Bit of a theme for today … our reservation forgotten. Son of the founder stepped up. They did find us some nibbles. Lovely young man, but he looked like he had been in a massacre … covered in red grape juice. What a way to go!

Only 3 wines. Two oaked @€25. The other had only been bottled 2 days ago and so needed to settle. Small purchases.

And thank goodness no more wineries. They have all been interesting and different but we are so done.

Back at the apartment we reheated the take away from last night’s restaurant.

*And drank the* opened bottles used for the tastings that today’s wineries had given us.

Mycene and Winery No. 5

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Clunegapyears

Sunday 4th October

I thought James and I would have visited here. Checked the blog … it seems not. A few coaches when we arrived. 30-40 when we departed. I mostly skipped the museum due to the crowds.

Site had a concrete path to follow with good info boards. Agamemnon and other Greek hero’s ruled here.

*Copy of the gold mask that may (or may not) have been Agamemnon!*

*The top pix are the Treasury Tholos / tomb* *a little outside the citadel – largest one. Huge dome. Other tholos around the site*

Winery No. 5 – Palivou

Another tour. More wines. They are irrigating which the others weren’t. 🙄 Seemed quite commercial with organised tours turning up. However the Estate Nemea was pleasant and worth the €9 each for the 2 boxes I bought. Would have liked to taste the one partly aged in Acacia wood. Not available for tasting and not about to pay €60 for a bottle to identify the nutty notes.

Meal out was fabulous. Walking distance for us all. And taking out salad and pork dishes … cold for us to reheat tomorrow..

Corinth Changes & Wine

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Clunegapyears

3rd October 2026

Corrie Corinth Canal has undergone a transformation since I was last there. It had closed due to landslide, but reopened in June 2022.

*Major construction – new concrete sides and the steep hand cut slopes replaced by some terracing*

*We circumnavigated the fencing at the top to get some views. Saw a couple of tourist boats … 11,000 a year. Too narrow for commercial traffic*

Then went up to Accorinth. We found Corrie there 8.5 years ago. Fortunately no puppies this time. More changes. The cafe is a more permanent structure and the fortress entrance is now by steel staircase to avoid the old slippery stone road.

Onto the house in Nemea. Novices F&E sent the the bakery for a savoury pastry for lunch. Came back with a custard one 😆. We forced it down, trying not to think about the cake calories consumed at Accorinth!

Winery No. 4 – Barafakis

A few purchases may have been made.

Jennifer and Chris are in a posh hotel but deigned to join us in our apartment for supper.

Kalavyrta – Slaughter Village

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Clunegapyears

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.

*Outside the school museum. A mother pulling her dead husband on a blood stained coat whilst the crying children look on*

*Photo of the male staff and boys, most murdered*

*Living testimony from a few survivors – then children*

*The front school door, permanently closed*

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.

*Glass floor to original Monks’ wine vats*

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!

Gremi, Temi & South

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Clunegapyears

11/11/2025

We felt we couldn’t leave our parking at Alaverdi Church without visiting.

*Much of it again under skaffolding and expansive grounds. They must own a lot more land as they produce and sell very expensive wine*

*Strict dress code here, so even was J loaned trousers to cover his shorts*

Shame no photos inside allowed as the height of the cupola was impressive.

*Driving up to Gremi castle we encountered the usual animal traffic jam*

*And passed various trucks and tractors with grapes. The harvest is nearly over. When we were in NE Turkey the trucks dropped tea leaves, these leak grape juice!*

Gremi castle had a tower to climb (me not J) and good frescoes in the church. Busy with Sunday tourists and christening photo shoots.

*Whilst J napped, I shelled and roasted windfall walnuts, collected at our lovely winery stay … the owners suggestion!*

A short drive to Temi Community. A virtually self sufficient small holding and winery to support special needs people. A wine tasting and supper had been pre ordered. We stayed over night on their grounds.

Temi Tour, Davit Gareja & Azerbaijan border

12/11/2025

We had a tour of Temi Community this morning with Jonas, German, working here for a year. They have their own bakery, using largely home grown indigenous wheat. Poly tunnel for veggies. Fruit and nut trees. And, of course, vines. 3 varieties producing 3-4 wines. 4000 litre qvevri. Grapes have to stay in them for min 6 months to obtain qvevri label. Organic. No additives. No added yeast or sulphates. White is quite yellow. Distinctive.