MARKOU VINEYARDS
The PGI Wine Country of Athens
The Markou Vineyards are situated within one of the 3 distinct wine regions of the Attican wine country. The Attican wine country of Athens is the most historic wine country of Greece. Markou vineyards are located in the east most significant and largest zone called Mesogaia & Laureotic.
Mesogaia, which means middle-earth, is a widely interjected vineyard within 8 rural villages on a hilly valley at the Southeast of the city of Athens with two of the five mountains of the peninsula, Imitos and Penteli, on its north east and north west borders respectively which provide cover from the northern winds.
Mesogaia & Laurotic banks closest to the seas of Saronikos and South Euboic and enjoys the most refreshing ocean winds that cool and keep the vines dry throughout the year.
Mesogaia has argillaceous soils that vary in concentration of gravel, limestone, metals and minerals; therefore, the Attican wine country provides an enormous variety of terroir and microclimates even within its own borders.
Minimal intervention without irrigation and hand-picking harvests are still the modus operandi followed as it has been for millennia and since antiquity. The Attican vineyards are continuously interrupted by mostly endless olive groves, wild forest vegetation such as shrubberies, pines and cypress trees. Wild thyme, rosemary and spicy arugula blossom spontaneously. Olive trees are planted alongside the edges of all Attican vineyard plots and often within. This endless interruption forbids large scale mass production and dictates careful manual pruning, shuffling and hand-picking harvests.
The Attican vineyard is the eldest vineyard and second largest of Greece; in its majority it is non irrigated and it is also characterized by its subterranean water currents of both fresh and brackish water. Last but not least: lots of stunning sunlight
Varieties planted at our Athenian vineyards:
The indigenous variety of Athens Savatiano, the indigenous variety of Nemea Agiorgitiko, the also Greek Assyrtiko, Roditis, Moschato, Malagousia, Mandilaria & the French Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
MARKOU VINEYARDS
The Nemean PDO wine country of Corinth
Also one of the most historic vineyards in Greece and the world as well as the largest concentrated wine country of Greece.
Here Markou Vineyards winery cultivate the beloved red variety, Agiorgitiko.
The Nemean wine country is surrounded from all sides by mountains and is devide into 3 different zones comprised of different terroir, altitudes and microclimates.
The Markou winery’s Nemean vineyards grow on the semi-mountainous zone and produce exceptional peppery reds with deep complexity, strong tannins and rich aromas of spice and red berries.
The Nemean wine country is steeped in myth. Hercules was said to have performed his first feat of defeating the Nemean lion there and according to one version after his victory the nymphs offered him a glass of the “Nemea red”, however, other versions speak of him being slightly injured during the fight and that from his drop of blood into the earth the Nemea red emerged.
Varieties planted at our Nemean vineyards:
The indigenous variety of Nemea Agiorgitiko, also known as Saint George’s grape
