WINE TASTING AND VINEYARD TOURS IN SYROS
Learn about the wine culture of Syros by adding wine tasting and a vineyard tour to your holidays!
Visiting the wineries of Syros and enjoying wine tasting and vineyard tour is a magical way to get to know the island in greater depth. You can visit one of Syros’ wineries on your own or as part of an organized tour. Either way, you’ll meet local producers and hear stories about the history of winemaking and viticulture in the area.
You’ll sample wines made from varieties native to Syros or common on other Cycladic islands, accompanied by cheeses and other local delicacies.
With relatively few hills and an average altitude of less than 400 metres, Syros does not at first appear to be a wine-producing destination. But the vineyards produce excellent quality grapes, especially in the dry and rugged north, known as Ano Meria, which has been described as one of the oldest ‘vineyards’ in Europe. Vines have been cultivated on the seemingly barren land of Apano Meria for centuries, often in neat terraces, for centuries and the area is responsible for most of the homemade wines of the locals.
As well as discovering the wine culture of Ano Meria, there are wineries that can be visited in southern Syros, in areas such as Chrousa, Parakopi and Pagos.
Syros Wine Trails specialize in wine tasting and vineyard tours for small and private groups, introducing you to grape varieties native to Syros and other Cycladic islands:
- Monemvasia: Originally from the Peloponnese (as the name suggests) but cultivated in Syros. Its history is linked to the famous Malvasia wine of the Venetians
- Mandilaria: Native to the Aegean area, producing dark and medium-bodied reds
- Serifiotiko: Despite its name (Serifos is another Cycladic island), native to Syros and responsible for most of the island’s white wine. Perfectly suited to the local conditions
- Fokiano: A red grape variety found in the North Aegean, the Cyclades and elsewhere in Greece
- White Moschato: A white grape, among the oldest varieties in the world, that produces excellent dessert wines
- Roditis: One of Greece’s most common varieties, producing white wines even though it’s actually a red grape
- Mavrotragano: Black and crunchy (as the name translates), a rising star among Cycladic grapes that was in danger of extinction
Wineries offering wine tasting and vineyard tours in Syros
- Chatzakis Winery (San Michalis, Ano Meria, 8km*)
- OuSyra Winery (Chroussa, 8.2km)
- Para Kopois Winery (Parakopi, 13km)
- Freris wines (Pagos, 6km)
* Distance from Ermoupoli