Cinque Wine & Deli

The Best Wine & Deli in Athens

zacharias Winery

This time, our journey took us to Zacharias Winery, a family-owned estate in Nemea, one of Greece’s most celebrated wine regions.

With our winery-touring car parked at the gate and our Cinque hat resting on the vines, we stepped into a world where tradition and innovation blend seamlessly. Zacharias Winery sits just outside Nemea, right across from the hill where the ancient city of Phleious once stood— the land of the legendary Phliasian wine. They have bottled their own wines since 2002, but their story stretches back much further. Founded by Ilias Zacharias, an agronomist with decades of experience in Nemea’s vineyards, the winery has become one of the most recognized names in the region. Their focus? Showcasing Agiorgitiko and Sklava on both a Greek and international level, producing wines that balance quality and accessibility, and maintaining a deep respect for both nature and tradition.

Their philosophy is simple: great wine starts in the vineyard. They combine cutting-edge viticulture with respect for the environment, always aiming for the best possible quality-to-price ratio. Their belief? High-quality wine should be approachable and enjoyed by everyone.

Spanning 400 hectares, with 300 in Nemea and 100 in Mantinia, the winery is home to indigenous Greek grape varieties that thrive in the region’s unique terroir. Among these, the Sklava variety stands out—a rare grape brought back to life through the efforts of Ilias Zacharias, the winery’s founder. In Douramani, they have the only single-estate vineyard of Sklava, a nearly forgotten local variety they revived through years of research. At Tsidari, right next to the ancient acropolis of Phleious, an Agiogitiko vineyard planted in the 1960s still thrives. In Leontio, the family’s hometown, Agiorgitiko shares the land with Malagousia, Mavrodaphne and Kidonitsa, varieties beautifully adapted to the area. To keep up with demand and expand their range, they also work with carefully selected growers, ensuring top-quality grapes under the guidance of their team.

A major investment project is currently underway, transforming the estate into an eco-friendly, visitor-friendly destination. Soon, guests will be able to explore the vineyard’s new green infrastructure while tasting wines in thoughtfully designed spaces that highlight both the past and the future of Greek winemaking.

Zacharias Winery’s mission is clear: to elevate Greek varieties, produce high-quality wines at competitive prices, and respect both nature and tradition. From the bold reds of Agiorgitiko to the delicate whites of Sklava, every sip tells the story of a family that honors its land while constantly striving for innovation.

Their commitment to research is just as impressive. Collaborating with the Agricultural University of Athens, they’ve worked on polyphenolic extraction in Agiorgitiko, and they’ve played a key role in the genetic identification and clonal selection of Sklava. This isn’t just about making great wine today—it’s about pushing Greek winemaking forward.

For us, Zacharias Winery represents everything we love about Greek wine: passion, expertise, and a drive to keep exploring new possibilities. And of course, it is always a pleasure to taste the results in the glass! Explore their vineyards, meet the people behind the wines, and taste the essence of Nemea at its source!

Nemea Greece
2nd Km. of Nemea – Petri Road
T: +30 2746022667 
Email: [email protected]

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