WINE-PRODUCING REGIONS | ARCADIA

ARCADIA

Arcadia, located in the heart of the Peloponnese and surrounded by high mountains, is distinguished by its particular climate, which differentiates it from the other regions. Temperatures and humidity are relatively low, while rainfall is often high. Summers and winters remain mild. Due to the cold climate, the harvest is one of the latest in the Peloponnese and can reach the beginning of November depending on the weather conditions of each year. The soils are poor and clayey. Mantineia, thanks to its dry climate, was one of the first areas where organic farming was applied and is the only PDO zone in Arcadia. The vineyard of Mantineia grows on a plateau, at an altitude of about 650 m., where the red and white variety Moschofilero ripens very late, usually in mid-October, producing white wines of low alcohol content (blanc-de-gris) with intense aromatic characteristics. The old vineyards, 40-50 years old, are planted in cups, dry and densely planted, while the new vines are mainly linear, with a double cordon and a planting density of 300-450 plants per hectare. The total area covers approximately 10,000 hectares, on flat sandy-clay soils with small hills and slopes. Mantineia is considered one of the coldest wine-growing zones in Greece, where adverse autumn conditions, such as prolonged rainfall, can affect the quality of the harvest.