WINE-PRODUCING REGIONS | IOANNINA

IOANNINA

The main and largest wine-producing zone of Epirus is located in the prefecture of Ioannina, with the main vineyards of Zitsa and Metsovo, which are among the most mountainous in Greece (mountainous and semi-mountainous vineyards). The Zitsa vineyard has the highest rainfall in the country, approximately 1,000mm, and extends on the eastern slopes of Pindos at an altitude of 700 meters. The local white variety Debina occupies around 5,000 acres, producing white dry and semi-sparkling PDO wines. The cultivation is mainly done in a single-sided linear system and a few traditional cups, while the harvest takes place at the end of September. A little further up the mountain, lies the Metsovo vineyard, at an altitude of 900-1,000 meters, one of the most mountainous vineyards in the country. It is mainly known for the cultivation of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety, which in Greece originated here. The vines are planted on sunny slopes with a strong slope, in sandy loam soils with good drainage, and all the vineyards are formed in linear systems.