Food & Wine · 8 min read
Wine Tasting in Arcadia
Mountain vineyards, family-run cellars and the quiet confidence of one of Greece's most underrated wine regions — all within a short drive of Villa Arcadia.
Why Arcadia
The wine country most travellers drive past.
High on the central plateau of the Peloponnese, Arcadia sits at altitudes most Greek wine regions never reach. Cool nights, limestone soils and small family estates produce whites with real tension and reds of unexpected finesse — the kind of bottles sommeliers in Athens whisper about and visitors rarely think to look for.
It's also one of the most beautiful corners of Greece. The road from the coast climbs through olive groves and stone villages into a green, almost alpine landscape of vines and walnut trees. You can taste at three serious wineries and still be back at the villa pool before sunset.
Featured wineries
Where to taste.
Tselepos Winery
The Tselepos family has been quietly setting the standard for Peloponnesian wine for decades. Their Mantinia from high-altitude Moschofilero is one of Greece's most celebrated whites, their Nemea Agiorgitiko a serious red, and the Amalia Brut — a méthode traditionnelle sparkling — is the bottle to open back at the villa.
Tastings happen in a sleek modern cellar, often led by a member of the family, and pair beautifully with a long lunch in nearby Rizes.
The lineup
Five bottles worth carrying home.
- Deux Collines — orange-tinged, food-loving white blend.
- Nemea Dryopi 2023 — silky Agiorgitiko, dark cherry and herbs.
- Dryopi Rosé 2024 — pale, dry, made for the terrace.
- Mantinia 2024 — flagship Moschofilero, citrus and rose petals.
- Amalia Brut — méthode traditionnelle sparkling, elegant and dry.
Also worth the detour
Domaine Skouras
A short drive further into Nemea: legendary reds and one of the most polished tasting rooms in the country.
Boutique find
Bosinakis Winery
A small Mantinia producer with warm hospitality, walnut trees shading the courtyard and exceptional Moschofilero.
What to expect
Unhurried, generous, personal.
A typical tasting runs 60–90 minutes: a walk through the vines or the cellar, four to six wines poured side by side, and a board of local cheese, charcuterie and olives. English is spoken everywhere, and the winemakers are happy to dig into terroir and indigenous varieties if you ask.
Expect to pay €15–€35 per person, often refunded against any bottles you buy. Most estates ship internationally.
When to go
Best seasons to visit.
- May – June · Vines in full leaf, wildflowers in the hills, cool mornings. Our favourite window.
- September – October · Harvest. Crush, fermentation tanks bubbling, the most atmospheric time to visit a cellar.
- July – August · Hotter, but Arcadia's altitude keeps it comfortable. Book tastings for late afternoon.
Half-day itinerary
A perfect day from Villa Arcadia.
- 1
9:30 · Morning
Coffee on the terrace
A slow breakfast at the villa, then a scenic drive up into the Arcadian highlands — roughly 1h 15 from Villa Arcadia.
- 2
12:00 · Lunch
Long lunch in a mountain village
Grilled lamb, horta greens with lemon and a carafe of house white in a taverna courtyard in Rizes or Vlachokerasia.
- 3
14:30 · Wine tasting
A guided tasting at Tselepos
Cellar walk, five wines side by side and a board of local cheese. Leave with a case for the villa.
- 4
19:30 · Sunset
Back at the villa
The Amalia Brut on ice, the pool glowing pink, the afternoon's bottles already opened for dinner.
Sundown at Villa Arcadia — the natural last stop of any wine day.
Practical information
Plan it in five minutes.
Driving time
1h 15 from Villa Arcadia to the heart of the Mantinia wine region; 1h 45 to the Nemea estates.
Booking
Always book ahead — 48 hours is comfortable. We're happy to arrange tastings and a private driver for guests.
Family friendly
Children are welcome at most estates — outdoor space, juice for the kids and the chance to watch the cellar at work.
Getting there
An easy drive on quiet roads. A hire car is ideal; a private driver lets everyone taste freely.
Shipping wine home
Most Arcadian estates ship within the EU and to the UK; ask at the tasting room.
How long to stay
A relaxed half-day covers one estate and lunch; a full day comfortably covers two.
Stay nearby
Make Villa Arcadia your basecamp for the wineries of Arcadia.
A private villa with pool, two bedrooms and a quiet corner of the Peloponnese to come home to — wine in hand.