Messinia Terroirs Wine Festival 2023 Attracts Hundreds of Visitors

Photo course: Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation.

The 1st Messinia Terroirs Wine Festival recently concluded its inaugural run, attracting over 600 visitors from Greece and abroad.

Held earlier this month at the Navarino Agora at Costa Navarino in Messinia, Peloponnese, the three-day event offered a unique opportunity to taste wines from 10 Messinian producers and learn about the area’s rich winemaking heritage.

In addition to wine tastings, the festival featured a variety of other activities, including master classes, workshops, and cultural events. One of the highlights was the master class on “Wine in Messinia: Past, Present, Future & Blind Tasting of Triphyllia’s Iconic Cabernet Sauvignon,” led by Dr. Stefanos Koundouras, a Professor of viticulture at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki.

Photo course: Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation.

Another popular event was the “Hidden Gems of Messinia” session, where DipWSET- certificated winemaker Nicholas Giannopoulos led participants in a blind tasting of three global varieties. The goal was to help participants learn how to distinguish between Messinian wines and popular international brands.

In addition to wine tastings, the festival also offered a variety of cultural activities, such as a movie screening at the Danaos Open Air Cinema and a “Painting with Wine” workshop led by visual artist Alina Malynovska.

Photo course: Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation.

The Messinia Terroirs Wine Festival was organized by the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, a non-profit organization whose Messinia Terroirs initiative is dedicated to promoting the wines of Messinia and rejuvenating the region’s rich viticultural heritage.

The festival was also supported by the Messinia Chamber, the Peloponnese Region, and EDOAO, the National Interprofessional Organization of Vine and Wine.