Local Products

Visitors to the Monemvasia region will find plenty of products to choose from to take home for themselves and as gifts for their friends. Products that have evolved over thousands of years are on offer in local stores and from the producers themselves.

The top two on the list are definitely olive oil and wine, both of excellent quality. Other delicious local specialities include honey, various drinks, cheese and of course a wide range of sweets for which Monemvasia is famous.

Other products that have become identified with the region are the famous onions of Vatika (known as Vatikiotika) and seafood. Meanwhile, an increasing number of farmers in the region now grow their products organically.

Wine

It was in Monemvasia that the world-famous wine variety known as Malvasia was first produced. Malvasie was the name given by the Franks to the Byzantine town of Monemvasia and to its wine.

It was exported from the area until the Turkish invasion, in about 1470, after which the vineyards were destroyed and wine production gradually ceased. However, local grape varieties (including Thrapsa, Mavraki, Asprovaria, Kitrinovaria, Kidonitsa, Petroulianos, Monemvasia and Glykrithra) have been preserved in many places, chiefly in the mountains, up until today.

Over the past decade an effort has been under way to revive them. In 2010, production of Malvasia wine from specific varieties was officially recognized. It is a sweet white wine made from sun-dried grapes. It has been a major achievement for Monemvasia, opening up new horizons for local vintners.

Within the wider municipality are a number of acclaimed wineries, in addition to the many farmers who make wine at home from their own grapes.

 

Local wine of all kinds is available at stores selling traditional goods, and directly from the producers.

“Monemvasia Winery”, Velies, tel: 27320-53096 www.malvasiawines.gr

“Vatistas Vineyards”, Lahi, tel: 27340-29088 www.vatistas-wines.gr

“Iralkis Triheilis Winery”, Papadianika, tel: 27320-83093

“Doukas Vineyards Zarakas”, Lambokambos-Pistamata, tel: 2732051371

“Makris”, Paraskevas Makris Winery, Aghi Apostoli, tel: 27340-47500

“Lakoniki Gi” ,Velies, tel; 2732300800

09/05/2017 in Local Products Comments (0)

Honey & by-products

A mild climate and wide variety of flora have encouraged the growth of a quality honey industry in the municipality of Monemvasia.

Three main types of honey are produced:

  • Thyme honey: Harvested in July and August from the thyme-clad slopes of mountains from Zarakas in the north to Cape Maleas in the south. Valued for its attractive aroma and pleasant flavour.
  • Heather honey:  Honey made from the pollen of the heather that flowers in October and November. The most nutritious of all honeys, it is rich in trace elements, minerals and antioxidants, among others .
  • Flower honey: Harvested and produced from the pollen of spring blossoms, including a wide variety of citrus blossoms on the plain of Asopos. Very nutrutious due to the wide variety of nectar available at this time of year.

The munciipality’s honey producers also offer other products such as pollen, propolis, beeswax and honey wine

 

These products are available from local stores or directly from the following producers:

Sotiralis Farm, Kambos, tel: 2734047625 www.sotirali.gr

”Zarakas Beekeeping”, Driva Eugenia, Reichia, 2732051282

09/05/2017 in Local Products Comments (0)