Αρχάνες (Arhanes)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Vineyard altitude 300–450 m, with a Mediterranean climate, a mean temperature of 16.5°C, and annual rainfall of 600 mm.
• A strong presence of CaCO₃ in the soil and pronounced relief — a limestone bedrock that shapes the character of the vineyard.
• South-eastern vineyard exposure, combined with proximity to forested areas, rivers, and the sea, defines the microclimate.

• Viticulture at Arhanes dates to the Minoan era: a 16th-century BC wine press at Vathypetro, over 3,500 years old.
• The wine is produced by co-vinifying Kotsifali (high alcohol, aromatic) and Mandilaria (high acidity, deep purple colour).

• Kotsifali yields high-alcohol wines with intensely aromatic characters, while Mandilaria contributes high acidity and a deep purple colour.
• The Kotsifali–Mandilaria blend gives the Arhanes PDO wines a distinctive character that makes them more structured and powerful compared to the Peza PDO wines.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-GR-A1340
• Official trade body site — ΕΔΟΑΟ — Εθνική Διεπαγγελματική Οργάνωση Αμπέλου & Οίνου