Attica is the oldest vine-growing region in Greece – wines have been made here for more than 4,500 years. But the local wines are mostly white. Costa Lazaridis was determined to prove that good red wines could be made here too. So he planted one local grape, Agiorgitiko from the Nemea region of the Peloponnese on his 20-hectare area overlooking Lake Marathon. He also planted two international varieties, cabernet sauvignon and syrah, with which he’s had great success up north. “In Kapandriti, 600 km to the south, the wines would be sure to reflect the difference in climate and terroir. You’ll get to taste some later,” Spyros promises.

Before Greece joined the EU and received grants to develop its wine industry, the country was best known for its piney-scented retsina from a grape called Savvatiano.

The Lazaridis winery, Oenotria Land, is set on the edge of Kapandriti village, a few kilometres from the vineyards. It’s made of soft golden stone in a loosely shaped Π. Despite its size (10,500 sq m), the winery is both warm and welcoming. Manager Christos Fotiadis greets us and guides us through the museum in the cellars.

There are large maps and reproductions of ancient vase paintings, early wine presses, illustrations of soil types, root stock and diseases, including the dreaded phylloxera, which decimated almost all the vines of Europe. In fact, today’s vines have been grafted onto American root stock, which was immune to the disease; a rescue operation that began in the late 19th century. 

Time to get to the good stuff: Tasting the wines. You emerge from underground into the shop/tasting room. Grab a plate of cheese, salami and breadsticks, settle yourself on a stool at the bar, and wait for the first delicious vintage to be poured. Some of the names will probably be unfamiliar to you—Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Agiorgitiko. Others are household words like merlot and cabernet sauvignon.