At the Gates of Spring-Anthesteria Winter to Spring: coming into being from the sacred silence of grief
Anthesteria – Winter with its seemingly lifeless, unadorned nature, with its black and white background of gloomy skies or snowy motionless landscapes, bordering on underworld connotations, always loomed large to the minds of ancient cultures. Though some cultures were more preoccupied with death, the ancient Greeks were more preoccupied with life. Their inquiring minds, to cast the souls of the dead out, thought of winter as the start of spring, as the time of rebirthing, of rejoicing, of breaking the spell of death, of purifying it with life through communal memorial rites and rituals of offerings, of drinking, of purifications and libations.
Sunny valleys rich with volcanic soil, and a Mediterranean climate of mild breezes, Greece has ideal conditions for making wine. It’s no wonder that vineyards have been thriving there for thousands of years.
Despite its long history of grape cultivation, Greece was long overlooked by traveling wine connoisseurs. The country has finally begun to take its place as a world-class wine destination. Here are some of the top wine-tasting destinations to visit in Greece if you enjoy wine.
The region around Nemea is a classic destination for wine enthusiasts. The mountains and valleys create ideal climates for various grapes. Differences in elevation and direct sunlight bring out the many personalities of the local grape, called Agiorgitiko.
Vineyards at the bottom of the valley produce a strong, red wine. Those near the peaks, around 9000 feet, create some of the best wines. The most sought-after grapes grow in fields on the hills and moderate slopes.
You may want to visit the island in September for one of the most popular wine festivals in Greece, “Great Days of Nemea.” During this festival, people gather to enjoy the newest wine releases and to celebrate the harvest. While here, you can also enjoy local food specialties and tour parts of the region. (more…)
We have all heard that ‘an apple a day, keeps the doctor away’, but lately, more and more studies show that wine can bring many benefits to the body and make a significant contribution to maintaining our good health.
So how can wine help us when we drink it regularly, but in moderation? Let’s see it in detail!
1. LIVE LONGER!
It is known that in Ikaria people live longer than anywhere else in the world. Daily consumption of wine is part of a diet that can enrich the lives of those who follow it because it is less reliant on animal feed and more on plant foods. The inhabitants of Crete and Sardinia, known for their longevity, enjoy red wine almost daily, appealing to the main part of their anti-aging lifestyle. A 2007 study shows that procyanidins, the compounds found in tannins of red wine, contribute to the promotion of cardiovascular health. Wines produced from vineyards in areas of southwest France and Sardinia, where people tend to live longer, have particularly high concentrations of this compound. (more…)
