For guests seeking an immersive, unhurried exploration of Zakynthos’s viticultural heritage, this curated selection of six family-run wineries and boutique vineyards offers a harmonious blend of sensory discovery and serene landscapes. Each estate has been chosen for its dedication to indigenous grape varieties, personalized tasting formats, and settings that encourage quiet reflection among olive groves, historic stone architecture, and panoramic vistas. Whether savouring a rare Augustiatis varietal beneath a centuries-old chapel or tracing the lineage of royal vinification in a hilltop tasting room, visitors will encounter artisanal craftsmanship and genuine local hospitality that resonate far beyond the glass.
Goumas Estate Winery — Maries, Zakynthos
This intimate estate, nestled in the tranquil hamlet of Maries, presents a seamless fusion of 19th-century stone architecture and contemporary art, as gouged by the winery’s on-site iconography workshop. The drive from Tsilivi unfolds along gently rolling hills, culminating in a secluded courtyard surrounded by vineyard rows that cling to the terraced slopes. Here, Goumas Estate Winery highlights the rare red Augustiatis and golden-yellow Vostilidi varietals, both deeply rooted in Ionian tradition and cultivated without irrigation to preserve concentration and minerality.
Visitors may choose among three distinct tasting experiences: a concise forty-five-minute sampling of four house wines paired with organic olive oil and fig-infused cheeses; an immersive ninety-minute grand tour featuring six labels alongside artisanal cold cuts and bruschetta; or a two-hour premium journey through seven wines, two of which are ultra-limited releases, each complemented by bespoke gourmet bites that reflect the estate’s terroir and history. The combination of thoughtful pairings, congenial hosts, and an artfully restored setting offers a sensory dialogue with Zakynthos’s past, making every sip an invitation into a living cultural landscape.
Grampsas Family Winery — Lagopodo, Zakynthos
Tucked into the slopes of Lagopodo, the Grampsas Estate exemplifies the synergy between vineyard, kitchen, and garden—a hallmark of Zakynthian agritourism. A scenic drive from Tsilivi transports guests to a family compound where guided tours of the cellars give way to tastings of five estate wines, each poured alongside homemade delicacies and estate-pressed olive oil.
Embraced by cypress and olive trees, the open-air tasting area fosters casual conversations with the winemakers, revealing family narratives and vinification secrets. The warmth of Grampsas hospitality and the sensory richness of their indigenous varieties—particularly Goustolidi and Augustiatis—make this an experience defined by authenticity and simple elegance.
Oenolpi Winery — Macherado, Zakynthos
Perched amid olive groves in the village of Macherado, Oenolpi Winery unfolds within a modern facility equipped with temperature-controlled fermentation units and an adjoining hagiographic chapel dedicated to Saint George. A scenic drive from Tsilivi delivers guests into a 17-hectare enclave where local varieties such as Skiadopoulos, Gustoulidis, Pavlos, Robola, and Avgoustiatis thrive under gentle sea breezes.
Guided tours traverse the vineyards and cellars before leading into a tasting of four freshly bottled wines—often supported by insights from Christina-Maria and Timotheos, the young couple stewarding their family’s revival of Zakynthian winemaking. The intimate scale of production means that tastings feel like an exchange among friends, accentuated by the estate’s olive oil and seasonal table bites. For those seeking an authentic encounter with Zakynthos’s vinicultural pioneers, Oenolpi’s understated hospitality and pastoral setting provide a perfect harmony of tradition and modernity.
Troussas-Dasis Winery — Lagopodo, Zakynthos
Rising above a verdant plateau in Lagopodo, the Troussas-Dasis Estate commands sweeping views of olive groves and the Ionian Sea. Founded in 1879, the family’s signature “prorogos” or royal vinification extracts only the first press of juice—eschewing mechanical pressing—to yield a crystalline must of unmatched purity and depth. The vineyard’s ancient Avgoustiatis and rare Makripodia vines benefit from a cool microclimate at 510 metres of altitude, producing both robust red blends and a naturally semi-sweet Evodia.
Visitors to Troussas engage in informal yet insightful walk-and-taste sessions within a newly designed tasting space, where wines are paired with elements of local gastronomy drawn from longstanding family recipes. The warm, unhurried atmosphere and the sense of standing amidst living history make this visit an ode to artisanal restraint and the quiet luxury of heritage-driven winemaking.
Solomos Estate Winery — Kydoni, Zakynthos
At the foot of Zakynthos’s historic Venetian Castle, Solomos Estate unfolds within a traditional-style tasting hall envisioned by the Solomos family’s third and fourth generations. A gentle drive from Tsilivi brings guests into a landscape woven with cup-shaped, unirrigated vines of Augustiatis, Gustolidi, Pavlos, Skiadopoulos, Robola Lefki, Muscat, Violento, and Black Robola.
Guided tastings focus on elucidating the interplay between island terroir and family custodianship, often accompanied by locally produced cheeses and olive oils. The estate’s blend of modern amenities and venerable winemaking rituals—set against the silhouette of an ancient fortress—creates a contemplative milieu in which each varietal is a testament to four generations of stewardship.
Callinico Winery & Museum — Kallipado, Zakynthos
In the heart of the island near Kallipado, Callinico Winery offers a dual narrative of past and present through its adjacent museum and production facility. The estate invites guests to explore antique winemaking tools before settling into reserved tastings of up to six contemporary and vintage labels.
Tasting categories span from a concise selection of six fresh-harvest wines to premium encounters featuring four special releases, culminating in an Old Vintage package of three rare library bottles. Each pour is accompanied by Zakynthian cold cuts, local breads, nuts, and olive oils. The seamless transition from museum artefacts to a seated tasting imparts a layered appreciation for the island’s evolving oenological narrative.
