Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery - The story of a glass of wine in Rodos

Holidays in Rodos!... The Sun Island, with hidden bays and dizzying cliffs where ruined castles with crumbling walls still preserve the memory of turbulent times….

Then there is the Acropolis of Lindos, with its captivating white houses, and the Old Town of Rhodes-a World Heritage site featuring stone walls and narrow streets. Towering over it all is the Colossus of Rhodes legend, the ancient wonder that left an legendary mark on the island's identity. And last but not least, the magnificent Prasonisi Beach, offering the breathtaking sight of the spot where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean.

That’s pretty much it, if someone were to ask me what the island of Rhodes represents for the tourist visiting it.

But that is not all I want to tell you about... As lovers of wine-focused travel, we set aside one day of our vacation to visit a winery that truly represents the island. The perfect choice for this was the Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery.

The Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery is a family-owned estate on the island, dedicated to producing small quantities of high-quality wines from both local and international grape varieties.

The three owners of the winery, located near the Valley of the Butterflies (another must-see island attraction), are members of the same family: Anastasia Triantafyllou, Nikos Zafeirakopoulos (Anastasia’s husband), and Jason (Iasonas) Zafeirakopoulos—the winery’s viticulturist and head winemaker (their son).

The host offices during the two and a half hours spent at the Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery were done by Jason who, in impeccable English, made himself very well understood. The 20 participants in the wine tasting were certainly impressed by the charisma and charm of this young man!
The presentation of the estate began with a visit to the vineyard…A guided tour that reached the vineyards, where Jason explained the methods and process of cultivating the grape varieties from the winery’s portfolio.

The estate spans more than 7 hectares, with all wines produced exclusively from grapes grown on the property.

The cultivated varieties include the local white grapes, named Athiri and red grapes Mandilaria, Muscat of Alexandria, as well as international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay.

This concentration of grapes types ensures that each wine truly reflects its varietal identity.

It was the lunchtime, and the sun was shining brightly, so Jason led us to the open-air bar for the in-depth wine tasting.

At the Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery, wines are crafted in stainless steel tanks, using winemaking techniques designed to highlight the unique characteristics of each grape variety.

Jason began the tasting by presenting the wine varieties produced and the organoleptic properties of each individual wine. The wine tasting itself featured a lineup of five wines.

The wines tasted were: Athiri-a dry white made from a local Rhodes variety; Nefeli Dry-Muscat of Alexandria—a dry white from a grape variety native to Egypt but well-acclimated to the island; Taxideftis-a semi-dry white also produced from the local Athiri grape; Allegro-a dry red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mandilaria, and Pinot Noir and the surprising Mandilaria-a semi-dry red whose smoked-plumbouquet reminded me of our own Fetească Neagră.

Excellent wines, crafted with great inspiration by winemaker Jason, that do honorto the winemaking history of the island of Rhodes. While the Mandilaria wine reminded me of Fetească Neagră, Taxideftis reminded me of Tămâioasa Românească.

Unique on the island, the Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery offers a distinctive culinary experience at the end of the wine tasting, pairing the sampled wines with local culinary delights.

Our host, Jason, explained everything very well. The "Cooking Class" represents a fun way to try new things; the meze-style (tapas) preparation of dishes specific to the island liked it very much, all taking place in a relaxed holiday atmosphere!

After the cooking class, we were invited to taste the winery's own extra virgin olive oil and the local Tsipouro-a spirit made from grape pomace (the skins, seeds, and pulp left over after pressing grapes for wine). The selection of local products also included honey, cosmetics, and ceramics.

All in all, we spent a lovely day at the winery with a very welcoming host, enjoying tasty wines and a unique culinary experiment that we will remember!

If in your vacation happen to take you to Rhodes-the Sun Island, don't miss out on the wonderful wine experience with Jason Zafeirakopoulos at the Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery!