Para...kopois, wine tasting at the foot of the hill

The winery takes its name from the village of Parakopi, which is associated with the proverb “good things come to those who work hard,” and this is evident in the special dedication they show in producing their wines. We arrived at the winery a little before 5 p.m., a place overlooking the vineyard below Gerousi Hill. The first to welcome us was Rocky, a very sweet little dog; since we arrived a bit early, we were soon greeted by Anezoula Nomikou, who made us feel as though we were visiting a member of our own family. The sun hadn’t set yet, which gave us the chance to take in the full expanse of the vineyards on the hill before tasting their fruits in our glasses.

The winery, specifically, is housed in what looks like a typical Cycladic house, which may be what gives it that sense of intimacy. The location is exactly what you need to rest your eyes, since you can sit at one of the wooden tables next to the 28 stremmata of vineyards where three varieties are grown: Serifiotiko, Mandilaria, and Roditis. But before we began the wine tasting, Anezoula took a moment to talk about the winery’s history and the winemaking process. Upon entering the Cycladic-style house, we were greeted by the winery’s wine collection, as well as the oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks where all the magic happens.

The winery has been active in Syros since 2018, when Petros Roussos, a third-generation viticulturist with 20 years of experience in vine growing, decided to take his hobby a step forward, with Anezoula contributing her knowledge in economics and marketing as well as participating in wine production, while Ilias Roussakis is the oenologist who completes the team. At Para...kopois, they work with own-rooted, ungrafted vines, the oldest of which are up to 50 years old. Serifiotiko, a rare Greek variety that thrives mainly in Serifos, from which it takes its name, as well as in Syros and Mykonos, flourishes in the Cycladic vineyard where it rarely rains, as it is resistant to drought, as Anezoula told us. The winery's goal is a low yield per acre for quality results, with the harvest taking place from late August to early September with a team of 15 people. The grape juice is extracted with a vertical hydraulic press, which also features in the winery's logo, and then rests in stainless steel tanks, manufactured in Greece, until March, when bottling takes place.

After we took a look inside the facilities and got a glimpse of the Para...kopois labels we headed back out to the vineyard, this time to sit down and taste the wine as well as an amazing selection of local products. One of the reasons I love wine is that you can always pair it with the discovery of new cheeses. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: Anezoula set the table for us with glasses for the wine tasting and a plate for the meze, which didn’t stay empty for long. When the platter of meze was ready, Anezoula brought it to our table while continuing to tell us about the passion project that serves as their side business.

The platter was filled with local products, and once again I tried to find a strategic pace to enjoy them as much as possible and make the right combinations. I started each round with one of the various grissini, which happened to be made by the bakery near our Airbnb, dipping it each time into a different chutney; there were three in total: tomato, pepper, and fig. My personal favorite is the tomato, but this time I think the fig took the top spot. Speaking of tomatoes, the cherry tomatoes that Anezoula brought us, as well as the cucumbers and olives, were also homegrown, and honestly, you could really taste the difference because of how fresh they were. The charcuterie on the platter included the very special louza with rose, a Cycladic cured meat made with pork loin, as well as a Syros sausage with graviera cheese, which I confess I ate as slowly as possible to keep its flavor longer. The cheeses that rounded out the dining experience were a Syros graviera from the cheese factory Zozefinos, made with sun-dried tomatoes and boukovo, as well as the Fragkosyriani, a very sweet graviera from Tyrosyra. None of this, however, would have been nearly as delicious without the Single, the first wine we tasted.

We were lucky enough to try the 2024 vintage of Single, a wine whose aftertaste lingers for quite a while, perhaps because it’s truly delicious. As we learned, the grapes are left to sun-dry to concentrate their sugars, followed by fermentation and aging in French oak barrels. What impressed me is that these grapes come from ungrafted vines. This fact lends even more prestige to such a delicious wine, since no human hands intervened before the grapes were vinified. Unfortunately for me, the Single goes down very, very easily, especially if you’re out in the sun, but I made sure to bring a bottle with me later.

The next wine on the list was a logical choice: the Para...kopois rosé, aptly named Nisou Methi, meaning island inebriation. It’s not the only one with that name, as the winery’s three main wines are all called that, along with the rosé, there’s a white and a red. As we were finishing the Single, Anezoula brought us yet another meze: bread rusk spread with armeos, another local cheese from Tyrosyra that takes its name from the homonymous beach in Ano Syros. It was topped with their homegrown cherry tomatoes and oregano, and we paired it with the rosé wine, whose fruity flavor complemented the appetizer. The Nisou Methi rosé is dominated by the Serifiotiko grape variety, which makes up 85% of the blend, while Kountoura accounts for the remaining 15%.

Throughout our wine tasting, not even Rocky could resist the meze being served at the table; he kept circling around as if he wanted to sit down and eat with us. After we finished our glass of rosé, it was time to move on to the next wine from the Nisou Methi labels, a red that’s quite unique. Usually, red wine needs to be opened well in advance of drinking and left at room temperature, but not this one. Made from 100% Mandilaria, Para...kopois’ red wine spends 6 months in French oak barrels and is served chilled, something that might surprise some people. Nevertheless, if you like red wine but find it a bit hard to drink in the summer, this red is exactly what you’ve been looking for.

And so we’ve come to our last wine. Ambito takes its name from an Italian word that means amulet in the Syros dialect. This name was by no means chosen at random, as it is a wine made from 100% Serifiotiko, aged in oak barrels. Ambito is produced in limited quantities and arrived at our table accompanied by a small plate of goat cheese, toasted almonds, and honey. I can’t say I’m drinking sweet wine often, but this particular one is a wonderful way to round out your summer meal.

The glass eventually runs out of wine, and the time had come to say goodbye to this beautiful winery on Syros. I’d like to thank Anezoula not only for her hospitality but also for her willingness to answer our questions and share with us her experience of the wine-making process and how it fits into her daily life. If you’re planning a trip to Syros, you simply must spend an afternoon at this winery and enjoy the wine tasting they offer, and, just in case, make a little room in your suitcase for a few bottles.