EXCURSION TO PATRAS FOR PAROCHIAL CARITAS VOLUNTEERS
An excursion to Patras to visit the historic winery ACHAIA CLAUSS, to attend the Mass in the outer area of St. Anne’s Catholic Chapel located within the estate, to visit St. Andrew’s Church and to have lunch at one of the city’s traditional restaurants, was organized by Caritas Athens on Saturday, September 30 for Parochial Caritas volunteers, in order to express our gratitude for their invaluable and unselfish contribution, their sensitivity and solidarity.
Forty five (45) visitors, accompanied by Fr. George Dangas, Vicar of the local parish and a group of the Organization’s volunteers from the local office, were guided through the winery’s new museum, the cellars where Greece’s oldest wine is stored –“Mavrodaphne” of 1873 – along with its subsequent productions (7.500 tons), stored in wooden barrels, many of them dedicated to international personalities of politics, arts or sports, as well as the “imperial cellar” – dedicated to the visit of Empress Elisabeth of Austria on October 1885. The group of visitors were also guided through the permanent exhibition of photos and letters from famous guests, to learn for the company’s history and the numerous honorary awards, but namely to taste its renowned wine varieties in the exquisite Daniilida cellar, where tables and chairs are barrel-shaped, chandeliers made of green bottles and curtains made of corks!
Later on, in a change of scenery, the visitors were transferred in the bloοming outer area of St. Anne’s Catholic Chapel, located in the estate, to attend the Mass by St. Andrew’s Vicar. Under the trees, the Altar - set on two large wooden barrels - conveyed an image of great devotement to those attending!
After lunch at the restaurant “Mageirio” (Μαγειρειό) near the port, Parochial Caritas volunteers, prior to their way back to Athens, toured Patras town and visited St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, an architectural marvel of unique decorative elements standing at 81, Mezonos Street for the last 176 years, namely a cultural landmark for the city and the greater area!
The winery’s history
The famous Tower-Winery has a panoramic view over Patras gulf area and Central Greece. It was created in 1861 when the Bavarian born Gustav Clauss, already two years in town working for a German company exporting raisin, bought an estate of 60 acres in Riganokampos to build his summer house, planting wine grapes and establishing the country’s first wine community.
Soon enough, the small winery turned into a cradle of legendary wines: “Mavrodaphne”, a warm, full-bodied, sweet desert wine, firstly produced in 1873 and named after the founder’s beloved, brown-eyed wife, Daphne, who died at a young age; “Demestica” variety, sent in 1899 from the village of the same name at the mountainous Kalavryta hillsides, which became an ambassador for Greek wine production, its fame rapidly crossing the borders to spread the company’s reputation all over the world.
In 1919, eleven years following its founder’s death, ACHAIA CLAUSS becomes Hellenic owned when bought by the manufacturer and politician Vlassis Antonopoulos, who takes on to progressively modernize its plant and wine production methods. Except for a brief interval during Occupation, the company rapidly develops. It reached its peak in 1955 when Konstantinos Antonopoulos took the helm, incorporating new winery machinery and recruiting skillful personnel. Subsequently, in 1983 the company began running a new cutting-edge bottling plant, only a few kilometers afar its historical unit. In 1997 Nikos Karapanos was appointed Chairman and CEO.
The guided tour
Our tour guide, Ms. Tonia Rapti, is a Guinness record owner for Greece as the longest wine tour guide. In her 35 years continuously working in the wine company, she performed more than 30.000 tour guides to more than a million visitors, including personalities such as country leaders, prime ministers, kings, Church primates, intellectuals, scientists and famous artists.
For the record, an account of some of the most prominent personalities to have visited the winery and to have enjoyed both “Mavrodaphne” – ranking today among the world’s 100 finest wines, with its distinctive flavors (cherry, vanilla, as well as dried fruit, mainly raisin and chocolate) – and “Demestica”:
Otto von Bismarck, Franz List, Eleftherios Venizelos, Melina Merkouri, General Montgomery, Alexander Fleming, Pavlos Kountouriotis, Aristoteles Onassis, Omar Sharif, Kings Gustav Adolf of Sweden, George I, Constantine I, George II and Queens Alexandra of Great Britain, Louise of Sweden, Olga and Sophia of Greece, Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Maria Bonaparte and rather recently former President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Karolos Papoulias, former President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Demetris Christofias and Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew!
The wine company exploited to the fullest the Greek vineyard’s well-hidden secrets, awarded through the years with 15 Major Prizes, 51 Gold and 38 Silver Medals, as well as 32 diplomas!
Forty five (45) visitors, accompanied by Fr. George Dangas, Vicar of the local parish and a group of the Organization’s volunteers from the local office, were guided through the winery’s new museum, the cellars where Greece’s oldest wine is stored –“Mavrodaphne” of 1873 – along with its subsequent productions (7.500 tons), stored in wooden barrels, many of them dedicated to international personalities of politics, arts or sports, as well as the “imperial cellar” – dedicated to the visit of Empress Elisabeth of Austria on October 1885. The group of visitors were also guided through the permanent exhibition of photos and letters from famous guests, to learn for the company’s history and the numerous honorary awards, but namely to taste its renowned wine varieties in the exquisite Daniilida cellar, where tables and chairs are barrel-shaped, chandeliers made of green bottles and curtains made of corks!
Later on, in a change of scenery, the visitors were transferred in the bloοming outer area of St. Anne’s Catholic Chapel, located in the estate, to attend the Mass by St. Andrew’s Vicar. Under the trees, the Altar - set on two large wooden barrels - conveyed an image of great devotement to those attending!
After lunch at the restaurant “Mageirio” (Μαγειρειό) near the port, Parochial Caritas volunteers, prior to their way back to Athens, toured Patras town and visited St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, an architectural marvel of unique decorative elements standing at 81, Mezonos Street for the last 176 years, namely a cultural landmark for the city and the greater area!
The winery’s history
The famous Tower-Winery has a panoramic view over Patras gulf area and Central Greece. It was created in 1861 when the Bavarian born Gustav Clauss, already two years in town working for a German company exporting raisin, bought an estate of 60 acres in Riganokampos to build his summer house, planting wine grapes and establishing the country’s first wine community.
Soon enough, the small winery turned into a cradle of legendary wines: “Mavrodaphne”, a warm, full-bodied, sweet desert wine, firstly produced in 1873 and named after the founder’s beloved, brown-eyed wife, Daphne, who died at a young age; “Demestica” variety, sent in 1899 from the village of the same name at the mountainous Kalavryta hillsides, which became an ambassador for Greek wine production, its fame rapidly crossing the borders to spread the company’s reputation all over the world.
In 1919, eleven years following its founder’s death, ACHAIA CLAUSS becomes Hellenic owned when bought by the manufacturer and politician Vlassis Antonopoulos, who takes on to progressively modernize its plant and wine production methods. Except for a brief interval during Occupation, the company rapidly develops. It reached its peak in 1955 when Konstantinos Antonopoulos took the helm, incorporating new winery machinery and recruiting skillful personnel. Subsequently, in 1983 the company began running a new cutting-edge bottling plant, only a few kilometers afar its historical unit. In 1997 Nikos Karapanos was appointed Chairman and CEO.
The guided tour
Our tour guide, Ms. Tonia Rapti, is a Guinness record owner for Greece as the longest wine tour guide. In her 35 years continuously working in the wine company, she performed more than 30.000 tour guides to more than a million visitors, including personalities such as country leaders, prime ministers, kings, Church primates, intellectuals, scientists and famous artists.
For the record, an account of some of the most prominent personalities to have visited the winery and to have enjoyed both “Mavrodaphne” – ranking today among the world’s 100 finest wines, with its distinctive flavors (cherry, vanilla, as well as dried fruit, mainly raisin and chocolate) – and “Demestica”:
Otto von Bismarck, Franz List, Eleftherios Venizelos, Melina Merkouri, General Montgomery, Alexander Fleming, Pavlos Kountouriotis, Aristoteles Onassis, Omar Sharif, Kings Gustav Adolf of Sweden, George I, Constantine I, George II and Queens Alexandra of Great Britain, Louise of Sweden, Olga and Sophia of Greece, Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Maria Bonaparte and rather recently former President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Karolos Papoulias, former President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Demetris Christofias and Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew!
The wine company exploited to the fullest the Greek vineyard’s well-hidden secrets, awarded through the years with 15 Major Prizes, 51 Gold and 38 Silver Medals, as well as 32 diplomas!
