Mercouri Estate — Attraction in Municipality of Pyrgos

This vineyard is an absolute gem. If you love dry reds and whites like I do, the wine is incredible. Getting there is easy—just follow the map. There’s a large parking lot, though the entrance can be a bit confusing. Skip the dining hall door and head to the one that opens into a beautiful room with a large table. They serve traditional Greek food, but it appears to be reservation-only.

Now, the call to make a reservation was... memorable. My husband, who’s Greek, called to ask if a party of four needed reservations (since most vineyards in Greece don’t accept visitors or do tastings). He opened with, “Yassu… do you take reservations?” But he was stuttering a bit, and the woman on the other end cut him off in Greek with, “Stop stuttering and just tell me what you want!” He couldn’t stop laughing afterward. We were told to be there by 1:30 p.m. because they close at 2:00 p.m.

When we arrived, no one explained how tastings worked. We were simply handed a list and asked what we wanted to start with. We chose the rosé. The pours were generous—more like glasses than tastes. We looked at each other, smiled, and toasted with a cheerful “Yamas!”

Curious for more, we went back for the white. I went a bit slower and came up behind the group. My husband returned from his second round laughing. He had asked for a dry white, and the woman snapped, “They’re both dry!” When it was my turn, I asked for a tasting of the same white—and this time I got a proper tasting pour, not a full glass. My husband looked confused. His second pour had been just as heavy as the first. Later, we found out: if you get a full pour, you're expected to buy the bottle. A tasting? No strings attached.

The Estate itself is stunning—practically a museum. You’ll find displays of old corks, vintage presses, and a traditional stone grape-washing basin. The family history is on full display, and the grounds are absolutely worth the visit.

Final thoughts: Slightly chaotic, deeply charming, and totally worth it. Just go in with a sense of humor and a taste...

📍5-Star Review Draft (for Google, TripAdvisor, or Facebook):

We decided to skip the cruise excursion and explore Katakolo on our own—and it was the best decision we made on our trip! We hopped on the Fun Tourist Train of Katakolo, where our wonderful driver (pictured!) took us through the charming town and to Merkouri Estate Winery.

At the winery, we were greeted by the warm and unforgettable Zacharoula. Her smile, energy, and passion for her work made us feel like family. We laughed, sipped delicious wine, and stayed much longer than expected because the entire experience was just that magical. The grounds were beautiful (with peacocks too!), the tasting room was full of history, and the wine… spectacular.

This hidden gem is a must-visit! If you’re coming through Katakolo—whether on a cruise or exploring Greece—do NOT miss this stop. The train ride and winery visit were both incredibly affordable and unforgettable. Huge thanks to Zacharoula and our amazing driver for helping us make such beautiful memories.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️...

We visited this vineyard in the 12th August 2024 via a TUI excursion and our guide was very good. However, when we're taken to the outside area to sample the wines we were given a glass of white very dry wine and a glass of red dry wine. This was on a table laid out with a bit of bread, salad and dried up salami, which looked like it had been on the table for at least an hour. Not very appetizing We asked about the other 15 wines they produced, but were told we could not try them??? We paid £96 for this excursion and what we got was far from value for money, in fact it was very poor hospitality, badly organized by the company. Feedback by others that day was 96% not worthy of the money and we all complained to TUI on our return to our...