Manolates – Ambelos – Stavrinides Wine Route
This is a mountainous route that crosses the wine producing villages located in the northern part of Mt Ampelos, which locals call Karvounis. This wine route is approximately 16 kilometres long in total and takes about 40 minutes, not including stops along the way.
The vineyard village of Manolates, with its picturesque alleys and many art shops, attracts many visitors. It is 23 kilometres from the island’s capital and 17 kilometres from Karlovasi.
From the intersection of the Samos-Karlovasi Rural Road, visitors drive uphill towards the village and take in the dense vegetation of the almost alpine landscape, the road shaded by trees, as well as the vineyards surrounding the village all the way to the tops of the slopes. In the Paliambela area, via a narrow uphill rural road, one can visit (after booking) the renovated grape treading vat in the kalyvi located within the Vasiliadis vineyard, as well as the wonderful Kambouris mountain vineyards. The region used to be one of the vine-growing hamlets called Margarites.
Manolates – Ambelos – Stavrinides Wine Route
Heading up to the villages of Manolates, just before the village entrance, one can see the Manolates cooperative building, as it is the first building on the right hand side of the road.
After a short stop at the village, as there are excellent catering facilities, a small private folklore exhibition, and traditional cafés, if you head downhill to Agios Konstantinos, you will find the stafylodochos of Manolates (on your left as you had downhill, built using bricks), as well as the stafylodochos of the Valeontades hamlet. From Agios Konstantinos, visitors can take a second uphill route leading to the village of Ambelos (which the locals call Nenedes), and take in the mountain vineyards, the wonderful view of the sea, and the area’s waterfall, and also visit the village’s small folklore museum. From Ambelos, a beautiful mountain route leads to the village of Stavrinides, where the small Eleftheriou family Winery operates.
Points of interest
Eleftheriou family winery
From Ambelos, a beautiful mountain drive through a landscape with dense vegetation, leads to the village of Stavrinides, where the small Eleftheriou family Winery operates. This 200 square metre winery operation has a vinification area, a bottling area, and a area for visits where wine tastings are held, after booking.
Folklore Museum of Ambelos
The Folklore Museum of Ambelos is located on the left hand side of the road leading to the village, and it also operates as a small Wine Museum, as it has several exhibits related to the production of Samos wine.
Panoramic view, Ambelos
Ambelos village is one of the oldest mountain vineyard villages of Samos. It is located in the northern part of the island at an altitude of 300 metres, but it was amphitheatrically built on a 40% slope, creating a feeling of being even higher, which is why it is called the “balcony of the Aegean”. The view is wonderful, panoramic, and at many points along the winding mountainous route visitors can admire the shores of Asia Minor.
Valeontades hamlet stafylodochos
This tank was built by hand and the grapes for wine production of the island’s vine-growers were collected here. They were transported there by animals loaded with kofinia. Its size and height indicates the large quantity of grapes produced in the broader region that it received. The Valeontades stafylodochos is well preserved, even though it is no longer used.
Vasiliadis vineyard and patitiri, Margarites hamlet, Manolates
To the left the Kambouris vineyard entrance is the gated entrance to the Vasiliadis vineyard. The ancestral vineyard is cultivated by hand on dry stone terraces and produces 80% high-quality Muscat grapes and 20% Avgoustiatis grapes. The family kalyvi is located within the vineyard, which has been restored, and the ground floor includes the lenos (grape treading vat) and the collection tank.
Kambouris vineyard, Paliambela area, Manolates
From the Samos – Karlovasi Rural Road, visitors drive uphill towards Manolates. The road is shaded by tall trees and the idyllic landscape features running water. In the Paliambela area, via a narrow uphill rural road, one can visit the beautiful Kambouris mountain vineyards, at an altitude of approximately 220 metres.
Manolates Stafylodochos
Heading down to Agios Konstantinos from the vineyard village of Manolates, one can see the stafylodochos, which is located on the left hand side of the road.
Its raised base is built using bricks, but it is no longer used.
Manolates Cooperative
Driving up to the villages of Manolates, just before the village entrance, one can see the Manolates cooperative building, as it is the first building on the right hand side of the road. The building served the needs of the vine-growers of the area, however, after the lifting of the obligation law in 2016, it had no reason to continue to operate and suspended its operations. It is currently privately owned.
