Chios is an island in the Northeast Aegean Sea. Is very close to the coast of Asia Minor. Only 3.5 miles separate it from the Cape Punta until peninsula Eritrea at the height of Cesme. It is the fifth largest island in Greece (904 sq.kilometers) with a coastline of 213 kilometers and a population that lives in the city and harbor of Chios and the 64 villages. Also, Chios has great community in London and New York. The main products exported are gum, oil, figs and wine, and has an international reputation for the size and quality of shipping. Administratively, including the islands Oinousses and Psara, is the county of Chios, with a population reaches 53,817 inhabitants (2005). Its capital is the city of Chios, also called Chora. The soil of the island is the main part of the mountain, and only to the south and east of the county formed some plains. To the north of the island is the mountain, Pelinaio with the tallest peak Saint Elias (1297 m). In Chios there are no rivers..
The area is dominated by limestone rocks which have created an interesting morphology which includes rocky slopes, plateaus, rocky outcrops etc. Natural plateaus of various sizes in the northern part of the island, dominated oldest vineyards, whose cultivation was the main agricultural activities of local residents. The climate of the island is a typical Mediterranean climate. Its main features are hot, dry summers and cool, relatively short winters. There is plenty of sunshine throughout the year. In fact, Chios comes third among the regions of Greece in hours of sunshine and has the most hours without clouds from across the country. Because of the Meltemi, the north – northeast winds blowing steadily in the summer, temperatures rarely exceed 28 degrees Celsius. During the summer it rains. The average temperature ranges from 18th C to 19th C. The hottest months are July and August and colder in January and February. . The average annual rainfall is 50-60 cm.
The wine was one of the most remarkable and famous products produced Chios in ancient times. The god Dionysus, according to tradition, gave his blessing to the island. In the history of ancient times Chian Theopompus, the Oinopion who was the son of god, learned the Chians to plant and cultivate vineyards and produce the black wine. According to tradition Oinopion had five sons. Talos, Evanthis, Melan, Salagos and Athaman. The historian of Chios George J. Zolotas associates their names with the five most likely qualities of Chian wine.
Talos represents the “talitin wine” made with “Tallinn”, a kind of white. Melas is the famous wine of Chios, Evanthis identified with Ariousios, Salagos associated with Fanaio and Athamas is a light wine. From these wines, definitely, the best was the “Ariousios wine.” Its quality quickly made it famous in Greece and abroad. The Chian ships took it everywhere in jars, where there were buyers because it was very expensive. So it had connected its name with rich and costly banquets. The excellent quality of this wine, lead to admiration and praise. Greek and Latin poets praised it and were inspired by. With this wine people celebrated their joy and in this resort, to soften and forget their pain. Nectar of the Gods called it the poets, Homeric wine named it tourists and travelers who visited Chios in modern times.
The Romans along with the Greek culture took and the “Ariousios wine.” At Roman banquets, it dislodged fine Italian wines. It had widespread use in medicine and it is reported as an effective drug, particularly in stomach disorders. In fact led the winery”P.Kefalas Estate ” based in Volissos, in systematic viticulture in NW Chios and wine production, comparable quality to ” Ariousios wine”. Pantelis Kefalas is the third-generation grower and winemaker of the family and continues the tradition with love and passion for wine and his homeland. The results do not be slow when the summer of 2010 the chian wine upgraded and formally recognized as the “Regional Wine of Chios” (MINISTERIAL DECISION.280931/2010).