Αchaia Clauss Imperial Cellar: The rarest cellar in Greek wine

By Yiannis Karakasis MW

Perched above Patras since 1861, Achaia Clauss is considered Greece’s first organised winery and the birthplace of Mavrodaphne, although this emerging Greek variety appears to have originated from Cephalonia. Its flagship element is the Imperial Cellar, a vaulted chamber housing nineteenth-century barrels dedicated to royalty, statesmen, and church leaders. Names inscribed on the staves include King George I, Queen Olga, King Paul, Bismarck, and Moltke. Many of these are hand-carved and commanding.

A single building houses 167 Mavrodaphne barrels, ranging from approximately 2,000 to 13,000 litres, serving as a living museum with wine still within. Access is strictly controlled, and tastings from individual barrels are extremely rare, making any direct sampling a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Imperial Cellar also maintains commemorative vintages linked to historic moments, such as the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896, while other barrels bear inscriptions dedicated to eminent figures of state and church. This continuity demonstrates how Mavrodaphne evolved from a local speciality into a national symbol during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

A few months ago, I had the rare privilege of tasting these ultra-rare wines that have remained untouched for decades, and in some cases, for more than a hundred years. The experience was exhilarating and almost spiritual. What follows are my notes, although words are not always enough to describe the 10 rarest barrels of the cellar.

Mavrodaphne 1885 - Dedicated to Queen Olga