Epirus / Ηπειρος

This is a region in Greece, located on the border with Albania. It was an independent Greek kingdom in ancient times, and became a Roman province in 148 BC. It is the smallest and roughest region in Greece, with the sparsest population. The highest point is the Smolikas mountain at 2.637 metres above sea level. Only one fifth of Epirus is not hilly, the soils are particularly rich in limestone. In the west, the hills and mountains fall off to the coast of the Ionian sea. The towns of Zitsa (with the appellation of the same name) and Metsovo lie to the west and the east respectively of the regional capital of Ioannina, at an altitude of 600 resp. 1.100 metres. In the last third of the 20th century, viticulture was revived in the vicinity of Mesovo, where it is known wine was grown in the 18th century, and foreign varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot were planted for the first time. There are also still many indigenous varieties such as Alpoura, Amerikaniko, Bekari, Chlores, Giatrou, Glykopistrovo, Lefko and Vlachiko, some of which are only grown here. The Ionian islands are located close to the coast.