University of Wisconsin–Madison

Greece: Rachel Jones (A New Experience)

Note: this experience was part of a program excursion.

A collage of six photos: The first is fifteen people posing in front of grape vines, the second is rows of grape vines, the third is instructions on how to make wine in Greek, the fourth is a room full of metal tanks, the fifth is a display of different wine stoppers, and the sixth is a dimly lit room with wine bottles displayed in the walls.

One excursion I won’t forget during my six weeks in Greece was going to the Ktima Gerovassiliou winery tour and tasting. This tour was impactful because Perrotis College had grapes growing outside the dorms, so it was interesting to see the process from vine to bottle. The vineyard had over 200 sculptures scattered throughout it as the founder has a deep appreciation for art. During the winery tour I learned about the process of making red, white, and rose wines. You must sort the stems from the grapes, crush, macerate, and press them, ferment the juice, and package the wine. I discovered that white wines are fermented at colder temperatures than red wines. Furthermore, I learned that my favorite wine, rose, is made by fermenting the white grape juice with the skins of red grapes.

During this excursion, the history of the winery was shared. The area where the winery is constructed used to be covered in sea water and the soil is mostly sand. A lot of artifacts in the winery’s museum were dug up from the sea such as ceramic bottles, plates, and glasses. The museum also contained over 2,000 cork screws collected by the winery’s founder, Vangelis Gerovassiliou who even saved a species of grape plant from extinction! I learned that roses are used as warning signs of disease in the fields as they will catch the disease before the grape vines do. The museum also showed old tools that used to be used to cultivate the grape fields and create wine. At the end, I got to taste one of their red, white, and rose wines. Overall, this experience made me feel closer to Greek culture by teaching me more about its history and cuisine. I will cherish this experience for a lifetime.

 

Rachel leans against a metal fence in front of a lake with trees behind it.

Rachel Jones

Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin

Major: Genetics and Genomics, Psychology

Program: Perrotis College

A professional/academic goal I have for this program is to narrow down my career field interests. This program will give me the opportunity to explore research techniques and fields I have not yet been exposed to. I hope to gain Greek Culture experience and learn about Greek history. I am most looking forward to learning more about greek cuisine… and eating it of course!