Cava Stafylos in Rhodes
Cava Stafylos is a new place on Rhodes island! Started for first time at May of 2013 gives the opportunity to the visitor to have a direct touch with our tradition! Here exists a small traditional house of Emponas village, where someone can see the way people used to live many years ago! Next to the house is our distillery for souma. Souma is a local drink made 100% from grapes and everybody can taste it for free! Also here we have olive oil which is our production and honey from local producers here in Empona. After that, visitor can taste for free all the kinds of wines we have here! We produce our wines, collecting grapes from our vineyards, and also we have all the local wines from the small family factories here in the village. Finally, there is a small shop, where there are many souvenirs from Rhodes - herbs and many kinds of cosmetics with olive oil!
Traditional House
The traditional house it’s a new bulding made according to our great-grand mother’s house! The timber is all hand made by old hand-machines. In this house visitor can see and touch things that they are aged over 100 years! All the house was one place, without rooms. At the left side on a high bed were sleeping the parents and at the right side, a big bed was for the children. Under the beds there was small storage rooms where they used to keep olive oil, wine and different other things. Near parent’s bed was the fireplace. There people used to cook on wooden fire and eating there on a very short table near the fireplace. They didn’t have water system in the house so they took water from the well and keep it in earthen receptacles. They used to decorate their places with multicoloured hand-made dishes and some glass utensils, hand made too! Finally, visitors can also see the traditional dress of Empona! Hand made clothes worn by the women of the village before many many years!
Olive Oil and Honey Tasting
Coming out of the distillery, visitors can taste our olive oil and local honey. There are different types of olive oil - of high acidity, low acidity, olive oil mixed with herbs. You can taste it with fresh bread and oregano! Also there are different kinds of olives and olive pastes that everyone can taste. Thyme, pine, erika and orange honey are available to taste also! Finally, except for the local sweet “melekouni”, visitors can taste an unusuall taste…… olive jam!
Wine Tasting
At the end, there is a big bar, which offers a big amount and vaiety of local wines and they can be tasted for free! There are different kinds of wine: dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, red, white and rose! All the wines are made here in Empona from small family factories and from the two biggest factories on the island. Also, visitors can taste our home made wines, as our Muscat wine, which is a sweet desert wine combined perfectly with nuts and fresh fruits! Finally, there are many liqueurs made here in Rhodes - ouzo with coffee, souma with honey, masticha and pomegranate!