Drunky Goat I Discover Greece through wine

Why Drunky Goat

Since ancient times, wine has held an important place in the religious and cultural life of the Greeks. Comedy and tragedy (drama) were born out of the worship of Dionysus, god of wine. The goat was considered sacred to Dionysus.

Even the word “tragedy” (from the Greek “tragōidia”) is thought to derive from “tragos” (goat) and “ōidē” (song), translating to “goat song”. Dionysus’s retinue often included satyrs, mythical creatures who were half-man and half-goat. The satyrs, with their goat-like features, were associated with the uninhibited, ecstatic, and wild aspects of nature and revelry that Dionysus represented.

Although more than 3,500 years have passed since the birth of the cult of Dionysus, we wanted to create a place that would honor him and immerse visitors to the world of Greek wines and culture. We chose his favourite animal and created a playful character, just like the experience we want you to have with us.

If you share our passion for good wine in an unpretentious context, you are at the right place. You won’t need to get drunk, but you might drink a little more than usual, as we love “playing” with wine by trying many different ones.

Our Wine Manifesto

There are many places to drink wine. Drunky Goat is quite different though.

An original wine bar, not a restaurant

If you had visited Athens in the 60s or 70s, you would have experienced the “Athenian Tavern”. Unlike today’s food-focused restaurants, old Athenian taverns focused on their wine. People chose a tavern based on the quality of the wine and ordered food only to accompany it. We wanted to revive this philosophy. Our dishes are limited and simple in order for the wine to shine.

Only Greek wine producers.

Greece is home to over 300 indigenous grape varieties, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world. Over the past few decades, Greece has experienced a renaissance in winemaking, with modern winemaking techniques combined with traditional methods to improve wine quality. We believe that one should not miss the opportunity to discover Greece in this way. At the end of the day, you can drink French wine… when you visit Paris!

A unique experience, based on wine.

We live in a rapidly-pace world where we do everything mechanically. Even, when drinking wine, most of the times we just end up consuming alcohol. We wanted to create a framework where time slows down for 2 hours and people live an experience, instead of just drinking one more wine. We have designed special material and processes so that you have fun with your friends, while talking about wine. You will realise that you don’t need an “expert” above your head in order to appreciate and enjoy good wine. You are already experts of your own preferences.

Greek wines

Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. The earliest evidence of Greek wine dates back to 6,500 years ago, while it spread throughout the world through the Greek colonies.

It is no coincidence that almost all the countries of the world refer to wine with its Greek word – oeno (vino, vin, wine).

The enormous economic significance of wine resulted in its legislative protection. In ancient Greece, for the first time, the concept of the Wine Appellation of Origin was invented. Thus, we see references in texts to Chios wine, Lesvos wine, Thasios wine, and Pramnios wine (from Ikaria).

In ancient times, as the wine trade expanded, it was transported from one end of the Mediterranean to the other. Amphorae (large clay vessels) were used for storing and transporting wine. Each city-state even had its own distinctive amphora shape for its wine, with a special seal certifying the region that produced it. This tradition has seen a modern revival with some producers using amphorae to age wine, adding earthy notes to their profiles.

Greece’s diverse climate and geography, ranging from the mainland to islands, result in a wide variety of terroirs, each producing distinct styles of wine.

Drunky Goat is a place where you will enjoy ancient and modern wine varieties and get to know their stories, behind carefully selected Greek labels. Our aim is to bring Greek wines back to the fore.

Greek tapas

The tapas tradition may have begun when king Alfonso X of Castile (1221-1284) recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king ordered that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or “tapa”.

Another popular and more modern explanation says that King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941), the last ruling monarch of Spain, stopped by a famous tavern in Cádiz (Andalusian city) where he ordered a glass of wine. The waiter covered the glass with a slice of cured ham before offering it to the king, in order to protect the wine from the blowing beach sand, as Cádiz is a windy place. The king, after drinking the wine and eating the ham, ordered another wine “con la tapa” (“with the cover”).

Whether you prefer the first or the the second story, one thing is certain. You will taste tapas that would never have in Spain!