Pieria Winemakers Empowerment Event

Pieria Winemakers Empowerment Event

A Two-Day Initiative of Knowledge, Networking & Extroversion

In May 2025, Pieriki Anaptyxiaki S.A., within the framework of the TAPToK / CLLD – LEADER Pieria program, organized the Pieria Winemakers Empowerment Event, with the organizational management of Open Ways Events & Travel.

This initiative aimed to strengthen the skills, extroversion, and networking of Pieria’s winemakers through a program that combined academic expertise, professional insights, and meaningful opportunities for collaboration and exposure.

The conference held on Monday, May 26, at the Mediterranean Village Hotel & Spa, formed the core of the two-day event, attracting distinguished participants from the academic, business, and media sectors of wine and gastronomy. The event was coordinated by journalist Lefteris Plakidas, founder of Carpe Vinum, who played a key role in shaping the program’s dynamic flow and connecting local producers with leading professionals of the industry.

Among the distinguished speakers were:

• Professor Stefanos Koundouras, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Viticulture),
• Professor Yorgos Kotseridis, Agricultural University of Athens (Oenology),
• Anestis Haitidis, wine exporter and consultant,
• George Kanopoulos, owner of the “Warehouse” wine bars in Athens,
• and Dimitris Spyridakos, Popi Wallick, and Lefteris Plakidas, who discussed communication strategies, storytelling, and digital promotion in the wine industry.

The conference also featured a wine-tasting session with 12 wineries from Pieria, attended by sommeliers, journalists, and hospitality professionals from across Greece — an inspiring showcase of the region’s oenological potential and craftsmanship.

On Tuesday, May 27, the invited speakers and professionals visited local wineries and vineyards, meeting the producers, learning their stories, and exploring firsthand the land and passion behind Pieria’s wines. These experiential visits fostered closer relationships and enhanced appreciation for the authenticity and quality of the region’s wine production.

The Pieria Winemakers Empowerment Event was a significant investment in knowledge, collaboration, and visibility, reaffirming that Pieria holds all the elements needed to become a point of reference on Greece’s wine and gastronomy map.

Open Ways Events & Travel had the honor of undertaking the full organizational coordination of the event, ensuring its successful implementation and contributing to an initiative that inspires, connects, and promotes sustainable regional development through cooperation and innovation.