Tradition

This advice was from the ancient poet Alcaeus, which seems to have been followed by the ancestors of Tyrnavos and until today the vineyard is the backbone of the economy of the town and its products, wine and tsipouro are always willing supporters in all social expressions of the town and often constitute their center. Besides the words that came today “all vineyards” (ie all land to be planted with vines) and an incitement-wish-toast, reflects the magnitude of the pride which is given by the locals to the vineyard.

The wine is for the region of Tyrnavos “monument” of culture despite the fact that it is produced and consumed today, after flying through its art and sweat of people not only the modern but also of the previous generations. The position of the wine in the society is a result of its whole course in the history of the town, even the kinds of the yeasts inhabiting in the area and determine the production of the wine, is the living witnesses of a historical development.

So the vine prospers in Tyrnavos and the wine concurs catalytically in the shaping of the temperament of the inhabitants according to the description of the scholar of Larissa John Economou in 1817 «… yet the people of Tyrnavos, are pious, and very and entertaining in a way that it is rare, not to see a person of Tyrnavos not to like wine»

“Those people who sell wine in their houses, hung a stick of a tree to designate it. The people who see it on the lintel of the courtyard gate they get inside taste the wine whether they buy it or not.”

Excerpt from the book of Leonardo’s “Topography of Thessaly” (1832) showing that the history of the vine and its products in the region of Tyrnavos is long and lost in the history of the place.

Tyrnavos in the late of the 18th century, was known for the famous dyed yarns, and high quality cocoons (silkworm) which were produced, many of them (the best) were exported. But what really made Tyrnavos known in the nationwide (and beyond) was the tsipouro (ouzo) of Tyrnavos. This fine spirit was generated by the re-destillation of a fatigue of dregs of grapes, adding, of course, anise and other herbs. At that time the good double-distilled tsipouro renamed as “ouzo”from the known descriptive phrase of our fellow citizen who while trying it exclaimed “but this is uso Massalia ” expressing in this way his admiration for the excellent quality. Then the myth of ouzo of Tyrnavos was created which was nothing more than good double-distilled tsipouro. Lost through the years this descriptive name for the high quality tsipouro of Tyrnavos,but his offer was made in Greece and the rest of the world.