🍷 Achaia Clauss
Also known as: Αχαΐα Κλάους
A winery above Patras, Greece, founded by the Bavarian Gustav Clauss, who started work in 1861; according to the winery, its first sweet Mavrodaphne vintage dates from 1873.
Achaia Clauss is a winery set on a hill above Patras, in the northern Peloponnese. According to the winery, Gustav Clauss, born in Bavaria in 1825, came to Patras in 1852 as director of the raisin export department of a German company, bought his first land in 1859, and in 1861 the winery officially began work; Wikidata gives the same year. In 1872 the joint-stock company “Achaia” was formed. After Clauss died in 1908, the raisin trader Vlassis Antonopoulos bought shares in 1919.
According to the winery, Clauss produced its first vintage of sweet Mavrodaphne in 1873, and in 1882 bought two large carved casks of 13,195 litres each. Its other well-known wines are the white Demestica, first bottled in 1899, and Santa Helena, first bottled in 1934. In 2008 production of the commercial labels, except sweet Mavrodaphne, moved to Germany, and in 2025 the winery announced the return of production to Greece.
Mavrodaphne of Patras is a protected designation of origin (PDO) for a sweet red liqueur wine. Grape spirit is added so that sugar remains, and under EU law a liqueur wine has an actual alcoholic strength of 15 to 22% vol.
Why it matters to you. The name Mavrodaphne of Patras guarantees the place and the type of wine, while Demestica or Santa Helena are the winery's own brands. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1861, Gustav Clauss |
|---|---|
| Region | Patras, Achaea (Peloponnese) |
| Country | Greece |
| Legal basis | winery; sweet wine under PDO Mavrodaphne of Patras |
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Achaia Clauss → kind of → 🍷 Mavrodaphne of Patras ← used for ← 🍇 Black Corinth → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Mavrodaphne of Patras
- Related to
- 🍷 Mavrodaphne of Patras (Patras, Peloponnese)
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Achaia Clauss?
The Bavarian Gustav Clauss, who came to Patras in 1852; the winery officially began work in 1861.
Is it true that Mavrodaphne of Patras is an ordinary dry red wine?
No. It is a sweet red liqueur wine: grape spirit is added, and under EU law the strength is 15–22% vol.
When did the winery make its first Mavrodaphne?
According to the winery, the first vintage of sweet Mavrodaphne dates from 1873.
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Achaia Clauss (official site): Timeline — 1825–2025
- Achaia Clauss (official site): home page
- Wikidata: Achaia Clauss (Q1369444)
- eAmbrosia — EU register of geographical indications: PDO «Μαυροδάφνη Πατρών» (Mavrodaphne of Patras)
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Annex VII Part II — liqueur wine
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)