The clever part of this Athens tasting is that it treats wine and olive oil as two versions of the same idea: natural juice judged by aroma, flavor, texture, and balance. In the cellar below Brettos, you compare six Greek wines with four extra virgin olive oils, then see how herbs, cheese, deli, and spices change what you taste.

I like the practical side of the session. You learn how to choose a good olive oil, not just how to admire its peppery finish. I also like the small group, limited to eight, which gives the English-speaking instructor a better chance to explain grape varieties and food pairings without shouting across a crowded room.

The main caution is that the experience may not always match its full masterclass description. One recent booking found the food portion missing and the explanations brief and general, so I would book this for a pleasant introduction rather than a formal sommelier-level course.

Key points before you book

• Six wines in one sitting: You compare grape varieties, flavors, and the popularity of each wine in a compact tasting.
• Four extra virgin olive oils: The session focuses on how to taste oil and how to choose a better bottle at home.
• Food pairing is central: Cheese, deli, organic herbs, spices, canapes, and condiments are intended to show how flavors work together.
• Small group format: With no more than eight participants, the tasting should feel more personal than a large bar demonstration.
• Brettos Plaka setting: Find Athens’ oldest bar, then use the steps on the right to reach the Deli and Tasting Room.
• Adults only: This activity is for people aged 21 and older and is conducted in English.

What the Brettos Plaka tasting is really about

This is not simply a flight of drinks. The point is to learn a method you can reuse at home. Wine comes from fermented grape juice, while olive oil comes from freshly pressed olives. Both carry the character of their source, and both can be assessed with your nose, palate, and attention.

That simple comparison gives the tasting a useful structure. You are not just moving from one glass to the next. You are asked to notice how fruit, bitterness, acidity, pepper, aroma, and texture behave beside food.

For me, that makes the experience more useful than a standard bar tasting. You leave with a better sense of what you like and with a few ideas for building a wine and snack spread in your own kitchen.

The published format describes a two-hour activity with a 90-minute masterclass at its center. The exact balance between instruction, tasting, and food pairing is not fully spelled out, so you should think of it as a focused tasting session rather than a full afternoon course.

Finding the cellar below Athens’ oldest bar

The meeting point is Brettos in Plaka, one of the easiest parts of the experience to locate once you are in the right lane. Look for Athens’ oldest bar, then go down the steps on the right side and enter the Deli and Tasting Room.

That detail matters. You are not meeting at a hotel, tour bus, or vineyard outside Athens. The tasting takes place in the center of Plaka, making it easy to combine with a day of sightseeing in the historic heart of the city.

Give yourself enough time to find the entrance. Plaka has narrow streets and plenty of distractions, and the tasting room is reached by going downstairs rather than entering a conventional street-level classroom.

The setting also helps the experience feel connected to Athens. You are learning about Greek wine and olive oil in a long-running local bar, not in a generic conference room. The bar itself is part of the atmosphere, while the lower Deli and Tasting Room provides the space for the tasting.

Six Greek wines, explained one glass at a time

The wine portion includes six wines. You should expect the instructor to discuss the grapes, taste, and how widely each wine is enjoyed. That information helps you place the samples in context instead of treating each glass as an isolated pour.

Six wines is a generous number for a two-hour activity. It gives you enough range to notice clear differences, but it also means you should pace yourself. This is a tasting, not a contest to finish every glass.

A useful way to approach each wine is to pause before drinking. Notice the aroma first, then taste for fruit, acidity, body, and finish. You do not need fancy vocabulary. The purpose is to train your attention and work out what appeals to you.

One of the strongest parts of the wine instruction is its practical tone. The tasting is intended to help you understand what you are drinking and how it works with food. If you are new to Greek wine, six examples give you a starting point for choosing bottles during the rest of your trip.

Still, keep your expectations sensible. The published material calls this a masterclass, but one recent participant found the explanations fast, simple, and general rather than detailed. If you already know a great deal about Greek grapes, you may find the wine discussion too basic.

Four olive oils and a useful lesson for shopping

The olive oil section is the most distinctive part of the activity. Four extra virgin olive oils allow you to compare oils rather than simply hearing a lecture about them.

You will work with the basic idea that olive oil is freshly squeezed olive juice. That framing encourages you to pay attention to freshness, aroma, bitterness, and peppery character. It also helps explain why extra virgin oil can taste lively and assertive rather than flat and neutral.

I especially like the practical shopping angle. The session aims to show you how to choose a good olive oil, a question that can be surprisingly hard to answer in a supermarket. Labels, price, and attractive packaging do not tell the whole story, so tasting several oils side by side can sharpen your judgment.

The four oils also give the food pairing section a clear purpose. An oil that tastes gentle may suit one ingredient, while a more forceful oil may work better with sturdy food or strong herbs. You are learning to match intensity rather than simply pouring oil over everything.

This is not a professional olive oil certification course. It is a useful introduction for cooks, food lovers, and anyone who wants to return from Greece with a better understanding of what to buy.

Herbs, spices, cheese, and deli turn tasting into a meal lesson

The pairing section brings the drinks down to earth. Organic herbs and spices, cheese, deli items, canapes, and condiments are included in the stated program. Their job is to show how small changes in food can alter your impression of wine and oil.

That is valuable because most people do not drink wine in isolation. At home, you are likely to serve it beside cheese, cured foods, bread, herbs, or a simple salad. Learning how those flavors interact is more useful than memorizing a list of grape names.

Pay attention to the herbs and spices in particular. They can make a mild oil taste brighter or make a wine seem sharper, sweeter, or more subdued. Even if the instruction stays fairly basic, you can take away ideas for arranging a simple Greek-style snack board.

There is one important qualification. The experience description promises canapes and condiments, but one recent participant reported that no canapes or accompanying food were served. Because of that mismatch, I would not book this as your only meal of the afternoon. Think of the food as part of the planned tasting, but allow for the possibility that the offering may be lighter than expected.

A separate tasting account also described honey sampling and a wide range of honey flavors. Honey is not listed among the standard inclusions, so I would treat that as a possible variation, not something to count on when booking.

How personal is the small group?

The group is limited to eight people, which is one of the better features for this kind of activity. A small room makes it easier to ask why one oil tastes more bitter or which wine works with a particular cheese.

The English-speaking format also keeps the instructions straightforward for international visitors. The session is designed for an English-speaking audience, and no other language is listed.

A small group does not guarantee a long private discussion. The quality of the session will still depend on the instructor and the pace of the particular day. One booking praised the staff as friendly and available, while also finding the teaching too short and general for a true masterclass.

That combination is worth keeping in mind. You are likely to receive personal service, but you may not receive the depth of a specialist course. For most first-time tasters, that trade-off may be perfectly reasonable.

Is $58 a fair price?

At $58 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend two hours in Athens. You are paying for six wines, four extra virgin olive oils, instruction, and the planned food and condiment pairings, all in a central Plaka location.

The value depends on what you want. If you mainly want drinks, a bar can cost less and give you more freedom. If you want to understand what you are tasting and learn how to pair wine and olive oil at home, the instruction adds a reason for the price.

The four oils help the value. Many wine tastings offer several pours but only a token taste of olive oil. Here, oil has its own section and its own teaching goal. That makes the experience more unusual than a routine wine flight.

I would call the price reasonable for a curious food lover, especially if the full food pairing is provided. I would be more cautious if you expect a detailed professional course or a substantial meal. The mixed account of the canapes means you should judge the activity mainly as an educational tasting, not as dinner.

Who will enjoy this most?

This suits adults who like food, want to learn basic tasting skills, and prefer a compact activity in central Athens. It is also a good choice if you are unsure how to select Greek olive oil or want ideas for serving wine with cheese and deli foods.

You do not need prior wine knowledge. In fact, the accessible explanations may help beginners more than experienced wine collectors.

The activity works well for couples, friends, and small groups who enjoy discussing what they taste. The limit of eight people keeps it from becoming a large, anonymous bar event.

I would skip it if you are under 21, looking for a full meal, or expecting an advanced technical course. It may also disappoint you if the main goal is vineyard scenery or a visit to an olive farm. This is an indoor tasting in Plaka, focused on comparison and explanation.

Booking is flexible: you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately. Check the available start times, since the activity lasts two hours but the central masterclass portion is described as 90 minutes.

Should you book the Brettos Plaka tasting?

Book it if you want a friendly, central introduction to Greek wine and olive oil, with enough samples to make comparisons and practical ideas for food pairing. The olive oil lesson is the strongest reason to choose it, and the six wines give beginners a useful first look at Greek styles.

Go in with moderate expectations. The session may be less detailed than the word masterclass suggests, and the promised canapes may not always appear. For a relaxed afternoon tasting in Plaka, $58 is fair. For serious wine study or a guaranteed meal, choose something more specialized.

FAQ

Where does the tasting take place?

It takes place at Brettos Plaka in central Athens. Find Brettos, described as the oldest bar in Athens, go down the steps on the right side, and enter the Deli and Tasting Room.

How long does the activity last?

The activity lasts two hours. The masterclass portion is described as 90 minutes.

How many wines are included?

Six wines are included in the tasting.

How many olive oils are included?

Four extra virgin olive oils are included.

Is food included?

The planned inclusions are organic herbs and spices, canapes, condiments, cheese, and deli pairings. One recent booking reported that canapes and accompanying food were not provided, so the food offering may vary.

Is the activity conducted in English?

Yes. The instructor language is English.

How large is the group?

The group is limited to eight participants.

Can people under 21 join?

No. The activity is not suitable for people under 21.