ALEXAKIS WINERY
ABOUT
The Alexakis family is one of the most important ambassadors of wines from Crete. It is the largest privately owned winery in Crete and during its long path has collaborated with all the winegrowers on the island. The result is high quality wines that truly represent the terroir of Crete.
The winery is a family affair. Stellios Alexakis, chemical engineer turned winemaker, is still in charge of the winery with his wife Sofia who is responsible for quality control. Children Apostolos and Lazaros, who literally grew up in the winery, join their father as winemakers and are now responsible for the planning and production, successfully transferring the valuable knowledge and insight of their parents.
The Alexakis wines draw on a deep understanding of the vineyards of Crete (varieties, soil, local weather conditions and viticulture); long years of collaboration have allowed the company to choose the most suitable vineyards and the best growers, to produce the highest quality wines on Crete.
P.O. Box 1059 Heraklion 71110 Crete Greece
ALPHA ESTATE
ABOUT
"...one of those hot estates that should draw consumer attention. This winery has been considered to be a 'comer' for awhile. It is fair to end that talk. They have arrived and are making terrific wines."
- Robert E. Parker's The Wine Advocate
A WINE & SPIRIT'S "WINERY OF THE YEAR" 2013
Alpha Estate is located in the heart of the Amyndeon, a wine region in the Northwest of Greece. The estate's vineyards cover over 160 acres situated on a plateau around 2,000 feet above sea level. Moderate temperatures and heavy winter rains create ideal conditions for the grapes to ripen. Poor soils with good drainage create a mild water deficit, resulting in small berries with intense red color and concentrated flavors and aromas.
Alpha Estate is presided over by Angelo Iatridis, considered by many to be Greece's most promising winemaker. Angelo cultivates international varieties as well as indigenous Greek varieties, and all the wines are crafted in Alpha's state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery. Alpha is considered one of the most cutting edge producers in Greece and has established the most technologically advanced vineyards in the viticulture world. They always strive for precision grape-growing and focused terrior-driven wines that are bold and exciting.
2nd klm Agios Panteleimon 53 200 Amyndeo, Greece
WINES
Alpha Estate Hedgehog Xinomavro
Alpha Estate Axia (Syrah, Xinomavro)
Alpha Estate Red S.M.X. (Syrah, Merlot, Xinomavro)
Alpha Estate Syrah, Turtles Vineyard
Alpha Estate EcoSystem Xinomavro Reserve, Old Vines
Alpha Estate EcoSystem Pinot Noir, Strofi
Alpha Estate EcoSystem Assyrtiko
Alpha Estate EcoSystem Sauvignon Blanc Fumé
Alpha Estate EcoSystem Chardonnay
Alpha Estate Omega Late Harvest Xinomavro
DOMAINE KARYDAS
ABOUT
Over 20 years ago Konstantinos Karydas established Karydas Estate in Ano Gastra, one of the most well-known grape-growing regions of Naoussa. His immaculately kept six acres of Xinomavro vines are planted on the hill of Gastra in sandy, clay and limestone soils, noted for their good drainage. In 1994, he built his winery in the middle of the vineyard and, shortly thereafter, his son Petros joined him to produce his first vintage under his own label. Their mission? To produce an old school, traditional single-vineyard Xinomavro with very little intervention.
Ano Gasrta 59200 Naoussa, Greece
DOMAINE SIGALAS
ABOUT
“Sigalas is one of Greece’s finest white wine producers – in fact, a short list candidate for the best. This producer is universally acclaimed for his skill with Assyrtiko of all types. He is simply a master with this grape."
- Robert E. Parker's The Wine Advocate
Domaine Sigalas is located in Oia, Santorini, more specifically in the Baxedes area. Here the Santorini Assyrtiko as well as the Aidani, Athiri, Mandilaria and Mavrotragano varietals thrive. The vineyards for these varietals are considered the oldest continuously cultivated vineyards in the world, over 3000 years.
The volcanic soils and climate of the viticulture area are the most unique and this "terrior" can not be replicated anywhere else in the world. This is indeed a very special place. The Sigalas Assyritko is arguably one of the most acclaimed white wines in the world.
84702 Oia Santorini, Greece
WINES
Domaine Sigalas Santorini 100% Assyrtiko
Domaine Sigalas AA (Assyrtiko/Athiri)
Domaine Sigalas AM (Assyrtiko/Monemvasia)
Domaine Sigalas MM (Mavrotragano/Mandilaria)
Domaine Sigalas Kavalieros, Single Vineyard Assyrtiko
Domaine Sigalas VinSanto (Assyrtiko, Aidani)
Domaine Sigalas Nychteri (Assyrtiko)
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Akrotiri
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Fira
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Imergovigli
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Megalochori
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Oia
Domaine Sigalas - Assyrtiko 7 Villages, Pyrgos
DOMAINE SKOURAS
ABOUT
"A Most Popular Wine Brand in Wine & Spirit's 24th Annual Restaurant Poll"
Domaine Skouras was established in 1986 by Dijon-trained winemaker George Skouras in Pyrgela, Argos, a quaint village nestled in the Nemea region of the Peloponnese. Skouras began working with both indigenous and international wine varietals and started producing very high-quality Greek wines in the late 1980s. The first bottling of his flagship wine, Megas Oenos, launched in 1988 and was the first wine in Greece to blend Aghiroghitiko with Cabernet Sauvignon. At over 3,400 feet, Skouras also boasts one of the highest red wine vineyards in all of Europe.
Domaine Skouras currently sources grapes from its own vineyards along with dedicated grape growers in the region and is at the forefront of Greek estates. Demand for these terroir-driven and estate-bottled wines is strong in both Greece and around the world.
10th Kilometre Sterna, 21200 Maladreni, Peloponnesos, Grecce
DOULOUFAKIS WINERY
ABOUT
Our second winery from Crete is widely recognized in Greece for its excellence in traditional winemaking but with a focus on the future.
In 1930, Dimitris Douloufakis became one of the first winemakers in Crete to produce wines professionally in his traditional, old winery. A consistent award winner, Dimitris’s grandson, Nikolas, now runs the winery carrying on his grandfather’s traditional practices but with more modern equipment and facilities.
The privately owned vineyards are certified 100% organic and span over 70 acres of hillside land in Dafnes, a village close to Iraklio in Crete. This region has a long history in viticulture and also has been established as a Protected Designation of Origin for Liatiko wines. In addition to the natural choice of Liatiko, Nikolas grows other Cretan indigenous varieties such as Kotsifali, Vilana, Vidiano, along with other international varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay.
Dafnes, Iraklion, Crete, T.K. 700 11 Greece
ESTATE ARGYROS
ABOUT
The current landholdings exceed 120 ha, a vast, four-generations-long investment. The magnitude of this commitment can only be understood only when someone takes into account the fact that, in Santorini, there are numerous, far more lucrative uses of land readily available, and, sadly, more frequently preferred.
Estate Argyros vineyards are old, even by Santorini standards. The average vine age exceeds 70 years, while the oldest parcels of the estate are more than two centuries old. The average yields, on a plentiful vintage, rarely gets higher than 21 hl/ha, an impressively, if not catastrophically, low number, matched by very few wines around the world.
Estate Argyros works almost exclusively with old vines because only these vineyards can provide the depth, the definition and the concentration needed to produce the desired style of wine. Work in the vineyard is meticulous, with hundreds of man-hours per year per hectare since every single vine is considered a unique organism. Timing of harvest is carefully determined plot by plot, in order to pick at optimum ripeness, eschewing the problem of over-ripeness, a frequent Siren in the vineyards of Santorini.
Estate Argyros is an artisan producer crafting small quantities of top-quality wines. The recipe in the cellar is that there is no recipe, with each plot being harvested, vinified, and aged separately until very late in the production process. Each plot is treated with the required sensitivity, in order to express its birthplace, while achieving purity and elegance. To achieve the quintessential Argyros style, patience is required, and many wines are kept in the cellars for years or, in the case of the Vinsantos, decades, so the winery has been designed to accommodate for such a vision. Oak, mainly in the form of old and large French oak barrels, is always used to underline the character of a wine, never to create it.
Estate Argyros vines are farmed organically, without using pesticides. Each vineyard work is done manually, apart from ploughing, carried out by mules. The vines are not irrigated and most of the additions in the vineyard are by products of the wine making process, like composted stems and grape skins.
The Estate Argyros winery was also designed with true respect to the Santorini landscape and aesthetics, while being environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
The Santorini grape varieties have been shaped by the unique environment of the island, something that can be traced in the individuality of their character. These varieties attract attention from wine lovers and vine growers around the world, with increasing plantings not just in Greece but in other countries and other continents. Assyrtiko, together with Mavrotragano and Aidani, are the heritage grapes of Santorini that deserve total dedication and resilience.
Episkopi Gonia, Thira 847 00 Santorini
WINES
HARITATOS VINEYARD
ABOUT
Regenerative viticulture is a way of life for generations of winemakers at the Haritatos Estate — a vineyard that has been in our family since 1863. The estate is currently managed by three siblings, Ioanna, Haritos, and Konstantinos Haritatos, with the support of our extended family. We cultivate our wines with the lightest human touch in Lixouri, Kefalonia, where the warm days and cool nights of the Ionian coax intense aromas from our grapes. We produce small quantities of Vostilidi, Mavrodaphne, and Muscat, indigenous varieties that are an honest expression of the Kefalonian terroir and of our family’s holistic philosophy
Lixoúri, Kefallinia, Greece
KIR-YIANNI ESTATE
ABOUT
Kir-Yianni was established in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris, one of the leading figures in the Greek wine industry. Kir-Yianni, “Sir John” in Greek, is best known for producing premium Xinomavro from the slopes of Mt. Vermio in Northwestern Greece. The winery is focused on producing premium wines with authentic character which also appeal to the modern wine consumer.
Today, Stellios Boutaris, son of Yiannis, actively manages the winery and their two 30+ year-old estate vineyards located in Naoussa and Amyndeon. Combined, the vineyards stretch over 160 acres and range in elevation from 1,000 to 2,200 feet.
The Naoussa vineyard is located in Yiannakohori, the highest point in the viticultural zone, and is home to all the Kir-Yianni red varietals (Xinomavro, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon). The vines are planted in 40 different blocks based on their different soil properties. The Amyndeon vineyard is located in one of the most promising Greek winemaking regions. This smaller of the two vineyards is home to the winery’s white varietals – Sauvignon Blanc, Assyrtiko, Roditis, Malagouzia, etc.
Yianakohori, Naoussa, 59200 Naoussa Greece
MAKAROUNAS
ABOUT
Makarounas Winery is a family winery located on the village of Letymbou, Cyprus. Letymbou is in the area of “Paphos vine-villages”, as they are called by the locals, exactly because the region is associated with a long tradition in vine growing. Theodoros Makarounas started the winery in 2016, after completing his studies in Oenology and Viticulture at UC Davis. He strongly embraced the belief that good wine is made in the vineyard; thus, particular attention is paid to the notion of terroir. Makarounas Winery has the privilege of being the only winery in Cyprus that produces wine solely from their privately-owned vineyards. The family has a long tradition of farming and viticulture, they provide fruit to a considerable number of wineries in Cyprus. The fact that the quality of the fruit is completely under the control of the family, allows for the production of terroir driven wines of high distinctiveness and personality. The winery produces wines mainly from the indigenous grape varieties of Cyprus and organic viticulture.
13 Agiou Nikolaou St.,Letymbou, Paphos, Cyprus, Greece
Tel: +357 99 79 19 15
MYLONAS
ABOUT
Mylonas winery is a third generation (since 1917), small family winery located in Keratea Attica 40km south of Athens. Savatiano is the main grape variety of this region with more than 3000 years history. Our philosophy is based on minimum intervention from the vineyard to the bottling. When you have great vineyards that produce high quality grapes of distinctive individual character, this is not only environmentally and socially responsible approach, it’s also the best way to consistently make fine wine.
Keratea Attica, 19001 Greece
Tel: +302299068156
SANTO
ABOUT
Santo Wines was founded in 1911 as the Union of Santorini Cooperatives and represented all Santorini wineries. Today, Santo Wines is the biggest producer on the island. The new, state-of-the-art winery was built in 1992 and is situated on the edge of the Caldera in the village of Pyrgos.Santo Wines, representing all the producers on the island, is committed to producing authentic Santorini wines of superior quality while respecting the Santorini traditional vinification techniques and protecting the precious Santorini vineyards. They developed their own Research and Development Department to regularly launch special projects to evaluate methods to improve cultivation techniques, vinification processes and varietal quality.
Pyrgos Greece
Tel: +30 22860 22596
SARRIS
ABOUT
Panos Sarris is a restaurateur/ wine student turned winemaker. After studying accounting and working in restaurants in Athens, Panos Sarris decided to return to his home of Kefalonia island and start a restaurant called “Preview”. In 2004 Panos decided to move the restaurant to Avithos beach. He also decided to study more in depth the world of wine at the hospitality school in Athens Le Monde with a focus in Sommelier and wine education. During his time at Le Monde Panos visits wineries and restaurants worldwide to broaden his knowledge. In 2006 and 2007 Pano participated in the “National Sommelier Competition and took second place. He also wrote a cook book called “Tastes of Kefalonia” in 2009. In 2011 Panos sets out looking for vineyards and decided he wanted to follow in his passion and produce wines form indigenous grapes of his island Kefalonia. The winery is located in the town of Avithos, less than 1000 feet from his restaurant on the beach.
Kefalonia Island, Greece
Tel: +30 26710 41638
SCAPERDAS FRÉRES
ABOUT
Scapedas Frères is a Méthode Traditionelle style sparkling wines. Inspired by the history of Yiannis Boutaris (from Kir-Yianni) great grandfather, Spyridon Scaperdas. Spyridon originated from Kastoria, in Northwestern Greece, known for its fur clothing industry. By the end of 19th century, Spyridon Scaperdas left his hometown, penniless and little to his name for Paris, France.There he opened a store trading furs under the brand name,“Scaperdas Frères”. In the 1920’s he rose to success and was one of the most successful businessmen in all of Paris. Almost a century later. Kir-Yianni has developed a new, French oriented brand, under the name of “Scaperdas Frères”, in order to commemorate the success story of Spyridon Scaperdas paying homage to his journey using French sparkling wine techniques.
Naoussa, Greece
WINES
VASSALTIS
ABOUT
Vassaltis is Santorini's newest winery with construction being completed only in April 2016. With the financial crisis hitting Greece, Yannis Valambous decides to return to Santorini to revive the vineyards he inherited from his late father. A year later he decides to pursue a dream the seemed too distant to ever materialize; the creation of a winery. His vision is to create a modern state of the art winery to express the next generation of Greek winemakers. Along with Elias Roussakis and Yannis Papaeconomou who join the team as oenologists they are out to prove that Santorini can produce world class wine and that Greeks can deliver big results if and when they are given the opportunity.
Vourvoulos, Santorini, 84700, Greece
Tel: +302286022211
ZOE
ABOUT
Zoe, the Greek word for life, is a series of wines created to exemplify the terroir of its origins. When creating these wines, we focus on working with micro farmers and that farm naturally and work with indigenous and cosmopolitan varieties for our blends. The wines are also expressions of the winemakers and we work with ultra-talented people that are skilled in the craft but also in tune and in touch with ecosystems that they work in and around.
