 Today
Macedonia represents one of the oldest and finest wine-making regions
in Greece. Wars, emigration and the catastrophic phylloxera attack
slowed down the development of Macedonian wine at the turn of the
last century, but after replanting the vineyards and investing heavily
in modern technology Macedonian wines have regained their glamour
and appreciation worldwide.
 Naoussa,
located on the slopes of Mount Vermion, was one of the first AOC
regions to be registered in Greece and produces delicious, full-bodied
red wines made from the native grape, Xinomavro.
This grape is also cultivated in the remote AOC region of Amynteon
where it produces light, fruity reds and pleasant sparkling and
still rosés.
In the heart of the remote AOC region of Amynteon, the Bordeaux trained winemaker, Angelos Iatridis, chose to plant his vineyards, combining classical tradition with modern innovation. The combination of vineyards with northern exposure, sandy clay soils, ideal climatic conditions and Iatridis’ proven winemaking skills have given birth to cutting-edge wines produced from both indigenous and international grape varieties.
In Epanomi, only a few miles southwest of the charming city of Thessaloniki,
the Bordeaux trained Evangelos Gerovassiliou built his state-of-the-art
winery. The mild local climate, close proximity to the sea and sandy
clay soils bring out the best qualities in the grapes grown here
which produce a range of world class wines.
At the point where the lush slopes of Mount Meliton on the western coast of Halkidiki, flow gently into the clear waters of the Gulf of Torone, we find the 475 hectares of the spectacularly terraced Domaine Porto Carras vineyards which make up one of the largest and most picturesque vineyards in all of Europe. The first plantings began in 1967 with the assistance of the famous French Professor Emile Peynaud and in 1981 the area was granted the AOC designation, Côtes de Meliton, for the production of distinctive white and red wines.
Yiannis Boutaris created the first Estate vineyard in Yianakohori
in the late 1960’s spearheading the revival of the Naoussa
Appellation. In 1996 he left the Boutari Company, retaining the
well tended vineyards of Yianakohori and Amyndaio, to establish
his new company, Ktima Kir Yianni. His two sons, Stelios and Michalis,
both US college graduates, are an integral part of the family business
in charge of the day-to-day operations.
In the foothills of Mount Falakro near the city of Drama, the fast rising star,"Ktima Pavlidis" was established in 1998 by the dynamic, Cristophoros Pavlidis. The 30 hectare vineyards include a mixture of indigenous and international varieties planted in calcareous soils, which promotes the production of wines with a refined taste and unique identity.
The vineyards surrounding the Metohi of Chromitsa, property of the St. Panteleimon Monastery and under cultivation by Evangelos Tsantalis SA, extend across an area of 80 hectares along the terraced slopes of Mount Athos. These vineyards, isolated from other agricultural areas, provide ideal conditions for the practice of organic farming. In this unique ecosystem, world-class wines are produced from a careful selection of indigenous and international grapes.
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