Located in the Amyndeon, in the Florina region of northwest Greece, Alpha estate`s privately owned vineyard benifits from it`s 600-700m altitude with northwest exposure (now the favoured exposure in most of Greece as it moderates the heat of the increasingly hot summers). On this land they cultivate a range of indeginous varieties such as Xinomavro and Mavrodaphne, as well as foreign carieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir.
Eastern Mediterranean
Eastern Mediterranean
Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, Egypt and Israel are the main players in this category. This area is one of the cradles of wine, with early explorers and traders setting out from here to take the vine to Spain, France, Italy and others.Greece probably has the longest history of uninterrupted production, but progress in the UK market has stuttered since it lost its main champion. Turkey is a newcomer and Lebanon gives us a wine culture, revitalised and modified under French occupation but with a proud identity.
- Domaine Gerovassiliou
To say Vangelis Gerovassiliou is a well qualified vigneron would be an understatement. After graduating from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki`s School of Agriculture, he went on to the University of Bordeaux in France to study Oenology, Viticulture, Wine-Tasting and the Technology of Wine-making. In 1976 he was appointed an oenologist and Domaine Porto Carras, one of the most prestigeous greek winery`s. During his time there, he rescued Malagousia (an ancient greek variety) from near extinction.
- Massaya
Combined effort between Daniel Brunier of Chateauneuf Vieux Telegraphe, Dominique Hebrard (ex-Cheval Blanc) and the Ghosn Brothers of Lebanon`s Bekaa Valley, which has a near-perfect climate for wine production. The brothers were forced from the family farm during the war, but returned to invigorate the estate which had once produced grapes from which Arak was distilled. In 1998 Massaya was launched to immediate, critical acclaim. (PG 17/06/06)
- VassaltisYannis Valambous had a successful career as an economist in the UK. But in 2010, he decided to leave that behind, and move to Santorini; he wanted to restore and develop the vineyards and winery left to him by his late father. Yannis had fond memories of going to Santorini on holiday as a child and believed that the island had the potential to produce world class wines.
