Red wine-Ktima Gerovassiliou-750ml

Philosophy

At Ktima Gerovassiliou the vineyard is cultivated with great care and enthusiasm that leads V. Gerovassiliou to constantly research and experiment with Greek and foreign varieties, both well- and less- known. New technological advances blend well with tradition throughout vine growing and vinification processes.

The aim is to produce high-quality wines from grapes cultivated in the privately-owned vineyard which exhibit all the distinctive characteristics of the specific microclimate (terroir) of Epanomi.

The creation of the Wine Museum, in combination with its various organised activities, including visits, wine tastings, educational programs, seminars, publications, lectures, theatrical, and musical performances, further contributes to the diffusion of wine-growing culture.

History

Ktima Gerovassiliou is the brainchild of Vangelis Gerovassiliou. In 1981, he started reviving the family vineyard extending over 2.5 hectares in the Papamola region of Epanomi, approximately 25 km southeast of Thessaloniki. In this unique ecosystem he planted mainly Greek, but also foreign grape varieties.

The first vinification took place in 1986 at the modern winery that was built by the vineyard.

Vangelis Gerovassiliou was born in Epanomi to a farming and grape-growing family. Following his studies at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki's School of Agriculture, he specialised in Oenology, Viticulture, Wine-Tasting and the Technology of Wine-making equipment at the University of Bordeaux in France. During his studies, he was a collaborator of University of Bordeaux Professor Emile Peynaud and took part in his team, which was carrying out wine-tastings at the famous Chateaux of France.

From 1976 to the beginning of 1999 he worked as an oenologist at Domaine Porto Carras, where some of the most renowned wines of Greece were produced. It was there that he first vinified, revived and rescued from oblivion the long-forgotten Greek variety of Malagousia.

In 1981, urged by his love, knowledge and experience in vine-growing and fine wines, Vangelis Gerovassiliou began to renovate the family vineyard and created the Ktima Gerovassiliou.

In 1998, together with oenologist Vassilis Tsaktsarlis, he created the Ktima Biblia Chora at Kokkinochori in the Kavala region in North Greece. This 48-hectare private vineyard extends over the slopes of Mount Pangaio and surrounds the modern winery, where the famous estate wines are produced. In 2014 Ktima Biblia Chora purchased Estate Kokkoli, located in Agios Andreas, in Peloponnese, and created Ktima Dyo Ipsi. In 2017, they collaborated with the oenologist Ioanna Vamvakoudi for the creation of Mikra Thira, the first winery in Therasia, the small island that was a part of Santorini until the great volcanic eruption of 1600BC. A new acquisition is the small family winery of Titos Eftichidis in Goumenissa, a region known for its long winemaking tradition.

His latest venture is Escapades Wines. From 2004 to 2016, Vangelis Gerovassiliou, Vassilis Tsaktsarlis and wine importer Takis Soldatos created a small winery, Escapades Winery, at Stellenbosch in South Africa, with indigenous and international varieties which made an impression worldwide.

Vangelis Gerovassiliou and his wife, Sonia Tziola-Gerovassiliou have imparted their love for wine and vine-growing both to their children and the estate's employees. Argyris, Marianthi and Vassiliki –the second generation– upon completing their studies in Oenology, Management and Marketing respectively, have arrived to contribute to the estate with knowledge and fresh ideas.

Area

The Epanomi region has been continuously inhabited for nearly 6,000 years. Wine-making is attested here for around 1,500 years. In Byzantine times, Era Epanomi was referred to as being a well-known vine-growing region. However, a settlement named "Panomi" was first recorded in a census carried out in 1302.

During the Ottoman Occupation, Panomi was a free, self-governing "kefalochori" (head village), while according to the Ottoman tax records, viticulture and wine-production still continued to flourish in the region.

Epanomi is located 25 km south-east of Thessaloniki within the administrative borders of the Municipality of Thermaikos and the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, forming one of the city's coastal suburbs.

Epanomi is a beautiful rural village of almost 9,000 permanent inhabitants. It is surrounded by sea, and an abundance of different crops, hills covered in olive trees and rich vineyards form a unique landscape. Viticulture has a long tradition in the region, since Epanomi was part of the wider region of "Kalamaria", namely Kali Meria (nice place), a name given by French travelers to denote the high quality of the region's agricultural products.

Local attractions include the churches of Agios Georgios (built in 1835) and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (built in 1865), the vaulted tombs, the monastery property of Kritsianoi and the lighthouse on Cape Epanomi. Archaeological excavations have revealed many Early Christian-Byzantine finds.

Epanomi is an area of major ecological importance. A uniquely beautiful wetlands of 550 hectares is located in the Fanari area, which hosts rare species of flora and fauna and serves as a haven of migratory and other birds. The Epanomi wetlands has been included in the European Union's program "Natura 2000".

It is worth noting that Epanomi's coastline extends over a length of 40 km. Its crystalline beaches attract many summer visitors and its small taverns, where tourists can enjoy fresh fish, the Greek and local cuisine, good wine, local tsipouro and the warm hospitality of their owners make it an ideal tourist destination.