Greek vineyards

Greece has one of the world’s oldest wine-making traditions. Around 4000 BC, vineyards and wine made their first appearance in Greece. Soon after, Dionysus, the son of Zeus, became the god of wine and extravagant celebrations were held in his honor.

Today, this ancient tradition is reflected in Greek wineries. Among the most prestigious is Ktima Gerovassiliou, which is located in Epanomi, a beautiful rural village by the sea with only 9,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by rolling hills full of vineyards and many different types of crops, it is an idyllic landscape.

Greece has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world.



Ktima Gerovassiliou is the creation of Vangelis Gerovassiliou, a man of remarkable talent and unique genius. Gerovassiliou, who comes from a family dedicated to agriculture, focused his studies in oenology and viticulture at the School of Agriculture at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. During scholastic years he worked with the eminent professor Emile Peynaud, at the University of Bordeaux, where he finished his studies. She taught him that in order to make good wine the main component was to care for terroir, in which the grapes grow.

In 1981, Gerovassiliou began to renovate the family vineyard and decided to create the Ktima Gerovassiliou winery. This was the beginning of the revival of the then 2.5 hectares of land in the Papamola area of Epanomi. He planted native varieties, some of which had almost disappeared, such as the limnio, malagousia, Mavroudi and mavrotragano. He also cultivated foreign varieties like syrah, merlot, Viognier, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Today these vineyards, owned by Vangelis and his wife Sonia Tziola-Gerovassiliou, cover an area of more than 62 hectares. The vines are grown there with great care, using the best practices, ancient traditions and the latest technological advancements to produce the highest quality wines. The two buildings that make up the winery are located in the heart of the vineyard itself and produce a range of ten different wines.

Above: Ktima Gerovassiliou winery
Below: Vangelis Gerovassiliou, his wife Sonia, and the rest of the team.

Each year the Gerovassiliou wines win international awards for their high quality and excellent properties. Ktima Gerovassiliou always appears on the yearly lists of the top 100 wineries in the world. A significant part of its product is exported to other European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and Singapore.

Vangelis possesses boundless creativity, and his love and passion for the wine-making tradition has prompted him to create a museum within the winery. The museum pays tribute to all things related to viticulture and wine-making, with articles and cooperage tools he collected over the years. Prominently displayed is a collection of more than 2600 corkscrews from all eras.

Vangelis Gerovassiliou taking care of his vineyards.

Thanks to a dedication and passion for developing exceptional wines, Ktima Gerovassiliou is a family enterprise that has managed to rise to the top of the great European wineries and is renowned as one of the best winemakers in the world. These wines are lovingly cultivated drinks well worth adding to your must try list of great wines.

Photos: Ktima Gerovassiliou ■