Have you ever heard of the term garage winery? Wine lovers probably have, for the rest, it draws its origin from Bordeaux, France and is attributed to wineries that, operating in small spaces and cultivating small vineyards, produce wines in limited quantities but with a strong element of local identity and differentiation.
This is the case of Akriotou Micro-Winery, which was set up in 2015 at the foot of Kithairon Mountain in order to do things differently, according to owner Vasiliki Akriotou, an oenologist with a long track record in well-known wineries in Central Greece. During the first year, the production took place in a cooperating winemaking company, but in 2018 there was a big change, since 50% of the winemaking took place in a privately owned building. The place just outside Plataies (Viotia Region) is essentially an old warehouse, abandoned since the 1981 earthquake, which fully houses the project today.
Savvatiano and the estate’s wines
Testing, experimenting and working with Savatiano variety for years, the owner, Ms Akriotou decided to invest in this popular but also quite sidelined variety, since, despite the fact that it is consumed a lot, many people consider it inferior. The goal, therefore, for Ms Akriotou, was to make a special wine that can stand out with this humble, but very notable, variety. Akriotou Micro-winery production does not exceed 70,000 liters per year, while the Savvatiano comes from old, until recently abandoned vineyards of the area, which are now cultivated by hand, give very low per acre yields but also a juicy fruit with very strong taste characteristics.
The company has two lines of wines labeled “Orivatis” (the mountaineer, the word orivatis translates as “climber” in english) and “Erimitis” (the hermit). The basic Orivatis is made with with Sabbatiano from old vines, a variety which, with the right cultivation (old vines, low yields per hectare, arid vineyards), can produce very special wines.
The “Orivatis” family also includes, among others, a semi-dry rosé, a blend with cabernet franc and a white blend with Assyrtiko and Chardoney. As for “Erimitis”, the key product is a mixture of Savatiano, Assyrtiko and Aidani varieties.
Exports and plans
An impressive 40% of Akrioti Microwinery’s production is exported to the EU, Great Britain, Australia and, most recently, to Canada, taking their first timid steps.
In the Greek market, it is available on a nationwide scale through the major chains, while, in the context of the collaboration between the Association of Artisanal Wineries of Greece (smoe.com.gr) and AB Vassilopoulos supermarket chain, there is also access to the super markets distribution channel. For the immediate future, the owner’s goal has less to do with increasing production and more with creating infrastructure that will make the winery open to visitors.
About Savatiano variety
The historical white grape variety of Savatiano is among the Greek vineyard’s most widely planted varieties. Whether on its own, as part of blends, or as part of many PGI wines, the variety is responsible for a considerable volume of the dry whites produced. Still, once oenophiles have secured a good Savatiano in their glass, they will certainly be won over by the wine’s singularity as well as by the fact that this varietal is ready to prove that quality does not come from showing off but by demonstrating its essence.
If truth be told, despite its lengthy history, Savatiano is a variety little explored mostly due to its indifferent performance until recently which resulted in unwarranted disappointment on the part of some consumers. Luckily, the new and more contemporary profile of its wines will win over even the most demanding of wine lovers: it possesses distinct aromas of yellow fruit and freshly cut grasses, a round mouth, and a well-balanced presence. This new profile did not come about without hard work. Numerous Attica and Central Greece producers—regions where Savatiano is prevalent—have toiled both in the vineyard as well as in the winery. By harvesting at the right time, they ensured the right acidity; by means of prefermentation-maceration and low fermentation temperatures, they “vaccinated” the variety with freshness and an increased aromatic intensity; by selecting specific clones from each terroir, they imbued the variety with complexity; and by excluding aged, goblet-pruned vines, they ensured viscosity and length.
Learn more about the white grape variety of Savatiano, by clicking the link here
