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Sclavos Wines

WINERY & VINEYARDS

A harmonious relationship with the specific rural environment and its culture…

Sklavos family, originally from Ntomata of Livathos, is a family of naval shipowners whose branch migrated to Odysseus, Russia in 1700 and deals with the transportation of wheat with their privately owned merchant ships. Around 1860 we find our great-grandfather Evryviadis directing in Odysseus a large Vinaria, owned by the family.

In the years that followed, specifically in 1919 after the revolution of 1917 in Russia, grandfather Evryviadis returned to Kefalonia where he planted the first vines on the privately owned estate (50 acres) in the area of Kechrion in Palli on the slopes of Laskaratos Hill.

Beginning in 1990, two generations later, with the special care of our father Spyros, we remodeled the old vineyard and cultivated the varieties Mavrodafni Kefallinias and Vostilidi with a biodynamic-homodynamic method. The field is located within the limits of the cultivation zone of Mavrodafni Kefallinia in the area of Palli and is certified for 20 years by the control body of DIO. Indicatively, some basic procedures of the homodynamic method are mentioned, such as the use of the calendar for the application of cultivation practices and work, the use of homogeneous formulations, the strengthening of the soil-plant-environment system and the opening to the positive universal influences.

Since 2015, the sole proprietorship has been transformed into a limited liability company with the participation of 50% of the Zisimatos S. family and operates under the name SKLAVOS-ZISIMATOS WINERY AND VINEYARDS LTD and is in the final stage of completion of an investment plan based on which the old building has been expanded and upgraded as well as the supply of new modern winemaking equipment.

The production is characterized by the small acreage yields of about 400 kg per acre, the self-rooted vineyard, the cup-shaped configuration, and the age of the stumps (average age of the vineyards more than 70 years). The above in combination with the organically poor soils that have been created in limestone mother rock create the conditions for the excellent quality of the grapes of the area. However, apart from the above, it is important that the vineyard is not uniform but forest areas, olive groves and set-aside areas are inserted. Characteristic for the region is a great diversity of rare Mediterranean plant species with predominant natural aromatics, Mediterranean orchids, and other species. The soil in the vineyards and other cultivated areas due to the gentle methods applied hosts a large number of earthworms that contribute to the euphoria of the soil and the general smooth operation of the estate.

The company pays special attention to the continuous quality upgrade of the products produced, a fact that in any case does not disrupt the harmonious relationship with the specific rural environment and its culture that ultimately characterizes them.

The aim is to create natural organic wines in which all those special characteristics of the local varieties that are expressed in the specific conditions of the place of cultivation (micro-area of the vineyard) will be highlighted.

After the grapes are harvested, careful sorting by hand on the vibrating table and the sorting belt follows, during which leaves are removed, as well as any grapes that are not suitable for vinification.

The vinification is done with modern means (stainless steel pneumatic press with nitrogen environment, stainless steel tanks-winemakers), oak fundre and winemakers. The alcoholic fermentation of Mavrodafni lasts about 3 weeks. The resulting wine matures for more than a year in French oak barrels type Allier 225, 500 and 3 oak wine tanks.

In the coming years, new versions of our work will be presented in the variety of Mavrodafni Kefallinia. This work (dry vinification with aging) starting from the first time in the Greek data 25 years ago from our winery, we believe that it contributed to the creation of wines that highlight the great potential of the variety. In this effort, other wineries are compiled with excellent results, something that leads us to request in a coordinated manner in the near future the registration of red dry wines OPE from this variety.

Corresponding is the production – vinification process for the variety Vostilidi and Zakynthos with the difference only in the extraction that is not done in the white varieties.

The goal is that in the next five years all the wines produced will come from grapes that will have been produced with the principles of organic-biodynamic cultivation. Wines from vineyards with special quality characteristics will also be developed.

During these 20 years our products are promoted in the Greek market and 65% in 10 destinations abroad, indicatively in France, Germany, Denmark, England, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain Norway, Japan, USA, Canada.