Kamara Winery

Terroir

Kamara’s vines grow on the low, sunny hills of Tessaloniki’s backcountry and enjoy the ever-present breeze of a fresh northern wind and Mediterranean climate. The vines roots absorb minerals from an especially fertile soil. Clay, sand, schist and many different small to large stones provide the nourishing base for the vines. But the unique microclimate and rich, versatile soil are only one part of Kamara’s extra-ordinariness. It’s the Kitsoukis art of viticulture – an approach going far beyond organic –  which makes their vineyard and their wine standout in every aspect.

Beyond organic – nature makes the best wine

Dimitris Kitsoukis is an engineer by trade, but his ancestors lived and breathed wine as viticulturists in their homeland by the Black Sea. Due to political circumstances they had to emigrate to Greece at the turn of the 19^th century and brought with them a deep knowledge and love for viticulture and winemaking, which was passed on from generation to generation. “Nature is the real winemaker, man is her assistant” was the credo of his forefathers and it is in these footsteps Dimitris now follows. His approach to viticulture goes beyond organic – the goal is to create a natural equilibrium with the least impact and intervention on mother nature possible.  Dimitris achieves this by combining his ancestors’ viticulture methods with those used in bio-dynamie and permaculture. Pruning, hoeing and harvesting are done manually, nettle and yarrow herb sprays keep pests at bay, fertilization comes from compost and manure and newly planted vines are woven into crown or basket shapes which provide shading to the grape clusters and reduce the leaves evapotranspiration. The biodiversity found in his vineyards speak of his success and are a beautiful sight to behold.

The process

The Kitsoukis chose to plant predominantly endemic, robust Greek grapes such as Malagousia Xinomavro, Assyrtiko and Roditis, which are adjusted to the climate and soil of Greece.

The unique, superb wines of course are also owed to a natural approach in wine-making. Modern equipment is used only to monitor the natural process of the wine-making cycle. The grape juice is manipulated very gently to not shock or spoil the wine’s character. Needless to say there are no added yeasts, few or no rackings, and only very light filtration if any at all.

The Kamara wines – unique beautiful characters

The outcome are small batch, low intervention, authentic, vibrant wines. Kamara’s wines speak of the terroir and the winemaker – they tease the palate with a broad array of flavors and a complex aromatic profile that evolves and changes constantly. No matter your preference, be it Red, White, Rosé or Pét-Nat, there is a wine for every taste bud. And last but not least, these wines can be enjoyed over many, many years as they lend themselves just perfectly for ageing.

Kamara Winery’s website