THE AFIANES WINERY was created in 1997 at Raches, Ikaria. We started this project out of love for it, and our main goal was to give Ikaria's wine the place it deserves on the wine map of Greece.
In September 2007, our modern winery opened to the public at Profitis Ilias, Raches. It is built on a vineyard at an altitude of 610m. The "cyclopean petal", the place of traditional wine jar storage, predispose the visitor for the wine making process. In the basement of the winery there is a wine making and bottling facility as well as a special cellar for wine maturing and storage.
On the upper floor, there are the winery’s office, presentation and tasting facilities and a show room with a "museum type" collection of traditional utensils. The final touch of our winery setting is a small, ancient type theater, and a traditional building designated as a vintage cellar.
Visitors have the opportunity to taste our wine in all these places whilst enjoying an imposing view to the Aegean Sea.
Grapes
Fokiano
The soil of Ikaria has inherited a specific character to this red variety. The first mention of Fokiano, under the same name, appeared within a text of a European traveler of the 15 century. The wine produced from the Fokiano variety has a special aroma, a long aftertaste, and a bright ruby color. The fokiano vine produces bunches that are not dense, with grapes of medium size. The yield rate is less than 500kg/1.000m ². Fokiano is cultivated on leveled surfaces all over the island.
From the Fokiano variety we are producing the following wines:
1. Red, dry wine, aged for 12 months into oak barrels, Icarus 14,5%
2. Pink (rosé), dry wine, Icarus 13%
3. Naturally sweet wine, Tama 18%
4. Red, dry wine, Icarus 13%
Begleri
The Begleri variety derives its name from the Syrian variety Begler. This variety is endemic to the island, since Ikaria is the only place where Begleri is being cultivated during the last century. Begleri is cultivated on leveled surfaces all over the island, and its yield rate reaches 500 kilos/1.000m². It is a variety with an intense aromatic and complex character (citrus aromas, with a kiwi aroma prominence, but also tropical fruits aromas), as well as characteristic acidity. It favors light meals, seafood, yellow cheese, and fruits. It is served cool.
White wines made of the variety Begleri are:
1. Begleri, dry wine 12,0%
Wine distinctions
In the summer of 2013, the bimonthly wine publication, Robert Parker’s “WineAdvocate”, rated Begleri with 87/100 points. In the summer of 2012, the wine guide, WEIN PLUS, offered ΤΑΜΑ 2008 a rating of 86/100, and Begleri 2008 a rating of 84/100, along with a price evaluation of 100€ and 15€, respectively.On May 18, 2010, our wine ΤΑΜΑ (naturally sweet wine 18,2%) was classified fourth amongst 11.000 entries in the International Wine Challenge (I.W.C.) in London; it was also qualified as COMMENDED.On May 22, 2009 our wine Begleri (dry white wine) was classified fourth amongst 9.000 entries in the International Wine Challenge (I.W.C.) in London; it was also qualified as COMMENDED.
Publications in the Greek and International press. Almost every important daily and Sunday Greek newspapers and magazines.As for the international press, articles in THE INDEPENDENT, The Guardian, The Washington Post, etc. are some of the most important.
Our winery collaborates with the research group of the Technical Educational Institute of Oenology in Athens, implementing innovative ideas and alternative procedures (Dissertations and PhDs), aiming the transfer of as many as possible primary grape data in the consistency of the wine.
Our main methods involve biotechnological practices, such as the empowerment, the preconditioning and the immobilization of yeasts (both indigenous and refined).Our approach to steer the native yeasts, through natural ways, aims into obtaining wines of less additives, when completely protected at the same time.All the above forms, have been presented aboard in numerous conferences.Our main partner, Dr Stelios Logothetis, is a member of the European Biotechnological Company and a professor at the faculty of TEI, Athens.
Civilization
Wine is an integral part of any civilization. Especially in Ikaria, wine is present in every social event. In the winery, we have created an excibition room for a collection of objects and wine utensils from the past; objects that are slowly vanishing. There, we can see the "kerastari" (a utensil to serve the wine), a wedding dress of the 19th century, the "melokoumbi" (a honey jar), the "pythari" (clay wine jar), the "sifouni", the "avli" (utensils to sip the wine from the wine jar), etc.
Theater
A small ancient-like theater, named "Dionysus", situated within the vineyard, offers us the ability to host various cultural events, like theater performances, concerts etc.
Guided visits
Tradition and modern design ...
In our winery one shall find the "cyclopean petal", which is the traditional pythostasi, where the entire procedure of wine making is taking place.
In the lower cave space of the winery, we have carefully set the vinification system, the maturation of grapes in specially made storages, as well as the bottling.
The upper floor houses our offices, the presentation/degustation room and the exhibition of our traditional utilitarian objects collection.
The culmination of our picturesque winery consists the small archaic theater and a traditional building, formed into a cellar.
Unforgettable experiences, unique illustrations!
- Sightseeing tour in the folklore space and wine tasting.
- Conducted tour of the vineyard and winery, where you can see the traditional way of wine-making.
- You can visit the winery daily without reservation from 12:00 to 23:00, tickets start from 7e/pers for a classic wine tasting and tour. Ask us if you are an expert for a private wine tasting of our best vintages with the winemaker - requires reservation (0030) 22750 40008.
- Buy our wine.
- Attend to our events (show, concert, etc) at the picturesque winery-theatre. *
- From 19:00 to 23:00, visit us with your friends in our WINE BAR situated into the vineyard, to taste our wines accompanied by special flavors from Greece, overlooking the beautiful sunset over the Aegean.
Maria Karoutsou, wife of Nikos Afianes, is responsible for the tours and the extrovert image of the winery.
* Check for the daily schedule of our events (News) on our website.
Wine and Tradition
The wine of Ikaria, the Pramnios wine of antiquity, is a remote tale of history.
Born in the cradle of an ancient myth, connected with the adventures and cult of Dionysus on the island.
The archaeological finds and names in many parts of the island derive their origin from Dionysian rituals.
There are just a few places around the world, producing naturally senior dry wines.
Also, wine scientists accept that wine’s organoleptic characteristics, are affected by the funguses diversity of each and every locality.
Thus, every different fungus, results to a different kind of wine, even if operating on the same type of grape.
