New York, NY – July 12, 2017: Domaine Papagiannakos, a Greek quality producer of indigenous and international wines, announces its first campaign in the U.S. The strategic media relations program aims to bring awareness to Domaine Papagiannakos, the IGP Markopoulo and native white grape Savatiano.
Domaine Papagiannakos:
Based in Attica in southeastern Greece and just 18 miles from Athens, Domaine Papagiannakos represents the first winery in the country to be built according to bioclimatic standards. The winery was established in 1919 and is today run by the 3rd generation, Vassilis Papagiannakos. Raised in Markopoulo, Vassilis returned to his family’s property after studying Economics at the University of Athens and Marketing at Strathclyde University in the U.K. With a passion for winemaking, he invested in the new bioclimatic winery, as well as new vinification methods.
Vassilis maintains 100 acres of vineyards, which are planted mainly with 60-70 years old Savatiano vines.
IGP Markopoulo:
The Markopoulo appellation was established in 1993 and is delimited by the bounds of the Markopoulo Mesogaias municipality, in the center of the Attica region. For wines labeled with this IGP, the blend must have a minimum of 80% Savatiano. Here, the soils are primarily clay, limestone and gravel, and the landscape is made up of undulating hills and hidden streams. Families have cultivated the same vineyards for many generations using traditional methods, which produce high quality, low yielding vines. The area has mild winters and hot, dry summers with gentle, mitigating sea breezes.
The Savatiano Grape:
As old as 2,500 years and dating back to the building of the Acropolis, Savatiano is Greece’s one of the most widely planted grapes. Each vine, on average, produces two bunches of fruit, which is medium-sized and yellowish with thin skins. The grapes reach full maturity in mid-September in Markopoulo, and produce wines that are fresh and well-balanced with fruity aromas and citrus notes. Time in barrel and bottle aging gives the wine additional complexity.
Imported into the US by Athenee Importers, these 100% Savatiano wines are available from Domaine Papagiannakos:
- Savatiano Old Vines 2016, Papagiannakos: 60 year old vines and fermentation in stainless steel for 20 days
- Vientzi Single Vineyard Savatiano 2015, Papagiannakos: Fermentation in stainless steel and bottle-aged for one year before release
- Vareli Savatiano 2013 Papagiannakos: Fermentation starts in stainless steel and finishes in new French oak barrels
- Ktima Papagiannakos 2012: Fermentation in stainless steel with skin contact and bottle-aged for a minimum of four years before release
About Athenee Importers
Athenee Importers, established in 1975, is the largest importer and distributor of fine wine, spirits and beer from Greece and Cyprus in the United States. Based in Hempstead, New York, Athenee’s mission is to educate and promote Greek wines in general and from their portfolio, which is comprised of innovative, family-owned wineries.
