Following our dreams
Our story
When the Kioutsoukis family migrated from East Romylia in the early 1900’s -a region at the Black Sea coast well known for its wine- to Greece, carried with them the embedded knowledge and the passion for viticulture and wine. Unfortunately, they could not fulfill their dream to build a winery in Greece until Dimitrios Kioutsoukis, the grandchild, and his family did it in 2010.
Dimitrios Kioutsoukis received his degree as a chemical engineer from the Polytechnic School of Thessaloniki and worked for several years in the medical field- in order to obtain the needed money to fulfill the dream of his life. The family inherited passion for wines led him to take the UC Davis Oenology Extension program in order to go beyond embedded and tacit knowledge and obtain explicit knowledge about winemaking. He planted with his family’s assistance about 11 hectares of vineyards in the slopes of Mygdonia in Northern Greece, near Thessaloniki, where vines were planted from ancient times, but vine cultivation was abandoned since 1900 due to phylloxera.
In their self-owned vineyard mainly Greek grape varieties are planted (Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Roditis,Muscat,Moschofilero, Xinomavro,Limnio).
The low hillside along with the micro climate (a refreshing northern wind is present all year round), and the different types of soil -from clay sand to lighter with small stones and schists- gives exquisite wines with excellent ageing potentials.
From the very beginning, the vineyards are exclusively treated with the long-standing traditions, some of which have almost been forgotten. Manual pruning- hoeing - harvesting, use of herb sprays, such as nettle, yarrow etc, natural fertilization with compost and manure- newly planted vines shaped in basket crowns.
The basic rule is doing as few treatments as possible, trying not to subvert the natural equilibrium.
Using modern wine-making equipment, only to monitor and support (if neccesary) the natural chemistry of the wine-making cycle, Kamara winery produces wines with a unique character that express the terroir without lowering the quality standards.
The main goal is authentic vibrant wines in small productions, with the fewest possible interventions, that express the terroir and the philosophy of the winemaker with a broad spectrum of flavors and a complex aromatic profile that evolves and changes constantly.
Location: The winery and the vineyards are located in the northern Greece, 30 km away from Thessaloniki
Soil type: different types of soil from clay-sand to lighter parcels with small stones and schists
Orientation and strong points: The orientation is eastern. Million years before the region was an ocean. That is why someone can observe so many different types of soil and such a big biodiversity. The altitude is 140m above sea level, but due to the slopes there is all year round a breeze of fresh air coming through.
Hectares: 11
Grape varieties (and %): Xinomavro (25%), Assyrtiko (22%), Malagousia (23%),Roditis (7%), Limnio and Merlot (8%), White Muscat (8%), Fileri (6%)
Average age of vines: 7 years
How is the land worked: We prefer to have a big biodiversity into our vineyards. We cut only the grass by mowers when there is need of passing into the vineyards during the spring or summer, mostly due to the fear of snakes.
Is the vineyards certified: Our vineyard is certified organic, but we are practicing biodynamic (certification only organic).
Treatments used: From the very beginning, the vineyards are exclusively treated with the long-standing traditions, some of which have almost been forgotten. Manual pruning- hoeing - harvesting, use of herb sprays, such as nettle, yarrow etc, natural fertilization with compost and manure.
Yield: 5000 kilos per hectare
Harvest: manual
Sulfites: We add sulfites to the bottling only when it is needed.
Clarification: Unfiltered
Type of tank: For the elevage we used either old barriques (7-10 years old) or
amphores and in the end before bottling we put the wines in stainless steel tanks.
Length of elevage: It takes 3 months for the whites and 9 months for the orange wines and 12 months for the reds. During elevage we do battonage sur lie once a week.