About the Producer

Ktima Biblia Chora is the innovative creation of Vassilis Tsaktsarlis and Vangelis Gerovassiliou two of the most talented winemakers in Greece. The winery was established in 1998 and the privately owned vineyard lies on the cool climate slopes of Mount Pangeon, at Kokkinochori near Kavala. It has been farmed organically since day one. These exceptional, cutting edge wines are some of the best white wines in Greece, which have similarities to very good white Bordeaux – not surprising as Vassilis Tsaktsarlis studied with Denis Dubourdieu; the king of modern white Graves.

Vineyard and Winery

Located in the coastal region of Pangeon, Biblia Chora’s privately owned estate vineyard is situated at 380 metres altitude and extends over 78 hectares. With the striking Pangeon Mountain as the backdrop and the sea breeze coming from the Aegean Sea in front the estate, the vines thrive in this mild, Mediterranean climate which is characterised by mild winters and cool summers. The wide diurnal temperature range encourages a long, slow maturation of the grapes, concentrating the flavours in the berries. The vineyard is cultivated according to strict ecological agricultural standards in order to respect the environment and local flora and fauna. The vines are planted at a density of 4,000 plants per hectare and all the work in the vineyard, such as leaf thinning and the harvest, is carried out by hand. The soil is rocky and infertile, with limestone and clay and good levels of drainage.

The Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko (pronounced Ah-SEER-tee-koe) grapes were handpicked at optimum maturity levels. Each variety was cool macerated for several hours to extract flavour and aromatics and then carefully pressed in a pneumatic press. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, to preserve the freshness and the aromatic varietal characteristics, prior to blending. The wine spent several weeks on the fine lees with bâtonnage to enhance the complexity and texture.