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Chrysoloras

Christos Chrysoloras was born and raised on the Cycladic island of Serifos, where he lived his entire life. He learnt the local art of viticulture from his father, a legacy that stretches back to Christos’ great grandfather.

Christos’ vineyards are certified organic, but his methods come close to “no-farming“. Zero training and lack of irrigation, force the ground crawling vines to develop natural defenses under the hot Cycladic sun, while the canopy protects the grapes from the island’s strong winds and cruel sun rays. Phylloxera never reached the island, so most vines are ungrafted. The vineyards are on steep and quite inaccessible slopes, arranged in terraces, so mules are employed at harvest.

Christos’ winery was created in 2015, although he was producing bulk wine for many years before. He is first and foremost a farmer, but the vigor in his grapes always shines through, regardless of the vinification. His wines have a pure expression of raw power, with chunky textures, and high alcohol. We expect to see increasingly exciting things from this kind of vineyard work and such a wild terroir.

  • Winery: Chrysoloras
  • Focus: The expression of traditionally farmed rare and local Cycladic varieties
  • Region: Serifos (Aegean Islands)
  • Year founded: 2015
  • Size: 2.6 hectares
  • Grapes: Assyrtiko, Mandilari, Serifiotiko, Psarosyriko, Monemvasia, Roditis, Platiraho, Savatiano
  • Viticulture: Organic (certified)
  • Climate: Hot and dry Summers, mild Winters.
  • Soil: Clay / loam
  • Vine age: Planted between 1821 and 2008
  • Altitude: 0-390m
  • Distance from coast: 2 miles
  • Percentage of estate owned grapes: 100%

Region

Serifos has always been synonymous with two things; viticulture and mining.

In antiquity, the island was proverbial for the alleged muteness of its frogs.During the Roman imperial period, Serifos was a place of exile. After 1204 it became a minor dependency of the Venetian dukes of the Archipelago. In the late 19th century Serifos experienced a modest economic boom from the exploitation of the island’s extensive iron ore deposits. The mines closed in the 1960s, and Serifos now depends on tourism and small-scale agriculture.

Boasting the traditional Cycladic architecture, Serifos island is dotted with little whitewashed houses and churches that come in contrast to the island’s wild natural landscape. Serifos is one of those Greek islands not blighted by overdevelopment, thus it is considered a Greek holiday destination off the beaten tourist trail.