NEMEA, A BLESSED LAND
PRESTIGIOUS
WINERY
IN HIGH ALLTITUDE
Our Santorini winery is located on the eastern side of the island, right by the sea, between the villages of Kamari and Monolithos, just minutes from the airport. It is housed in a remarkable stone building from the early 20th century, a rare example of the island’s early industrial architecture.
Originally, this structure was not a winery but a “tomatadiko”—a facility dedicated to producing sun-dried tomatoes and the island’s famous rich, aromatic tomato paste. It ceased operations around 1970, but the memory of that local craft lives on within its walls.
Restoring this historic building was of special significance to GAIA WINES. For us, tradition is not a relic of the past, but a living, evolving force. With deep respect for its architectural heritage and a vision for its future, we gave this space a new purpose: to house the production of high-quality wines made from Santorini’s emblematic variety, Assyrtiko.
The winery is located within the heart of the PDO Santorini zone—an extraordinary viticultural landscape shaped by volcanic soil, strong winds, minimal rainfall, and the iconic kouloura vine-training system. These conditions give birth to Assyrtiko wines of rare intensity, minerality, and age-worthiness—among the finest white wines in the world.
Equipped with state-of-the-art vinification systems, the winery ensures optimal conditions for every step of the winemaking process. In a separate, dedicated area, we have also established a small vinegar atelier. Here, with great care and patience, we craft a unique aged vinegar from Assyrtiko grapes. Only 1,500 liters are bottled each year, after five years of aging in oak barrels.
The winery is open to visitors daily, except Mondays, during the spring and summer season, offering a truly authentic wine experience in one of the world’s most iconic wine regions.
A VINEYARD WITH GREAT VARIATION AND RECOGNITION
In NEMEA P.D.O. appellation of Greece, the vineyard is extended in a 250 m to 850 m altitude and has a great variance in the soil and climate characteristics.
There is a large variation of environmental conditions inside the P.D.O. area. Hillsides on calcareous soils and stony soils on foot slopes are considered the best for long-ageing wines.
Historically, the Nemea vineyard has roots in pre-Christian times, when the plain of Nemea was called FILISION PEDION. In 1971, it was recognized as P.D.O in accordance with the modern legislation of the P.D.O. The area of Nemea is the largest wine-growing zone in Greece and contains the areas of the central valley, Archaies Kleones, Gimnou-Leontiou, Malendreni. Archaia Nemea, Nymenou-Leontiou, Asprokambou-Psariou, Malandreniou, and of course, Koutsiou.
It consists of a shallow (70-80cm) clay layer that lies upon the lime mother soil with relatively neutral ph. Low organic content, like most of the limestone soils in Greece. On the slopes of the hills where most of the vineyards are located, the soils drain quite well but are exposed to erosion.
Cold and humid winters with low temperatures that rarely drop below the freezing point. Summers are warm, without excessively high temperatures and with few showers during June. Typically, a long Indian type autumn follows the summer. The warm September days with significantly colder nights and the dry conditions synthesize an ideal weather pattern for a good maturation. The total rain precipitations (600-700mm annually) occur mainly between October and March.
NEMEA P.D.O is the biggest Protected Destination of Origin for red wines in Greece, home of Agiorgitiko.
A historical variety with a great genetic variation. Its main characteristics are medium-sized berries with relatively thin skin, intense deep color and a high phenolic and sugar maturity that do not always coincide with time. Agronomists and Oenologists of our company work systematically by searching ways and practices that will lead to the simultaneous maturation of phenols and sugars.
