Indigenous heritage - Diamantakos

Naoussa

Diverse terroir

Naoussa is its people and its wine. It is the mountain range Vermio, the river Arapitsa, the many streams, the successive waterfalls, the cultural heritage, the local gastronomy, the unique scenery and the town with its small neighbourhoods.

On the east foothills of Vermio, rich terrains with complex geological features are formed, even within the narrow boundaries of a vineyard. The altitude, the orientation, the subsoil, the wind exposure and the inclination are changing unceasingly within a small plot of land.

The narrow bands with rugged slopes, the sunny fields with poor or rich soils, the semi-mountainous properties by the river, the small hills exposed to the wind and the sloping parcels of land with various humidity create a ‘backdrop’ that makes viticulture a challenge.

Naoussa’s wine country is quite difficult to understand and work with, due to the scattered diverse terroir, but in the right hands you begin to realise why its history is great.

Naoussa
Diverse terroir

Xinomavro

A fascinating grape

Xinomavro is our grape. It is the grape varietal that has raised generations of Naoussa’s viticulturists and with its character and potential continues to amaze, from ancient times till now.

Xinomavro means ‘sour black’. Its berry has low levels of anthocyanins, high acidity, skin and seeds that construct its flavour and varied sugar content in every vintage. Xinomavro does not make it easy for the winemaker. The cultivation of Xinomavro is fascinating, as it is a very challenging grape. The land, the correct set up of the vineyard, the ideal care of the grapes cultivation, following the vinification process after careful planning and knowledge make what seems a disadvantage into the ultimate material in the hands of a winemaker to produce great wines.

Wines that are evolving over time. At a young age they are elegant, robust with fruit intensity, an alluring colour and excellent tannic structure. By giving them time in the bottle, the wines are endowed with aromatic complexity, amazing depth and finesse.

Xinomavro
A fascinating grape

Preknadi

A rare beauty

Preknadi is a very rare, almost extinct, indigenous white varietal from Naoussa. It owes its name to its freckles – prekna-, the small brown spots on the grape’s skin.

It was widely cultivated in the area before phylloxera hit. While reconstructing Naoussa’s vineyards in the late 1960s vine growers mainly focused on Xinomavro, leaving Preknadi on the sidelines to be forgotten by most.

The varietal’s history on our Estate began when Mr Takis, who owned the neighbouring vineyard, encouraged us to plant Preknadi. We pruned a few of his vines, planted them in our vineyard, marking the beginning of this grape’s journey.

Right from the start, we began to see that we have in our hands a grape with distinct wine style, very capable of ageing. It gives us delicious wines with fruity aromas, balanced acidity and relatively high alcohol. It interacts beautifully with the oak, evolving into a gastronomic wine and enriching the wide range of food that accompanies it.

Preknadi reflects the uniqueness and quality of Naoussa’s terroir. In the Estate, we feel joy and great anticipation to further explore and discover its potential.

Preknadi
A rare beauty