Domaine Karanika, Amyndeon, Macedonia

Domaine Karanika was founded by Laurens M. Hartman-Karanika and his wife Annette van Kampen, who left their lives in the Netherlands to train as winemakers, oenologists, and vineyardists in Europe and the USA. However, it was their love for the Xinomavro variety that led them to Amyndeo in northwest Greece. Domaine Karanika works in harmony with nature to produce top quality wines, and their organic vineyards on the Amyndeon plateau are home to old Xinomavro vines (75–80 years old), as well as younger Assyrtiko, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Limniona vines. Karanika’s winemaking philosophy is one of minimal intervention in viticulture and vinification. The winery also works with nature, not against it; using gravity and pigeage instead of pumping to transport the must and wines. They add only Montmorillonite clay to clarify the wine and use homeopathic sprays in the vineyard instead of pesticides. Karanika works according to Maria Thun’s biodynamic calendar both in the winery and vineyard, therefore the wines breathe terroir, are crystal clear, intensely aromatic, and

have considerable length on the palate. Domaine Karanika has established itself as the pre-eminent traditional-method sparkling wine producer of Greece and has gained considerable international recognition too.