Macedonia, Greece
The Kir-Yianni company was founded in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris. Based in Naoussa and Amyndeon, on both sides of mount Vermion in Northwestern Greece, in Macedonia. The winery carries on a long history of family tradition, focusing on the production of premium wines with authentic character, and appealing to the modern consumers. Today, the Kir-Yianni team, under the direction of Stellios Boutaris, son of Yiannis, prepares the next step of the Estate’s evolutionary course, building on the core pillars of the company’s philosophy: innovation, respect to tradition and specialized knowledge on wine, from the vineyard to the final consumer.
The activities of the Kir-Yianni Estate are entirely based on the principles of integrated farming. This is a management decision based on a concern to protect the environment as a valuable component of a civilization that is now under threat. Moreover, the integrated farming can, at the same time, ensure the production of high-quality products in the Estate. This practice was applied for the first time in 2004, with a certification by the Organization of certification and Supervision of Agricultural Products AGROCERT, and is still used today.
Each part of the vineyard at Kir-Yianni estate is harvested separately, two or three times, based on the grape’s ripeness. The harvested grapes are then brought to the sorting table, for the final selection. After 2009, a second sorting table was added after the destemming, for a berry by berry selection. A similar selection process takes place during wine-making and ageing, in order to ensure that only the best is bottled. Kir-Yianni is in constant experimentation regarding the quality and type of oak (origin, capacity, burning, size of pores) used in the barrels. The main aim is always the creation of wines of a special character: Rich but refined aroma, acidity to provide body and ageing potential, perfect balance in the mouth and ease of combination with various dishes constitute the distinct style of Kir-Yianni wines, which makes them truly appealing for the modern consumer