Terroir is the natural environment related to the vineyards’ site. It consists of macroclimate, mesoclimate and microclimate.
- Macroclimate: Latitude, Altitude, Ocean Currents, Major Winds, Major Mountains, Continentality, Large body of Water, Forests.
- Mesoclimate: Aspect, Slope, Small body of Water, Soil, Fog.
- Microclimate: Canopy and soil management.
We love both Limniona & Assyrtiko as their distinguish elegance renders them a perfect canvas for expressing our unique terroir and winemaking techniques.
Vinifera’s vineyards are located at the foot of Mt Parnassus (2400m), which acts as a barrier to the clouds of the Corinthian gulf. Aromas and acidity are retained by the large diurnal variation and the cold winds descending from the mountain (there may be snow even in April). Our vineyards are east facing, at 400 m elevation and sloped with good drainage, “the slope also protects the vines from frost”. The soils is limestone with clay, which allows to retain both water and minerals during the summer period. Organic farming (certified by Biohellas), bordering on biodynamic. We try to green harvest at veraison because that will give us smaller and more concentrated fruit. Natural yeast fermentations, at rather low temperatures, malolactic conversion in barrel, no stabilisation, slightly filtered. In our philosophy, the central role has the Organic Viticulture and the “minimal intervention” approach, since we are strong advocates of the philosophy that the quality and the attributes of a wine are inherited in the vineyard. We use only natural yeast fermentation, at low temperature and the malolactic fermentation is taking place in our barrique French barrels, where our wine mature afterwards for 24 months. For further details on our maturation process please refer to the following article.