Having planted novelty vine varieties such as Kotsifali, Refosco and Savatiano, Nikos Athanassiadis builds a stone winery that is ahead of its time, with underground cellars providing ideal conditions for the aging of the wines.
He takes another step towards fulfilling his innovative vision when, in 1938, he decides to start bottling his small production wines and supplying the largest hotels in Athens, such as the Grande Bretagne.
During the tough years of the occupation that followed, Nikos Athanassiadis leaves the estate gates open for the people
and the grapes become a precious means of survival.
In the following decades the Harlaftis wines become well-known not only in Athens but also in the Greek province and the islands. At the same time, they start being exported to USA, Canada, England, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, China and their introduction to the international market is crowned with success.
Today, the Harlaftis winery has established its position as a modern wine-making business, with a consistent and strong track record over the years in the production of quality wines, made to rigorous specifications.
Now, the third generation of the family continues the founder’s work with the same passion, writing their own history.
The climate of Nemea creates a unique environment for growing grapes. Although winter is cold and wet, the temperature never falls below 0ºC. Also, in the summer, the heat is not excessive and the rains of June come just in time to cool down and nourish the grapes. Autumn lasts long and offers the fruit warm days and fresh nights; that is, exactly what it needs in order to mature.
From October to March, it usually rains as much as the vine wants. The roots planted here are favored not only by the climate but also by the soil. It is shallow, rich in clay, stone and sand. Thus it retains all the necessary moisture and feeds it to the vines, functioning essentially as a natural automatic watering system.
The Harlaftis vineyards extend from the highest slopes with limestone to lowland areas with rocky soil and produce quality wines with great aging potential.
