Mikra Thira is the name of the new winery founded by three collaborative well-known Greek winemakers, Vangelis Gerovassiliou, Vassilis Tsaktsarlis and Ioanna Vamvakouri.
It is the first winery of Therassia, the island that formed part of Santorini until the great volcanic eruption of 1600 BC. The name Mikra Thira (meaning: Small Thira) comes from a literature reference to Therassia of the 10th century AD.
Its conception was inspired by the raw, natural beauty and distinctive microclimate of this special island, which bears the typical characteristics of Santorini but, at the same time, has its own unique character.
The aim of the three oenologists is to produce quality wines that are expressive of the regional uniqueness of the island.
2018 was their maiden vintage and the first two wines of the Mikra Thira winery were bottled under the PDO Santorini appellation.
SANTORINI is a 100% Assyrtiko made from Santorini-grown grapes whereas TERRASEA is a different expression of the same variety but made from grapes coming exclusively from Therassia.
In 1990, Christos Kokkalis, a pharmacist by profession and true lover of good wine, planted a small vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varieties in the area of Agios Andreas in Ilia.
Years later, in 2014, renowned winemakers Vangelis Gerovassiliou and Vassilis Tsaktsarlis of Biblia Chora acquired the estate with the intent to promote it by making typical, characterful wines of top-notch quality.
The estate has been rechistened Ktima Dio Ipsi (meaning: Two Heights Estate), a name inspired by its distinctive topography.
It refers to a vineyard that rolls like a wave over two opposite slopes with different altitudes and soil types that vary from limestone to sandy clay soils with a high content of shells, which affirms that this land rose from the sea millions of years ago.
Today, Ktima Dio Ipsi consists of an organic vineyard of 145 ha where Kydonitsa, Assyrtiko, Agiorgitiko, Mavrodaphne, Vertzami, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec are grown.
Ktima Dio Ipsi produces DIALOGOS White and Red as well as the iconic TRILOGIA label in tribute to its inspirer, Christos Kokkalis.
The namesake extra virgin olive oil is produced from the original grove at the Estate, which is planted with the Koroneiki olive cultivar.
At the foot of the Paiko mountain range in the area of Goumenissa, surrounded by age-old oaks, lies the Mikro Ktima Titos (meaning: Small Titos Estate). It is here, along the banks of the river Sirius, that Titos Eftychidis planted a 4-ha vineyard in 1972 with the varieties Xinomavro, Negoska, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier.
The long friendship of Vangelis Gerovassiliou with Titos led Angeliki Eftychides, after the death of her husband, to leave the vineyard in the hands he trusted most.
In 2018 the acquisition by Ktima Biblia Chora became official and so Vangelis Gerovassiliou and Vassilis Tsaktsarlis get a foothold in Goumenissa where they set out to create, with love and respect, first class quality red wines of the PDO Goumenissa appellation.
Today, the Estate’s vineyard is experiencing a revival. In its original 4,5 ha Xinomavro and Negoska vines thrive whereas Xinomavro, Negoska and Cabernet Sauvignon are cultivated in the 9 ha that were acquired in the area of Gerakona, one of the best areas of the PDO Goumenissa zone.
In 2019, the first wine of Mikro Ktima Titos, a typical Goumenissa PDO, was crafted from the Xinomavro and Negoska grape varieties.