Domaine Papagiannakos

Brand Description

Founded in 1919, Domaine Papagiannakos is located in the Attica region of Central Greece, just 18 miles from Athens. Today, the winery is run by the 3rd generation, Vassilis Papagiannakos, who has issued a new era of modern winemaking while still maintaining the family’s dedication to developing and preserving the region’s most famous indigenous grape, Savatiano.

Location of Vineyard

Due to its proximity to Athens, Attica is one of the most well-developed and modern regions in Greece and is home to about a quarter of Greek vineyards. Attica is also the spiritual home of the native varietal, Savatiano, which accounts for almost 90% of the region’s production. Savatiano thrives in this hot, dry region, thanks to its natural resistance to drought.

Domaine Papagiannakos cultivates 150 acres of privately owned vineyards in Attica, primarily planted with Savatiano, along with small amounts of Malagouzia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Agiorgitiko. The landscape is composed of undulating hills and natural streams running down from the surrounding mountains. The soils are a combination of limestone, clay and gravel which enables rainwater to drain well and the air to circulate in the soil. Central Greece is known as one of the hottest and driest regions in the country, with 320 days of sunshine. Breezes from the nearby Aegean Sea provide a moderating influence in the vineyards during the summer heat.

Winemaking Philosophy

Though many Greek producers treat Savatiano as a high-yielding workhorse grape, Vassilis Papagiannakos nurtures the grape’s potential for quality, identifying various micro-climates within the estate vineyards in order to create unique expressions of the varietal. Vassilis is a true champion of Greece’s indigenous grapes, and produces benchmark interpretations of Savatiano and Malagouzia with a range of vinification methods at the domain’s state-of-the-art, bioclimatic winemaking facility, which was built in 2007.

Owner: Vassilis Papagiannakos
Winemaker: Vassilis Papagiannakos
Total acreage under vine: 150
Founded: 1919
Production: 350000

“You barely need to inhale anywhere near a glass of this almost-translucent pour to identify it as Retsina, Greece’s storied, pine-scented white wine. Made from Savatiano and Roditis white wine grapes since the Roman era, Retsina has undergone something of a rebirth in recent years, as historic producers like Papagiannakos aim to reclaim its once-high reputation with quality bottlings like this one. This impressive iteration speaks to that renaissance and has herbaceous flavors followed by a long, lemon-forward finish.” – (Best Buy) — acclaim for 2021 Papagiannakos Retsina from Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2024

“Expect black cherries and cloves when you sniff or sip this bold Cabernet Sauvignon from an iconic estate in Greece’s Attica region. The dry red wine is structured and textured, with grippy tannins and faint baking notes from the 12 months the wine spends in French oak before it’s bottled. The long, bright finish gives it all sorts of food pairing potential, though roast Greek lamb or hearty eggplant dishes seem particularly apt.” — acclaim for 2018 Papagiannakos Kalogeri Cabernet Sauvignon from Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2024

“This is a light approach to savatianó, which can often give heavy, low-acid wines from central Greece. Here, the wine has elegant lift as it expands from a stony entry to citrus and stone-fruit flavors. Notes of white pepper fuse with a subtle, electric acidity on the finish of this uncommonly complex wine from Attica.” – (Best Buy) — acclaim for 2022 Papagiannakos Savatiano Old Vines from Wine & Spirits, Feb 2024

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