Kir-Yianni

In "The right road to northern Greece", I wrote a brief introduction to the area known as Macedonia. Towards the west of this extensive region, due west of Thessaloniki, Greece's second city, is the wine region of Naoussa, where I visited and tasted the wines of the Kir-Yianni estate, remarkable for both its dedication to quality and the easy charm, confidence and clear vision of the family that runs it.

Kir-Yianni (roughly translated 'Master John') was founded by Yiannis Boutaris (pictured left) in 1997 after he left the Boutari Wine Group, the family company established by his grandfather in 1879, where he had been head of winemaking and vineyard management and had initiated a great deal of research into varieties and terroirs. The new estate was based on the 50 ha of vineyards he planted with Xinomavro in 1970 on the eastern foothills of Mt Vermion near Naoussa, leading the revival of the appellation, and a smaller area in Amyndeon, on Mt Vermion's western highlands (there's skiing in winter on the higher slopes).

Since that time, there has been a considerable amount of replanting, including better clones of Xinomavro and also other varieties such as Merlot and Syrah; and the home vineyard of the Yianakohori estate is divided into 33 parcels for individual TLC. In the higher vineyards of Amyndeon (c 700m), white varieties, both Greek and international, are the focus.
JULIA HARDING, www.jancisrobinson.com