Ioannis Hatzis has a long history with the appellation of Amyndeon. The family’s patriarch, Mr. Ioannis (Hatzis) Nikodimos, fled southern Greece, in the Peloponnese, as a refuge in 1830 from the fighting which created the nascent “Hellenic State” breaking away from the Ottoman Empire. Settling in Amyndeon, the family put roots down that now total 7 generations deep. And in Amyndeon the family found one of Greece’s oldest viticultural areas with a history dating back at least 6000 years, to begin their wine-business interests. Today, Ioannis Hatzis is one of only a few boutique winemakers in the appellation which is otherwise dominated by large estates. Starting with his first vintage in 1999, it didn’t take long to receive accolades, with the appellated 2000 vintage garnering an 18.5 from Jancis Robinson. Ioannis’ aim is to prove that Xinomavro grown in Amyndeon wines must be considered among the best wines of the world. Low-intervention winemaking dominates his ethos, and his Amydeon appellation wines generally age in large 500L barrels for 1 year and then receive some further bottle ageing before release, always attempting to showcase the dynamic and transparent nature of the variety in this, one of Greece’s coolest climates.
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