GAI'A

Brand Description

One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Wines (pronounced Yay-ya) was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos (PhD, University of Bordeaux II). Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines.

Location of Vineyard

Operating two different wineries, Gai’a Wines makes cutting edge wines in both Santorini and Nemea. The boutique winery in Santorini is located in Monolithos on the east coast of the island. The buildings were converted from an old tomato processing plant, a remnant of the island’s artisanal agricultural history dating back to the early 19th century.  The volcanic soil, and unique climatic conditions of the Santorini vineyards provide the ideal environment for the native Assyrtiko grape to thrive.

The Nemea winery was built in 1997 in the heart of the estate vineyards located around the village of Koutsi. The subregion of Koutsi is a semi-mountainous area known for its chalky soils and good drainage. The cool temperatures, the ideal sun exposure and the steep inclination of the vineyards offer optimum conditions for concentrated, high-quality Agiorgitiko.

Winemaking Philosophy

Gai’a Wines is responsible for producing some of the most exciting wines of Greece, by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, leading the charge of today’s new generation of internationally-trained winemakers, pushes the boundaries of Greek winemaking by experimenting with wild yeast fermentation and alternative materials for wine aging, and reinventing the formulas for some of Greece’s most historic wine styles.

GAI'A Santorini beach tasting
GAI'A Nemea Vineyards
Nemea Winery
Santorini Winery
Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos
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Winery Profile
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Acclaim
“Generally fresh and herbaceous, if a touch hot, this blend of mostly moschofílero and rodítis is rounded out with assyrtiko (20%). The wine puts one in mind of a salted melon slice on wet stones.” — acclaim for 2022 GAI'A Notios White from Wine & Spirits, Feb 2024
“I defy those who think they hate all Retsina to find something bad to say about having a cold glass of Ritinítis Nobilis with a spring or summer salad. The pine element is so elegantly integrated into the base wine—which is obviously of higher quality than that of many a Retsína of yesteryear, as shown in the texture of the fruit—that it will win over a lot of skeptics. Writer Jamal Rayyis found a fresh-cut celery note in the wine, while Dimítrios Karagiánnis, of NYC’s Nerai, stipulated adding anchovies to that crisp salad pairing.” – (Best Buy) — acclaim for N/V GAI'A Ritinitis Nobilis from Wine & Spirits, Feb 2024
“With one foot in the old-school, oxidative style of Santorini assyrtiko and the other in a modern, reductive mode, this wine feels classic and elegant. For Déspoina Karapostoláki, of NYC's Amali, it felt like "drinking saltwater in a glass;" she cited its crispness and long, mineral finish for pairing with branzino, or cacio e pepe pasta with clams. This should layer on fine complexity with several more years in the cellar.” — acclaim for 2021 GAI'A Assyrtiko Wild Ferment from Wine & Spirits, Feb 2024
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