The Kir-Yianni Estate in Naoussa is located in the area of Yiannakohori, at the highest point of the viticultural zone. The vineyard lies on an altitude of 280-300 meters and has a total surface of 58 ha (40.3 of which are planted). The creation of this vineyard back in the 60s, by Yiannis Boutaris gave the signal for the replanting of the Naoussa zone, just when it was at its worst point, paving the way for the creation of “terroir” wines, on the model of the French vineyard. The vineyard’s soil is representative of the different soil types of the Naoussa zone, dominated by sandy clay to sandy clay loam soils. The climate of the region is characterized by abundant rain and snow during winter and spring, and dry conditions in summer. In summers with particularly dry conditions and long periods of high temperatures, controlled irrigation is applied. The vineyard is planted with Xinomavro (50%), Syrah (15%), Merlot (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), while the rest of the area is planted with various experimental varieties. Moreover, there is an experimental vineyard utilizing a dense planting scheme (10000 vine per ha) having a total surface of 0.5 ha, where Xinomavro is cultivated following the model of the Burgundy vineyards.
The activities of the Kir-Yianni Estate are entirely based on the principles of integrated farming. This is a management decision based on a concern to protect the environment as a valuable component of a civilization that is now under threat. Moreover, the integrated farming can, at the same time, ensure the production of high-quality products in the Estate.
Today, the Kir-Yianni team, under the direction of Stellios Boutaris, son of Yiannis, prepares with vision the next step of the Estate’s evolutionary course, building on the core pillars of the company’s philosophy: innovation, respect to tradition and specialized knowledge on wine, from the vineyard to the final consumer.
You can visit Kir-Yianni Estates by appointment. You will offered a tour of the vineyards and winery facilities, and you will have the unique opportunity of tasting Kir-Yianni wines on the place where they are made, as well as buying old and rare vintages, which are not found in the market.