Organic Vineyards

Hatzidakis Winery / Organic Vineyards

The vineyards are located in Santorini, most of them in the region of Pyrgos Kallistis, at an altitude of 100-300 meters, with south southeast orientation.

The production of organic wines has always been a commitment of the Hatzidakis family, so from 1997 until today organic farming is applied on every linear vineyard that is planted.

Even for old vineyards, privately owned or rented, the cultivation is modified to Biological.

Due to the presence of sandy soils the absence of phylloxera allows the planting of self-rooting plants using the branches themselves as propagating material  which have been removed during traditional pruning.

The plants are fed with organic matter of animal origin and specifically from poultry as well as of plant origin such as the stems and seeds that remain from the processing of grapes which are stored  for two years in large pits underground and are then used to enhance the composition of the soil.

The only solution regarding the weeds is the mechanical treatment of the soil while sulfur powder is used to fight enemies and diseases.

All the above ways of managing our vineyards ensure the desired quality of the final product while at the same time they minimize environmental pollution, maintain the integrity of the soil and water and enhance sustainability as they remain non irrigated except during planting time.

Moreover, we treat the pre-existing natural landscape with the same respect. The vineyards, in order to remain in harmony with the natural environment, are placed in terraces for better absorption of rainwater and prevention of soil erosion. Also, the construction of the new infrastructure of the winery imitates the traditional architecture of the island, thus being one of the largest cave production areas in operation.

We follow the same approach in winemaking. The whole production process takes place in the cave area of ​​the Winery (traditional cellar). The room temperature is stable and significantly lower than that of the outside environment, something that favors the cooling system that is in operation both during fermentation and during storage and maturation of wines. Equally important is the high percentage of humidity as in the case of aging in barrels no energy is consumed for mist.

The final product is stored at the same place since, even during the hot summer months, the cellar maintains an average temperature of 16 ° C and therefore the consumption of energy for cooling purposes is avoided.

Stella Papadimiytiou / Head oenologist