About 150 kilometres north of Athens, Dimitris Hatzimichalis planted his first vines in 1973 in the Atalanti Valley in Central Greece. The location was carefully chosen. From antiquity, vines had already grown here, as lore suggested and archeological findings later proved. This vine-growing tradition had a good reason.
The valley is a unique ecosystem. Its natural borders are formed by the slopes of the Knimida and Chlomo mountains as well as the Parnassus massif to the west. Toward the East, the valley opens to the Euboean Gulf. One special feature of the area is the cool breeze that blows all year long from the mountains to the sea and back through the valley and therefore provides a very healthy and beneficial climate for grapes.
The initial nine hectares of the vineyard area has grown to 220 hectares. The vineyard has its own classification for the different areas: There are the old, the higher and the lower vineyards. They have been cultivated for a long, long time. There are also the new vineyards, which were established by Domaine Hatzimichalis after a detailed study of the soil and the microclimate. More than 20 different grape varieties are grown on the vineyards: From the autochthonous Greek grapes such as Assyrtiko, Robola, Malagousia or Xinomavro to world travellers such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.
Dimitris Hatzimichalis is a true selfmade vinegrower. When he planted his first vines in the 1970s, he was making his money with an assembly line licensed by Grundig and then with a turkey farm (which is why the labels of the Hatzimichalis wines also display a proud turkey). These sources of income enabled him to buy land and plant the current vineyard areas with new methods. Curiosity and a passion for wine sent him deeper and deeper into the art of wine making and made him one of those winemakers who started the so-called “Greek wine revolution” in the 1980s – away from the cheap wines in bulk to high-quality, carefully cultivated bottled wines. This development was based on the conviction that wine culture always goes hand in hand with respect for local traditions and social values. Dimitris Hatzimichalis is convinced that only then complete harmony will be achieved.
Information
Domaine Hatzimichalis
13th. klm. Athens-Lamia Rd.
14564 N. Kifissia
Attika/Greece
Tel.: +30 21080 75512
Fax: +30 21080 76704
