Dreams come alive in the Cyclades

Tradition and modern technologies in the vinification process

Having its roots in the volcanic soil of Santorini and tradition that goes back to 1952, the winery of Artemis Karamolegos is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving wineries of Santorini. All its wines have been distinguished in several important International Wine Competitions. The winery has the most modern facilities for wine production, spaces for wine testing and a shop for wines and selected local products. Artemis Karamolegos had the innovative idea to combine the experience of a tour at the winery with lunch at the restaurant Aroma Avlis, the menu of which has the signature of the talented chef Christos Coskinas. In its spacious new yard offering view to the vineyard and the beaches of Monolithos and Avis, as well as in the dinning halls, you can taste the delicious Mediterranean and local dishes made with fresh, carefully selected local products, accompanied with wines from the winery. The history of the winery goes back to the 1952, where the grandfather, Artemis, was cultivating the vineyards in order to produce wine for his own family and later on, in order to sell it in the island and in the rest of Greece. “Since then I remember myself following my grandfather and taking part in all of the activities of wine production -planting, pruning and harvesting. Overall, I used to like working on the land. We used to live in Kamary back then both during winter and summer. We used to produce white, red and Vinsanto wines all together. Actually the Vinsanto that we bottled now was my Grandfather’s”, says Artemis. Artemis Karamolegos, the grandson who succeeded his grandfather and his father at the winery of Exo Gonia, is an energetic young man full of passion for his job. Since 2004 and until today, he managed to lead, miraculously, the family business many steps ahead very fast. In 2004, a turn to a modern and of a high quality production winery took place, with the production of a bottled, labeled and of a good quality wine named “SANTORINI”. The very first but most important step was to renew part of the old vineyards by planting new rare varieties from Santorini – like the varieties of aidani, the mavrotragano, the mavrathiro and the voudomato. That modern point of view in the vineyard, which is the most important part of the wine production process, naturally resulted in the creation of a modern winery. As Artemis Karamolegos says: “When we started the production, initially we needed to buy equipment. Then we consulted an oenologist and we bought more new equipment- cooling equipment, presses, pumps, filters and bottling machines, and one thing led to another…”.    Today, the winerh produces 10 different wine labels. Utilizes in the best way the combination of the special microclimate with the volcanic, calcareous soils found in Santorini and “leads” the Assyrtiko along with other local grape varieties in the production of wines that are recognized internationally for their quality. The sincere work that is carried out in the vineyards and in the vinification process has as a result the distinction of the wines, from the Winery of Artemis Karamolegos, in important International Wine Competitions.