Evharis Estate
Combining the best of Greek and German ideals
The Evharis Estate is owned by German-born Eva Boehme and Greek Harris Antoniou. Eva is a successful architect and environmental design consultant, while Harris owns Plotin Travel, one of Greece’s most successful and well-regarded travel service providers. This dynamic couple has combined their substantial professional expertise (and first names) to revive winemaking in an area whose own resume bodes well for its revival. This small region on the slopes of Gerania Mountains is flush with the abandoned remains of about 2,500 traditional wine presses.
Eva is indeed the architect behind the Evharis Winery, crediting her love of the German winemaking tradition for its inspiration. Her architectural influence is also apparent throughout the grounds and buildings. The estate, home to a number of buildings as well as 24 hectares of vines, is at once beautiful and practical.
The vineyards were planted about twelve years ago on a plateau surrounding the winery and within a canyon that that cuts southeast through the property. The calcium-rich walls of this canyon reveal its prehistoric past – the entire area was once a lake bed. A system of landscaped roads, paths and walkways, connect many small, renovated buildings. The property even houses its own diminutive church. The environment is so perfectly diverse and well-kept that, but for the profusion of vines, it could easily be confused with a park. The practicality of the estate’s design is also readily apparent. There is no vine beyond about ten-minute distances from the winery’s crushers.
The estate’s variety of distinct growing environments has favoured much experimentation. While the estate in general benefits from the cool mountain air that runs down the riverbed through the property towards the sea – and from cooling sea breezes that that run back up – the suitability of each variety to its plot is painstakingly considered.
Plantings include the white varieties Asyrtiko, Athiri, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Red plantings include Agiorgitiko, Merlot, Syrah and Grenache. The estate also grows the blanc de gris Roditis. These grapes currently find their way into seven products: red and white estate blends, two varietals (Syrah and Asyrtiko), a red and a white under the second label Ilaros and a semi sparkling wine.
Antoniou, intrigued with Megara’s past role as a wine producing region and its unique location on the route between central Greece and the Peloponnese, undertook to explore and document its history. In 2002, he organised a symposium in which experts from a number of disciplines focused on the history of winemaking in the area the entire event was recorded and compiled into a book published by the winery.
Antoniou is now occupied more with the future than with the past. Echoing a common theme in the Greek wine industry these days, he believes, “the future of wine in Greece is in the vineyardist. We have learnt everything we can from the French. We have every tool for making wine in the winery. We must learn from ourselves how to manage our indigenous cultivars”.
It’s true indeed that Evharis winemaking facilities could not improve. In the meantime, Boehme and Antoniou are pursuing a steady improvement in quality.
Wines of the week
2002 Ktima Evharis, Regional red wine, Gerania Mountains, Megara – Attica, Greece Alcohol volume 13.5%
This wine is a blend of 65 per cent Syrah with 25 per cent Merlot and 10 per cent Grenache. Medium dark-garnet in colour, it has a complex nose, light on fruit and wood, rich on molasses and cocoa. It is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Medium bodied with dark fruit flavours and a soft texture, it leaves an elegant, bitter chocolate aftertaste. Served at 18?C, this red is ideal for roast or stewed red meat and all yellow cheeses.
2003 Ktima Evharis, Regional White, Gerania Mountains, Megara-Attica, Greece, Alcohol Volume 13.2%
This is a blend of 75 per cent Asyrtiko and 25 per cent Chardonnay. It has a light yellow colour with green hints at the rim. The nose displays some ripe citrus and Asyrtiko-style glycol. The palate is lightly with round pear and red apple. Light finish. The best serving temperature is at 8? to 10?C and is ideal with poultry, fish, seafood mezes and white cheese.
Ktima Evharis is imported by Oak Tree wine shop in Larnaca.
Dates for your diary
Vertical Wine. Tutored tasting of prestigious Chateaux wines from Bordeaux by Spectus. £15 per person, Limassol November 15 and Nicosia on November 17. 19.30 to 21.30 at Spectus shop.
Wine and Nibbles. November 18, 19 and 20 at the International Conference Center. A Cyprus specialised exhibition of wines, accompaniments and winery equipment. Check out the Cava Protasis Riedel glasses demonstration on Saturday and Sunday.
