Our story & vision
Our story begins with the life dream of two people and their quest for good wine. Domaine Karanika was founded by Laurens M. Hartman – Karanika, the son of a Greek mother and a Dutch father and his wife, Annette van Kampen. Both, have lived all their life in the Netherlands and had worked for about 15 years in various management positions in publishing. Their common love for good wine and discontent with the commercial “Parkerised” wines, led them one day back in early 2004 to pursue their dream: produce world class organic sparkling wines following only the traditional method (methode traditionelle). Over the years, they were trained as winemaker, oe- nologist and vineyardist in Europe and the US while searching for the right combination of terroir and grape varieties. After serious considerations on options from Australia to Germany, their love for the amazing Xinomavro variety, not yet famous then, led them to Amyndeo in Greece where their dream started coming to life. They set the bar very high by allowing themselves only completely natural ‘means and tools’ and at the same time demanding a whistle clean crystal clear and elegant sparkling character.
Winemaking philoshopy
Our winemaking philosophy is minimal handling of grapes and wines with few additions, and respectful to the earth farming. We believe that only in natural balance one can find true quality. We follow nature, instead of trying to control it. So if nature decides to give less color to grapes we make more blanc de noir than rose, or if the climatological circumstances benefit phenolic ripeness, we decide to produce more red wine. We try to avoid pumping to transport must and wines, but instead use gravity adding only sulfites and Montmorillonite clay to the wine. We prefer the use of ‘homeopathic’ sprays in the vineyard instead of fertilisers and pesticides. We plant cover crops, we make our own compost from horse manure, straw, hay, vineyard cuttings and grape skins and lees and to fight oidium and mildew, we use the ‘homeopathic’ sprays. We make our own etheric oils from oregano and oranges that we spray on the leaves during the ripening season. We only disgorge on Flower days (air) just after full moon, we transfer wines on Leaf days (water) just prior to full moon, etc etc. We work according to Maria Thun’s biodynamic calendar in the winery and vineyard.
A celebration of life every single day
We always aim to offer straightforward and honest wines. Wines that ‘breathe terroir’, are crystal clear, very aromatic, with considerable length. No bombastic heavyweights. We want every drop of our wines to encompass and reflect the art and the ritual process of good wine making. We ‘try’ and ‘prefer’. We are not dogmatic. Our priority is the quality of the wine. So, if no other choice we will do whatever it takes to make this perfect wine.
