Unique Varieties
Artistry & Innovation
To make great wine you have to have perfectly ripe, juicy, healthy fruit and skilled artisans in the winery.
The Finest Quality Grapes
Kefalonia is a lush island blessed with plentiful rainfall in the winter followed by a long, dry and sun-drenched ripening season. This rhythm and cycle of nature allows for healthy, fully ripe grapes with concentration, balanced acidity and pure varietal expression.
Our Vineyards
The Gentilini estate vineyards are located around the winery, near the village of Minies on Kefalonia. We farm over five hectares of vineyards that are planted with Mavrodaphne, Moschofilero and Syrah and the soil is chalky and shallow above a bedrock of limestone, which is the best type of terroir for fine wine making.
We farm sustainably, avoiding the use of weed-killers and pesticides, which respects our staff, our land, our wines and our customers and in 2011 we received our ISO 14001 certification for our Environmental Management System. Our vineyards sit in perfect harmony next to olive groves and fig trees and are surrounded by wild thyme, sage, oregano and almonds that encourage bees, ladybirds and other beneficial insects.
The Finest Quality Grapes
Kefalonia is a lush island blessed with plentiful rainfall in the winter followed by a long, dry and sun-drenched ripening season. This rhythm and cycle of nature allows for healthy, fully ripe grapes with concentration, balanced acidity and pure varietal expression.
Our Vineyards
The Gentilini estate vineyards are located around the winery, near the village of Minies on Kefalonia. We farm over five hectares of vineyards that are planted with Mavrodaphne, Moschofilero and Syrah and the soil is chalky and shallow above a bedrock of limestone, which is the best type of terroir for fine wine making.
We farm sustainably, avoiding the use of weed-killers and pesticides, which respects our staff, our land, our wines and our customers and in 2011 we received our ISO 14001 certification for our Environmental Management System. Our vineyards sit in perfect harmony next to olive groves and fig trees and are surrounded by wild thyme, sage, oregano and almonds that encourage bees, ladybirds and other beneficial insects.
The Rare Robola
Experts agree that Robola is one of the finest Greek white varieties. The grapes grow in tiny, low-yielding vineyards within the high plateau of the Omala Valley and on the steep slopes of imposing Mount Ainos whose peak climbs to 1,632 meters and dominates the microclimate of the surrounding area.
The soil is limestone and the altitude ensures cooler winters and later budding in spring. It is this terroir that gives the potential for wines of exceptional quality which are characterised by delicate citrus and mineral aromas, balanced acidity and medium body with a long aftertaste.
The growers that we work with tend to their vines with dedication and care, using age old techniques that have proven most suitable to the variety and soil. They are the soul and the heritage of the island. One such was Thanasis Tsasis. A resistance fighter in the war he tended his vines well into his nineties, scrambling up the steep slope of his vineyard with us panting in his wake.
We also source Robola from the Old Calendarist nunnery on Kefalonia who “grow the best grapes as it is the will of God”.
The Rare Robola
Experts agree that Robola is one of the finest Greek white varieties. The grapes grow in tiny, low-yielding vineyards within the high plateau of the Omala Valley and on the steep slopes of imposing Mount Ainos whose peak climbs to 1,632 meters and dominates the microclimate of the surrounding area.
The soil is limestone and the altitude ensures cooler winters and later budding in spring. It is this terroir that gives the potential for wines of exceptional quality which are characterised by delicate citrus and mineral aromas, balanced acidity and medium body with a long aftertaste.
The growers that we work with tend to their vines with dedication and care, using age old techniques that have proven most suitable to the variety and soil. They are the soul and the heritage of the island. One such was Thanasis Tsasis. A resistance fighter in the war he tended his vines well into his nineties, scrambling up the steep slope of his vineyard with us panting in his wake.
We also source Robola from the Old Calendarist nunnery on Kefalonia who “grow the best grapes as it is the will of God”.
The Most Effective Methods
All vinification and bottling is done at the Gentilini winery. Our boutique winery is small, but well equipped, and our barrels come from the best cooperage houses of Europe. This allows us to experiment and innovate, producing expressive wines of great finesse for the enjoyment of wine aficionados the world over.
Our talented team makes sure that each variety is hand-picked at peak ripeness and brought to the winery in small bins. The grapes are chilled and sorted so that only top quality grapes are gently pressed. Slow fermentation at low temperatures ensures that the character and terroir of each variety shines through, preserving our heritage while improving it constantly.
Wines that are fermented or aged in barrel are carefully monitored to attain a perfect balance and integration of oak. The production of barrels for winemaking is an art form and their proper use in winemaking is as important as the percussion section in an orchestra, giving structure and complexity without taking over. We use top quality oak barrels with a range of characteristics which allow us the flexibility to experiment and blend. So we have French oak for elegance, American oak for coconut and mocha notes, larger barrels for gentler oaking, less or more toasting for more subtle or more flavourful results. In some cases we actually take the tops off the barrels, use them upright for fermentation then reassemble them for aging.
When the wines are ready we all gather together for the exciting blending process. Each tank and every barrel for a particular wine is sampled and blended in endless proportions and combinations until the ultimate blend for the vintage is agreed upon. The finished wine is then allowed to rest in tank or barrel to develop further personality before bottling. It is all this meticulous work and attention to detail in the winery that transforms the promise of the grape into the excellence in the bottle.
The Greek Varieties
Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko gives fresh and crisp wines that are complex, with terroir-driven minerality and citrus aromas.
Robola of Kefalonia
Robola of Kefalonia is a rare, low-yielding variety that thrives on the poor limestone soils of the Kefalonian highlands. It has citrus and mineral aromas.
Moschofilero
Moschofilero is considered a “grey” variety, with bunches ranging from pale pink to deep red. It has aromas of rose petals and jasmine balanced by crisp acidity.
Mavrodaphne
Mavrodaphne is a Kefalonian cultivar that has traditionally been vinified as a dark, rich dry red wine, which develops best when aged in oak.
