In November of 2018 I travelled to the Amyndeo region in the far north of Greece to visit Laurens Hartman of Domaine Karanika. I was excited to get to know the people behind the sparkling wine because it had been a wonderful discovery to find such amazing bubbly coming from Greece. I was really looking forward to a visit to the winery and to see how this world-class wine was being made in the remote north of Greece. But fate (and Laurens) had a different plan in store. On the day I arrived we couldn’t visit the winery because everyone was at the local distillery celebrating the end of harvest by distilling the pomace (the alcohol laden remnants from the winemaking process – skins, lees etc) to make Tsiporo. Thus began a day long party of eating, talking, dancing, drinking tsiporo – and lots more dancing. An extraordinary and extraordinarily fun day in a place that might only exist in your imagination. Join us for this (slightly inebriated) chat with Laurens Hartman to discover how the Amyndeo region and the Xinomavro grape fired his imagination and creativity to create one of the world’s great sparkling wines.
Laurens and Annette Hartman produce sublime sparkling and still wines at their estate in the Amyndeo region of Northern Greece. Visit them at www.karanika.com
Laurens and Annette at the end-of-harvest celebration – making Tsiporo
The band playing music to the BBQ. Later they will play music to the still!
Laurens and his trusty Landrover
