Title – Name
Akrani Estate
Scope / Sector / Industry
Wine tourism
Country / Region
Greece, Kos
Why is it good practice?
Akrani Estate is a good practice wine tourism business, as through its actions and management it shows respect for the land, the environment and the culture of the island of Kos. The winery, from the cultivation of its vineyards, the production of wine to its wine tourism experiences, demonstrates the family’s conscious effort to protect and preserve the land from which its wine is produced and the need to promote local culture and gastronomy.
How is it applied?
The Akrani Estate winery was started by the Triantafyllopoulos family in 2001 at the foot of Mount Dikaios in Kos, on an area of 2500 sq.m. In parallel with the winery, an experimental vineyard is being created that currently hosts more than thirty rare Greek varieties, with the aim of studying their adaptation to the island’s terroir. The enrichment of the privately owned vineyard, which has already reached 150 acres, serves the same purpose, with the expansion of the plantings in Miniera and new plantings in Kardamena, on the south side of the mountain. The family’s goal is to leave its own legacy in the wine industry, with experimental winemaking and winemaking protocols that highlight the typical characters of rare Greek varieties.
However, it mainly seeks to be an open and welcoming space for people from all over the world. From its need to recognize all those friendships (relationships with winegrowers, fellow winemakers, producers of local products, the residents of Kos, and visitors) that it has cultivated since 1996, when it began its journey in the world of wine, the special name of the estate emerged. “Akrani” means beloved friend and comes from the word “akranis”. It is a rare word found in the Akriti songs of the Dodecanese and underlines the Greek origin and the family’s commitment to reviving rare Greek varieties in the terroir of Kos.
At the winery, visitors come into contact not only with the estate’s vines and wine, but also with the history and modern culture of the island. The permanent exhibition with works by Greek painters located on site and the wine tastings that are accompanied by typical products of the Dodecanese gastronomic tradition, seek to bring the visitor closer to the local civilization and the culture of the island.
In the context of developing wine tourism, the experiences that the winery has designed and offers to its visitors are briefly presented below:
- Wine tasting of the visitor’s choice accompanied by local dishes.
- Wine tour of the production area and the underground cellar.
- Wine tour and wine tasting of 4 wines from the estate combined with local dishes.
- Wine tour and selection of small meals of local flavors.
There is information material for each wine, while a sommelier service is also available for those visitors who wish to gain specialized knowledge about the Estate’s wines and wine in general from an oenologist.
In addition to the special services provided by the winery, another important reason why the Akrani Estate is a good practice wine tourism business is because it makes a significant effort to provide products in terms of sustainability. The family’s main concern is that the next generation inherits a fertile and sustainable land. The sustainability of the estate is achieved in various ways. The following are indicative:
- Utilization of the principles of “ecological engineering”, with the aim of preserving the heritage and enhancing the sustainable development of the Estate’s vineyards. In this way, a healthy balance between the vine, the soil, the water and the natural biodiversity is ensured.
- Limitation of the use of chemical herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. In order to control the development of diseases, as well as the overpopulation of destructive insects, the winery implements preventive interventions with inorganic elements of the soil and with their natural enemies in the food chain. In addition, antifungal preparations are used, based on extracts of aromatic plants.
- Cultivation of Mediterranean aromatic plants, which are an important component of the bees’ diet, as they enrich their honey with aromas.
- Utilization of no-till (a system that avoids all practices that intensify the natural degradation of the soil) as a method for soil management. In this way, the native grasses are preserved in the vineyard, attracting a large number of beneficial insects. Only one soil cultivation operation is carried out at the beginning of summer in order to cut the above-ground stems of the grasses, helping the land to better maintain its moisture reserves.
- Feeding the fields with organic compost, resulting in part of the nutrients that the land consumed for its harvest being returned back to the natural source.
Where is it applied?
The Akrani Estate is aimed at those who desire a wine experience that brings the visitor closer to the culture and tradition of Kos.
When did it applied?
The Akrani Estate began operating in 2004.
Results
Akrani Estate has been distinguished for its wines. In addition, it is ISO22000 certified, has obtained the “WineTourism.com” digital certification, and as part of its social responsibility, is a member of the “Wine in Moderation” program, the aim of which is to combat the abusive consumption of alcohol and its harmful consequences in society.
Other information
In the context of promoting gastronomy, the Akrani Estate hosted the international competition “World Food Gift Challenge” in 2023, an organization of the South Aegean Region-European Region of Gastronomy 2019, in collaboration with the International Network of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism IGCAT.
The official website of the Akrani Estate is: https://www.ktimakrani.gr/el
