Lafkiotis

Pioneers in Archaies Kleones: How three brothers shaped Nemea

1963, three brothers of the Lafkiotis family founded their winery in the village of Archaies Kleones — ancient Kleones — in the Corinthia prefecture of the northeastern Peloponnese. The place is located not far from the ruins of an ancient city, its acropolis, and the Temple of Heracles, on the banks of the Asopos River. At that time, the PDO Nemea designation did not yet exist as a formally recognized appellation — Lafkiotis was among the first private companies to commercially bottle wine from this region, even before the appellation was officially ratified.

Today, the children of the three founding brothers continue to run the winery in the second generation: five cousins — Michalis, Anastasia, Ioanna, and two bearers of the name Panagiotis Lafkiotis — stand together behind every bottle. What began as a local craft business has grown over six decades into an internationally positioned family company whose wines are now exported to more than seventeen countries.

Care in the vineyard, craftsmanship in the cellar

Lafkiotis does not own its own vineyards but works with a network of selected local producers from the Nemea region — bound by long-term contracts that allow the winery consistent quality control over the delivered grapes. The vineyards are located at altitudes between 250 and 500 meters, on clay and loam soils with a northwestern exposure — conditions that favor slow ripening and distinct aromatics.

In the cellar, Lafkiotis relies on a combination of modern stainless steel tanks for fermentation and air-conditioned cellars for aging. Selected cuvées are aged in new French oak barrels — such as the flagship Agionimo, a single-varietal Agiorgitiko that spends twelve months in new French oak.

Agiorgitiko in the spotlight — and more than that

The heart of the range is the Agiorgitiko, the most important red variety of the Nemea PDO: deep color with violet reflections, aromas of red fruits, cherries, and spices, velvety tannins, long finish. The red wines range from the accessible entry-level Nemea to the full Agionimo Reserve. The range is complemented by Greek white wines — including the aromatic Moschofilero with its citrus and floral notes as well as cuvées of Chardonnay and Moschofilero — and a blend of Syrah and Agiorgitiko. The Vinoscout wines include the Kleoni Imiglykos Red and White: semi-sweet styles that combine accessibility with regional character. Serving temperature White/Rosé: 8–10 °C, Red: 16–18 °C.