Monemvasia Winery Tsimbidi

Overview & Vision

  • Monemvasia Winery (Tsimbidi) was founded in 1997 by Giorgos and Elli Tsimbidi with the goal of resurrecting the lost historic wines of Monemvasia, especially Malvasia wine.

  • The estate is committed to investing exclusively in Greek indigenous varieties and positioning Monemvasia’s terroir on the global wine map.

  • The “Malvasia Project” is central: after years of study and experimentation, the winery succeeded in reviving the historic Monemvasia-Malvasia sweet wine, which was given its PDO status and first modern bottling in 2013.

Vineyards & Terroir

  • The estate farms about 30 hectares of organic vineyards, in the villages of Velies and Agios Dimitrios within Monemvasia municipality.

  • Soils & Geology: The terroir is predominantly schist and clay-loam, generally basic (alkaline), with limited organic matter and minor acid zones.

  • Altitude & Location: Vineyard plots lie at approximately 250–300 m above sea level, roughly 10 km from the sea.

  • Climate & Exposure:
      • Mediterranean climate, with dry summers, mild winters, and a long drought period between late March and early October.
      • The proximity to the sea moderates temperature extremes; meltemia (northeast winds) help cool the vines and reduce heat stress.

  • Viticulture:
      • All vineyard tasks are performed by hand; dense row planting and linear layout promote aeration and sun exposure.
      • Yields are kept very low (in many cases around 3,500 kg/ha) to increase concentration.
      • Organic and minimal-intervention practices are applied.

Grape Varieties & Wines

  • The winery cultivates a range of rare and local varieties, many revived or preserved through meticulous research. Key varieties include:
      • Kydonitsa (a flagship white variety)
      • Monemvasia (local white)
      • Asproudi (early-ripening local white)
      • Assyrtiko
      • Agiorgitiko
      • Mavroudi
      • Limniona

  • Wine Styles:
      • Dry Whites & Skin-Contact Whites: e.g. Kydonitsa, Monemvasia, Asproudi (some with maceration or oxidative character).
      • Sweet / Dessert Wine (PDO Monemvasia-Malvasia): Grapes are sun-dried (8–12 days) to concentrate sugars before fermentation, then aged, producing golden, honeyed, complex sweet wines.
      • Reds & Rosés: Local red varieties and blended reds (e.g. Monemvasios, 300 Red, Jackal) plus rosé variants (Laludi, Panther).
      • Portfolio breadth: The estate offers a wide wine list including white, red, rosé, sweet, and experimental bottlings.

Winemaking Practices & Cellar Methods

  • Fermentation: Primarily native / spontaneous yeasts, without added commercial yeast.

  • Additives & Intervention: The winery adheres to minimal intervention — no or minimal additions, no over-manipulation.

  • Sun-Drying / Concentration: For the sweet Malvasia, grapes are sun-dried (liasto) before fermentation to concentrate sugars.

  • Aging: Depending on the wine style, aging occurs in neutral oak, old barrels, or suitable vessels to preserve character and complexity.

  • Fining & Filtration: Many wines are bottled unfiltered or with light filtration to maintain structure and texture.

  • Bottling & Release: Wines are cellar-aged appropriately before release; the modern 1,800 m² winery facility was completed in 2020 to support production, bottling, and wine tourism.

Technical / Operational Details

  • Organic Certification: Vineyards are managed organically.

  • Production Scale: Estate-grown wines, with parcels selected for experimental and flagship wines.

  • Wine Tourism & Facilities: The new modern winery is located near the 57 km mark on the National Road Tarapsa–Monemvasia, about 10 km from the Monemvasia castle, and is open for tours and tastings.

  • Tastings & Tours: Visits last 60–90 minutes with tasting of key wines (white, red, rosé, and Malvasia sweet wine).

  • Historical & Research Orientation: The winery invests in historical research, vine identification, and preservation of local varieties, working with universities and institutes to rediscover dormant local grapes.

Strengths & Distinctive Qualities

  • Historical mission: Revival of Monemvasia-Malvasia, once famed across medieval Europe, now reborn under its native landscape.

  • Diversity of local varieties: Custodian of rare grapes such as Kydonitsa, Asproudi, Monemvasia, etc.

  • Organic viticulture & careful selection: Hands-on, low-yield farming enhances quality and terroir integrity.

  • Innovative winemaking: Use of sun-dried must for the sweet Malvasia; minimal intervention philosophy across all styles.

  • Strong portfolio breadth: From dry whites to reds, rosés, and sweet wines — all under one domain.

  • Modern facility & tour infrastructure: The estate combines tradition with modern production capacity and wine tourism friendliness.

  • Terroir clarity: The schist/clay soils, moderate altitude, and maritime influence yield wines with freshness, minerality, and identity.