OUR LOCATION
The Nestor Winery is located in Pyrgos Trifylias, one of the most bountiful areas of southwestern Messinia, and nestles amid vineyards and olive groves. It lies north of the Bay of Navarino just a few kilometers away from the ancient palace of King Nestor, and its surrounding area is considered one of Messinia’s most historical locations. Our facilities overlook the Bay of Navarino from where the sea routes took Peloponnese’s wine and currants production to Europe. The greater area’s climate and soil conditions have forged the perfect winegrowing environment that has been taking winemaking to ever-increasing heights.
OUR FACILITIES
The facilities of the Nestor Winemaking Cooperative were built in 1993, in Pyrgos Trifylias. The winery was designed to emulate the architecture and color scheme of King Nestor’s ancient palace. Nestor is one of the largest winemaking concerns of Greece. Its physical plant covers an overall area of 10,000 m2 with our underground cellars occupying 3,000 m2. The winery itself has a production capacity of 10,000 tons of wine, with 680 tons being its daily production record. Yet, something has changed and it has changed for good: Large, almost industrial, winemaking concerns have given way to selective winemaking practices, to production modernization, and to the upgrading of the final product’s quality. Our facilities include the Small Winery which is devoted to the study and assessment of the different varieties’ and qualities’ potential. The winery is outfitted with four receiving hoppers which load the grapes onto centrifugal-type destemmers which, after the stalks are eliminated, fling by means of centrifugal force the raw material (grapes) onto crushers (presses). The use of centrifugal force is a definite plus since, in that way, the grape must is minimally disturbed and undergoes little processing. We use pneumatic crushers of continuous operation. Our production line is outfitted with 10, 70-ton fermentors. It is also equipped with tanks of a smaller capacity which are destined for storage of the different varieties’ must. Our underground cellars boast 220-L oak barrels where our wines are allowed to age. It is decorated with large clay urns, replicas of the ancient urns found in the cellars of King Nestor’s palace. Data from molecular profiling has shown that it was in urns such as those we have on display that the wine from the very same indigenous varieties we cultivate today was made in. Our high-tech bottling and packing line comes to complete our winery’s needs. Crates containing our bottled wines are stored in a large warehouse waiting to reach our consumers. Our refurbished and redesigned halls hosting events and wine tasting come to complete the picture.
DISTILLERY
“Nestor” now boasts a state-of-the-art distillery, the product of the long-standing expertise and experience of Spyros Lafazanis who designed our ultra modern distillery and also crafted a special distillate, our very own “Avarino” tsipouro. Complying with the stipulations of the legislation in effect, the distillery is installed in a building that is independent of the rest of our facilities. The premises are maintained under stable temperature and humidity conditions, ensuring the flawless quality of the end product. The distillery is outfitted with fermentation and storage tanks where our raw material is processed and stored respectively. It is also equipped with an Italian, 1,000-litre alembic still which is as aesthetically beautiful as it is technologically sophisticated. Our equipment also includes collection and mixing tanks where the distillates from different varieties are stored as they wait to be mixed and attenuated. Our bottling line is the final stage in the production process. “Avarino” tsipouro is a select distillate with a characteristic taste and aroma. The varieties we use in crafting our “Avarino” tsipouro come from Messinia’s terroir: Fileri, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot. Avarino has only fans who are captivated by the representative aromas of its varieties (citrus, peaches, and roses), its robust body, its explosive taste, and its lingering aftertaste. The pomace for “Avarino” tsipouro ferments under controlled conditions and, once distilled, yields a clear, pure product of consistent quality. “Avarino” tsipouro is now ready to become the companion of all your fun moments. It is a great match for a wealth of Greek cuisine dishes or as a digestif after a great meal.