Domaine Karydas

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Country of Origin: Greece
Location: Naoussa
People: Konstantinos & Petros Karydas, Owners & Winemakers

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Domaine Karydas is a father-and-son estate dedicated exclusively to Xinomavro, led by Konstantinos and Petros Karydas. Their story is one of deep personal commitment, generational continuity, and an unwavering belief in Xinomavro as one of Europe’s great terroir-expressive varieties.

More than 40 years ago, Konstantinos Karydas established the family vineyards in Ano Gastra, one of the most respected growing zones within Naoussa. Remarkably, viticulture was his second career. Before turning to farming, Konstantinos competed internationally as a downhill skier and represented Greece in the 1964 Olympic Games. After retiring from competitive skiing, he devoted himself to the land, planting Xinomavro and spending several years selling fruit to négociants while refining his understanding of the vineyard.

In 1994, Konstantinos took a defining step by building his family home and winery in the middle of the vineyard, marking the birth of Domaine Karydas. That same year, his son Petros officially joined him, and together they produced their first vintage under the Domaine Karydas label. Petros had grown up on the property, helping plant the original vines and learning viticulture and winemaking alongside his father from an early age. The winery and home remain a physical expression of that shared labor and generational bond.

Today, Domaine Karydas remains steadfastly focused on producing traditional, old-school, single vineyard Xinomavro with minimal intervention. The aim is precision farming and terroir transparency, resulting in wines that are structured, expressive, and deeply rooted in place.

Vineyard & Terroir
The estate consists of just 2.5 hectares (approximately 6 acres) of immaculately maintained Xinomavro vines planted on a steep hillside. The soils are a mix of sand, clay, and limestone, offering excellent drainage and contributing to Xinomavro’s hallmark structure and aromatic complexity. The vineyard’s elevated position provides natural protection from extreme weather, while also promoting long, even ripening.

Naoussa lies roughly 70 miles west of Thessaloniki in the foothills of Mount Vermio. The mountain range wraps around the western edge of the appellation, shielding the vineyards from harsh Balkan winds while drawing in cooling, moisture-laden air from the Aegean coast and the Gulf of Thermaikos. This interplay of warm and cool air currents creates a temperate Mediterranean conditions with continental influences, cold winters, and relatively hot summers.

Naoussa was one of the first regions in Greece to receive official PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status, a recognition of its historical importance and its unique suitability for Xinomavro. With roughly 24 wineries in total, it remains a tightly focused appellation defined by site expression rather than scale.