Nicoluzo Estate

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Nicoluzo Estate 2022 Cacotrigi, Corfu PGI

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The Nicoluzo Estate is a tiny, seriously local project in Corfu, founded in 2008 by third-generation winemaker Anastasios Nikolouzos. His family has been involved with wine on the island since the late 18th century, and Anastasios has spent decades researching Corfu’s forgotten vineyard heritage. The estate is based in Ano Korakiana, at the foot of Mount Istoni, an area with evidence of viticulture going back thousands of years.

The real mission here is preservation. Anastasios has tracked down and propagated rare Corfiot varieties that had nearly disappeared, including Cacotrigi, Petrocoritho and Xiropodia among the whites, and Scopelitico, Mantzavi, Amfioni, Fidia, Agumasto and Corfiati among the reds. Since 2016, Anastasios and his sister Irini have been replacing international varieties in the family vineyards with these indigenous grapes, with the goal of putting Corfu’s own varieties back where they belong—in the vineyard.

Today the estate farms just two hectares of Corfiot varieties, with another hectare planted for the future. There’s nothing industrial about this operation and no interest in chasing whatever grape or style happens to be fashionable. Nicoluzo is essentially a long-term preservation project for Corfu’s viticultural DNA, turning varieties that were almost lost into wines that give the island a voice of its own.