Emmanuel Petrakis
«We aim at quality and trust native varieties»
Emmanuel Petrakis’ love for winemaking began in his childhood, guided his studies and led him to fulfill one of his greatest dreams: The creation of Saint Anna Winery, in 2016, on the beautiful island of Naxos. It is, after all, the island where the worship of Dionysus, god of harvest and wine, was extremely widespread in antiquity.
Today, Saint Anna Winery stands out for its focus on the quality of its wines, the cultivation of indigenous grape varieties and its famous sweet wines from sun-dried grapes.
A dynamic start
«I got the love for winemaking from my grandfather. Since I was a child we made wine together in small quantities for the house and with him I gained experience and learned many secrets about the art of viticulture», explains Emmanuel Petrakis, owner and winemaker of Saint Anna Winery.
As expected, he graduated from the American Agricultural School in Thessaloniki and then studied Agricultural Technology. «The winery officially started its operation in 2016, after hard work, while at the same time we have the estate with the olive grove and our organic products», says Mr. Petrakis.
Sweet wines from sun-dried grapes
Today the family winery of Saint Anna produces excellent white, rosé, red, sweet and dry wines from various Cycladic varieties. However, the winery also stands out for its unique sweet wines made from sun-dried grapes.
«It is one of the oldest ways of winemaking. After the harvest, the next phase is the raisining of the grapes for 14 days to evaporate the water and dehydrate them. It is worth mentioning that five kilos of grapes are needed for one litre of wine. Also, the fermentation process is long and lasts almost 40 days, while in other wines it takes about 15 days. From this process we get sweet wines with intense colours and a deep aftertaste», he explains.
As Mr Petrakis says at the Winery of Saint Anna they use only local grape varieties such as Mandilaria or Fokiano, one of the oldest varieties, which gives aromas of cherries and strawberries and wonderful amber colour.
Οwner and winemaker at Saint Anna Winery, Naxos
The only winery open to visitors
Here it is worth mentioning that the winery of Saint Anna is the only one that can be visited by small groups for a one-of-a-kind authentic experience. In fact, the tour always starts from the small Byzantine chapel of Saint Anna (dates back to the ninth century AD), which is located in the estate. «From this chapel took its name and the winery», says the owner and winemaker.
OPEN Monday – Saturday 9.00-18.00
Rov. Road Naxou – Chalkiou, Kato Potamia, +30 698 992 4945, info@saintannawinery.gr