Interview with winemaker Nikos Karantzas

Limniona has been gaining momentum as a premium red. As someone at the forefront of its modern revival, how do you continue to push its boundaries while staying true to its nature?
Limniona is a prime example of our “Old Roots, New Routes” ethos. This grape has deep roots in Greek heritage, and we deeply respect that. We feel a responsibility to respect what makes Limniona unique while also exploring new possibilities. We push the boundaries by rethinking how Limniona was made in the past: for instance, we ferment and age it in clay amphorae, concrete tanks, and a small portion in large barrels-foudre. We even include a touch of whole-cluster fermentation to add complexity. We are also working closely with our growers to keep it as fresh as possible in the vineyards. In addition, we are harvesting early to preserve freshness and using minimal intervention in the winery, so that Limniona can keep its elegance and speak with its own voice. The result is a premium red that feels both cutting-edge and authentic – we’re showing how an almost-forgotten native variety can find new routes without losing its old roots.

You source grapes from across Greece, yet you’ve returned to Thessaly for Limniona. What drew you to this variety and region as an outsider, and what kind of potential do you see there?
Coming from Drama in northern Greece, I was something of an outsider to the heartland of Limniona. But perhaps because I’m an outsider, I can see the incredible potential of this variety and region with fresh eyes. I’ve never been bound by a single terroir – Oenops was founded on sourcing grapes from across Greece, working as a micro-négociant rather than owning vineyards. That freedom let me chase the best fruit wherever it grows. In the case of Limniona, it drew me straight to Thessaly, to the slopes of Karditsa, where this grape has a deep history. Tasting wines made from it, I sensed a unique character: an aromatic elegance and bright acidity that you don’t often find in hotter regions. It turns out that when Limniona is grown at higher elevations in Thessaly, it retains superb freshness despite the otherwise warm climate. That was a revelation. As an “outsider,” I also partnered with the local people – growers who had kept the faith in Limniona through the years. Their knowledge of the land and the vines was invaluable. By collaborating with them, I learned the nuances of the variety’s heritage while bringing my own winemaking perspective to the table. In Limniona, I see tremendous potential: an elegant, light-footed yet structured red that carries the soul of Greek terroir. It’s the kind of wine that can surprise even the most demanding enthusiasts. And being an outsider proved to be an advantage in this case; it meant I had no preconceived limits on what Limniona should be, so I could reimagine what it could be.

What does innovation mean to you today in Greek wine? Is it about exploring new varieties, new regions, or changing the way we think about structure and style?
To me, innovation in Greek wine isn’t about flashy experiments or chasing trends – it’s about freedom and authenticity. When I started Oenops in 2015, it was with the clear intent to break free from the constraints that were holding Greek wine back. I trained abroad and learned from legendary winemakers, but ultimately I wanted to apply those lessons to our own grapes in a new way. Innovation can certainly mean exploring new varieties and new regions, but often it means looking at our old varieties and traditional regions with a fresh perspective. Greece is blessed with dozens of indigenous grapes; investing in underappreciated or nearly lost varieties like Limniona, Vidiano, or Kidonitsa is a form of innovation through rediscovery. Our motto, “Old Roots, New Routes,” really captures this: we take the deep-rooted heritage of Greek viticulture and give it a new expression for today. Sometimes that’s planting or sourcing in unexpected terroirs, other times it’s changing our vinification style. But always, we study the history of the place, of the variety, before we move on. We talk with the locals; it is essential for me to feel the place’s history and variety. And then you can imagine how you can move on, respectfully to all that. Sometimes, doing something close to the way it was done 50 years ago can become innovative compared to what was happening 10 years ago. In essence, innovation today means honoring our heritage while refusing to be boxed in by it. The end goal is always a more authentic, expressive wine that can stand proudly on the international stage as something uniquely Greek and forward-looking.

Oenops is known for rethinking Greek wine. What value do you see in a structured platform like GGW when your wines often challenge the norm?
The truth is, we see tremendous value in it. GGW isn’t just another competition; it’s a comprehensive platform for communicating Greek wine to the world. It brings together a broad community – winemakers, sommeliers, critics – around a shared passion for Greek wine. For a winery that often thinks outside the box, being part of a structured forum like this helps validate and share our vision on a larger stage. Our wines can be unconventional (unbound by PDO rules or traditional styles), but on the GGW platform, they stand shoulder to shoulder with more classic wines, judged solely by their quality and character. I find that incredibly rewarding. It challenges us to continually raise our game. We don’t tailor our wines to fit any competition, but when a panel of international experts tastes them blind and appreciates them, it tells us we’re on the right track. Moreover, GGW’s platform helps educate and inspire consumers worldwide about Greek wine, which we all need. It is a beautiful journey and we’re proud to be part of it, adding our voice to the collective message that Greece has so much to offer.

You work with a wide palette of grapes and regions. How do you ensure each wine has a voice and not just an interesting concept?
Working with a wide palette of grapes and regions is exciting – it’s like having many voices to conduct. My job as a winemaker is to make sure each of those voices sounds clearly. The key is to respect the identity of each variety and terroir from the very beginning. In practice, we vinify each vineyard and grape separately and attentively, so we understand its character on its own terms. If it’s a Xinomavro from Amyntaio or an Assyrtiko from Drama or a Vidiano from Crete, we tailor our approach to bring out its best qualities; we adapt ourselves to it. Sometimes that means using wild yeast and letting fermentation unfold at its own pace; sometimes it means adjusting maceration or aging vessel to suit the grape’s texture. We avoid any “recipe” that would make different wines taste the same. In our Dots range of single-varietal wines, for example, the whole idea is to let each indigenous grape express its most authentic self. We also honor the heritage behind these grapes.
Many of them come from old vines or regions with long histories. We work with growers and local viticulturists who carry generational knowledge of those vines. By involving those people and listening to their insights, we make wines that aren’t just interesting concepts on paper – they’re rooted in real tradition and care. Our motto comes into play here as well: “old roots, new routes.”Ultimately, each Oenops wine has a distinct personality and story. Every bottle reflects its grape, its place, and the people behind it—turning wine from a mere concept into an emotional experience. My job is to help each wine find the right flavors and aromas to speak clearly. In doing so, our diverse range becomes a chorus of different voices under the umbrella of Oenops Wines, and hopefully, Greek wine.