Anastasia Fragou discusses about Greek wine varieties and gastronomy, her plans about the winery, Attica vineyard and challenges ahead.
Anastasia Fragou is a dynamic young lady with passion and fortitude. She and her husband Dionysis own a Greek winery where Savvatiano, their priceless jewel thrives. The winery itself has come a long way back and the future seems quite promising.
H.A: What is the history of your winery and how did you start dealing with professionally?
A.F: The winery was built by my father in 1985. Due to my Spata origin, a city in the heart of Mesogeia, where the tradition of viticulture goes back several decades ago resulted in me growing up in an area where vineyard and wine was residents’ main occupation. Studying ecomomics on a later stage, the first years of my professional career were in the financial department of a company. I swiftly realized that this career path did not absolutely suit me. I’ve always wanted to be close to the production and not be confined in the walls of an office. On the other hand, wine is such a living organism with so many different parameters confining it each time, which was the ultimate challenge for me. In 1999 I took over Anastasia Fragou winery with my husband Dionysis. We started its modernization replacing the machinery and design its building expansion. Until then, wine production was rather limited to bulk wine and in two varieties .At that point, we faced the challenge ahead of us.
H.A: Which varieties are grown in your vineyard and what specific variety according to your opinion is the landmark for Anastasia Fragou winery?
A.F: At this moment most of our vineyards are planted with the Savvatiano variety. It is worth mentioning that these vines we replanted by our grandparents in the 50s and 60s. Dionysis, who also comes from a family with a tradition in wine production and viticulture, planted himself several new wine varieties such as Malagouzia, Agiorgitiko, Merlot and Syrah.
H.A: What do you consider to be your most important life’s benchmark in your career path?
A.F: I think that the moment I realized that we had to focus on wine production from Greek varieties. The sovereign variety of our region is Savvatiano, which his history in Attica dates many centuries back. At the same time, we discovered that Malagouzia offers amazing wines. These two are the most emblematic wines of Anastasia Fragou winery. The first results of our effort started to show on 2006 and onward after the perpetrual recognition and distinction of these two wines. Gradually, the palette grew and at this very moment we produce 8 labels: Savvatiano – Malagouzia – Rose – Agiorgitiko Merlot & Syrah – Heart (Malagouzia-Savvatiano) – Soul Rose (Merlot) – Body (Agiorgitiko &Merlot). This year we released a new label named Retsina, which goes extremely well so far. Another important station for me was the devastating fire during the summer of 2018 in Mati.We suffered many damages which made me become more tenacious. I changed all the wine labels that were at that time in the market. I needed a major change and the fresh start of a new endeavour.
H.A: What should we expect from this year harvest?
A.F: We will all be patient for a year! Let’s all wish that we can overcome this crisis quickly. I think next year, if everything goes well, will be a great year!
The wine industry has been deeply affected by this crisis. The wine reserves are enough and in about a month we will expect the new harvest. You understand the enormous difficulties that wineries face not being able to distribute 2019’s production while on the other hand are urged to proceed with the production on 2020. They have a product in their hands invested on in order to produce. Ιn other words, working capital lies in the cellars itself.
Of course, there is an opportunity for all of this. This year we will not rush to make wines before Christmas 2020, we will promote 2019 harvest (which was one of the best years for white wines) and at the time the harvest of 2020 is released ,it will be more ready than ever!
H.A: Is there a secret in a good wine and what does a good wine mean to you?
A.F: Wine is creation, it is art. You need to see it as a baby needing your constant care. This care starts from the vineyard. It is important for raw material to be of an excellent quality. A “large” wine can be born in the vineyard. The second phase that is followed is in the winery itself, where you have to grow this “baby” with all the respect and love that deserves. The results will be shown on the bottle. For me, good wine is what gives me moments of joy, food for thought with good friends. A wine that will fill me with memories. Of course, the production of wine is the result of an excellent collaboration between us. Dionysis, my husband is an amazing winemaker and wine grower. Giannis Flerianos has been the oenologist of Anastasia Fragou winery since 2004 and now my children have recently entered dynamically in the field of production. I think that the harmony instilled in us, reflects our wines.
Wine is creation, it is art. You need to see it as a baby needing your constant care.
Anastasia Fragou Winery| Attica vineyard
H.A: Would you like to share with us a moment where a specific wine matched perfectly in food tasting?
A.F: A few days ago I had a collaboration with Petrezas Tower, where the Exeutive Chef, Miltiadis Kioukas would present a degustation menu accompanied by an array of wines from my winery. The first dish was melon soup, tartar of sea bass , green apple and crostini tzatziki. I had my doubts of course as to how Savvatiano will be combined with such a delicate soup. When I tasted it, the result astonished me. The lightly fresh and lightly sweet melon rounded on the mouth especially with the sweet acidity of Savvatiano while the lively sea bass was literally “taken off” by the oily fish. The aftertaste was so long that I could barely move on to the next dish (which was quite satisfying). At the end of the evening all the guests were discussing about this wonderful yet unexpected combination.
H.A: What is your relationship with gastronomy and what does it stand for you?
A.F: Gastronomy can be misunderstood by many ways and considered to be only for the elite. Gastronomy however when being accompanied by a good wine completes its goal, which is to unite people around the table. As it is understood, I am a lover of gastronomy as well as wine and I believe that there is a bond between them that can never be broken.
H.A: What is your opinion about wine tourism?
A.F: Wine tourism is one of the most important chapters in tourism, but we have not yet developed it we should. Especially in Attica, wineries have the comparative advantage of being located 30 minutes the latest from Athens center, they are comfortably accessible by large roads, most of them are very close to the airport and most importantly they can be situated quite near to archeological monuments. The vineyards of the Mesogeia at the capital city, is one of the largest vineyards in Greece as a whole. All we have to do is take advantage of all these abilities that have been generously granted to us. Naturally, several steps have been taken these last years, but much more are required to be done. The development of wine tourism will give great strength to the region; the wine industry will be developed even more, but at the same time will safeguard the environment, which is of vital importance for the area we live in.
H.A: How do you expect tourism industry to evolve after this unprecedented heath crisis and whether the wine industry will be affected?
A.F: The vineyards seem to be in excellent condition. Of course, the hail that fell a few days ago in our area destroyed some of the vineyards, but the rest were not affected at all. It seems that, if all goes well, in time we will be having a fine harvest commencing around mid of August.
H.A: At the end of the day, what is it that gives you great satisfaction?
A.F: Beyond a glass of wine? I get the most satisfaction when I talk to people, who love wine and listen to their flattering words about our wines. I get satisfaction by new collaborations and markets that are opened ahead of us. We take small but steady steps in order to ascend.
Anastasia Fragkou Winery
English (UK) 
Ελληνικά