The Monemvasia Winery Tsimbidi was founded in 1997 with a clear objective: to revive the production of Malvasia wine in its birth place. The Frankish name for Monemvasia is Malvasia, which originally lent its name to the wine. In the 12th century and for the subsequent 300 years, this wine ruled the European world. It is still produced in many countries, but until recently was not being produced in the country of its origin - Greece. The Monemvasia Winery created the first privately owned 121 hectares of vineyard, planted with local varieties. It is committed to producing quality wines which showcase the characteristics of the indigenous varieties and the terroir of the peninsula of Maleus.
The Agiorgitiko (pronounced Ah-yor-YEE-te-ko) and Mavroudi (Mav-ROO-dee) vines are grown on the peninsula of Maleus at the edge of the Parnonas mountain range. The elevation of the vineyard ranges from zero to 500 metres. Surrounded by the Myrtoo Sea to the northwest and by the Laconian Gulf to the southwest, the vineyards are influenced by Mediterranean climate with high sunshine hours and sea breezes. The soils are acidic and are low in organic matter. All these factors contribute in creating a unique terroir and the climatic conditions present an ideal environment for healthy vines, which are cultivated with minimal intervention.
