Χαλικούνα (Halikouna)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard of the Chalikouna zone extends at elevations from 25 to 100 metres on the south-western side of the island of Corfu.
• The area has sandy, rapidly draining, aeolian-formed soil with small dunes, found nowhere else in the regional unit of Corfu.
• The vineyard begins at the delimited NATURA area of Lake Korission and extends to the Prassoudi area on the south-western side of the island.
• The proximity of the area to the sea creates a microclimate characterised by mild winters and cool summers.
• High temperatures develop in the Chalikouna area during the summer months.

• The Kakotrygis variety has been closely linked to the Chalikouna area for more than 300 years.
• The grapes were transported by donkeys or horses in handmade wicker baskets, as there were no roads in the area — only footpaths — and were gathered for sale in the area known as "Markou".
• The harvest of Kakotrygis in the Chalikouna area traditionally takes place between 20 and 30 August, in contrast to the rest of the island, where harvest occurs after the second half of September.
• Since 1990, with the establishment of the winery, the family Kakotrygis vineyard expanded from one stremma to twelve stremmas under cultivation.

• The rapidly draining sandy soil and the proximity to the sea create a microclimate in the Chalikouna area that contributes to the early ripening of Kakotrygis grapes with a better composition at the stage of technological maturity, yielding wine of exceptional quality.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Greece

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-GR-A0832
• Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)