Interview of Theodoros Orkopoulos, President and Managing Director of Foivos S. A.

How did you decide to deal with the wine production?
In the maturity years, now that my senses, free of the intense life rhythms and the need of reaching whatsoever, are seeing, listening, exchanging and assuming more pure colors, sounds- music, fragrances and perfumes, showing the tendency to offer, I decided to deal with the applied protection of the environment and to make the nature’s beauty known saving and setting off rare Greek varieties through milder forms of agricultural exploitation. In addition, I was motivated by the need of rendering the Greek wine worthy of the indigenous Greek varieties by the means of the appropriate vinification conditions and methods in order to compete with the foreign wines. The motive to go on with my efforts shall be to confirm every time the pleasant surprise enjoyed by those who taste our wines and who let themselves be “ initiated “ in them.

Which were the greater difficulties confronted during this course and which were the moments you felt justified?
One of the greater difficulties is feeling alone in the effort of doing something against the common old status, the negative cultivation customs and the disreputable expectations to the quantity performances. Fortunately, we have started coming up with our expectations by the acceptance of the new mild forms of biological cultivation and the expectation of gaining quality rather than quantity by the majority vine growers of our plain. Greater justification shall give in the near future the fact of making Kefalonia a biological oasis, in the form of a pilot project. In addition, we confront great difficulty in saving the rare Greek varieties due to the bereavement of the vineyards from their cultivators who are already elderly cultivators lacking, little by little, of natural strength. When abandoning the cultivation activity, they take along their secrets and longing without leaving behind them new cultivators but inheritors who are rushing to clear the vineyard and turn it into a building plot. Greater justification of our effort gives the pleasant surprise we enjoy every time we taste the result of the vinification of the varieties in question discovering with a delay something that existed before such as the power, the wealth and their qualities.

What is your opinion about the course of the Greek wine during the last years?
Several and interesting efforts are being made by several new producers which- in case they grow- shall bring in the market wonderful wines.

Why do you think Greek wines are not so popular?
The relation of the Greek vineyards with pricing does not make competition easier due to the inexplicably low cost of the foreign exploitation of vineyards and products. Thus, a number of colleagues mix cheap foreign products with their own and the result is lacking of trustworthiness and quality of the Greek wine. On the other hand, the majority of the Greek vine growers are trying to compete with foreign wines turning their own foreign varieties into advantage and most of them are falling short for obvious reasons. I believe that, if all of us would focus our attention and creativeness on our own varieties, the result would be miraculous. Foivos’ wines originating from the rare Greek varieties, which we invite you to taste to prove us true, constitute a similar small miracle. In case the effort is successful, we shall extend to other areas turning their varieties into advantage in the framework of the program “ Kivotos ” which is under process.

What should consumers expect from this year’s crop?
Valuable and vinification works of art of collection..

Which is your personal vision as a wine grower?
To make the wine and the drinks of the Greek vineyards the Greeks’ national drink. To revive the traditions, festivals and way of life related to wine and in general the compatible drinks with which we accompany the Geek cuisine.

How do you see the Greek wines in 10 years from now?
I believe that the reunion of such a large number of worthy, civilized and culture vine growers, wine specialists and wine makers “ in their fields ” shall prevail upon the “ wine industrial leveling ” giving insuperable fruits and unforgettable wines .

Which labels you consider as top labels? Which are their best years?
It’s not easy to make out our labels because each one of them has its qualities. So, based on my personal taste, I propose our biologic table wine Asphodelos of 2002, the also biologic wine with a controlled “ appellation of origin ” dried Moschato of Kefalonia Stalaktitis of 2003, but Miisi as well, our biologic white local wine of Mantzavinata of 2003 as well, which I promise that people shall talk about them.

Which wines would you suggest to be consumed in 2004?
I propose the group of wines “ Miisi ”, the extraordinary Foivos’ Robola and our economic prime wine table, Paspartou.

How do you see the restaurants scenery in relation to the wine and what do you think has got to be changed?
Unfortunately, in general the restaurant cadres ignore the existence of the majority of the Greek wines whereas the trading is carried out according to the hardest methods of modern marketing. On the other hand, the consumption habits of our fellow countrymen have accepted and imposed the “ cheap little wine in the company ”, due to economic reasons and they have carried away the “ honor ” of the wine people bringing in our glass a wine that nobody knows the place and the method of its fabrication. Furthermore, in the majority of the “ posh ”restaurants the unreasonable surcharge of the wine’s price by 3 or even 4 times has become a cliche bringing our sector in a dead- end.

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