‘Glorious Greece: A Wine Odyssey’ Tselepos Wines Partners with Nimbility to Build the Premium Greek Wine Category in China

In a revolutionary bid, backed by significant funding from the EU, Nimbility is helping build the reputation and create awareness for three key Greek appellations: PGI Arkadia, PDO Mantinia and PDO Nemea. To best introduce those appellations and the grapes behind the wines, Tselepos Wines is therefore partnering with Nimbility to build this premium Greek wine category in China, spearheading the category of those three Greek regions.

This two-year promotional program - ‘Glorious Greece: A Wine Odyssey’ - will be the first of its kind in China, aiming to build the availability, visibility and reputation of premium Greek wines in the market via a mix of events, digital campaigns and promotions, and educational trips to Greece.  

Hellas House, a landmark of Greek culture and lifestyle in the heart of Shanghai, will act as the spiritual home of the campaign. The vision of Pavlos and Sophia Kontomichalos, Hellas House showcases the very best of Greek Culture, Gastronomy and Hospitality, making it the perfect location from which to host the initial series of intimate events that will introduce the program and the Tselepos Wines to China’s most influential wine buyers this coming June and July.

“This project is of major importance for the Tselepos brand,” says founder and winemaker of Tselepos Wines, Yannis Tselepos, “so we are very happy to finally be launching our campaign despite all the adversities we have all encountered in the recent years. We, as a company, have had strong bonds with China for a long time and we firmly believe that China and the Asian market, as a whole, will be the front-runner in the wine scene for the next decades. Thus, our main goal through this campaign is to familiarize the Chinese wine lovers with the premium Greek wines and indigenous Greek varieties and show them the high levels of quality that Greek winemaking has reached through our premium quality Tselepos labels.”

Tselepos Wines is a family-owned business specializing in producing unique, premium wines from indigenous varieties grown in the most emblematic Greek viticultural areas. In particular, the white variety Moschofilero cultivated in Mantinia in the heart of the Arcadia in the Peloponnese, and Greece’s most famous noble red variety, Agiorgitiko, grown in the heart of Nemea.

Yannis Tselepos along with his wife Amalia Tselepou are the founders and producers of Ktima Tselepos, the original winery founded in 1989 in Mantinia, Arcadia. Having built from humble beginnings, today Tselepos Wines is a leading and renowned wine brand in the Greek market with more than 20 employees across the three wineries. 40% of their total production is exported to markets around the world. The second generation of the family consisting of Andriani Tselepou and Aris Tselepos are starting to lead the company into a new era.

Yannis Tselepos’ philosophy quotes: “Good wines are made in the winery, but fine wines are made in the vineyard”, thus, Tselepos focused on the development of a privately-owned vineyard, which today consists of more than 65 hectares, setting as their main priority the quality of the raw material through the unremitting dedication and care of their vineyards. By 2023 the entire vineyard in Mantinia will be fully converted to organic viticulture.

Moschofilero is the grape that reigns on high in Mantinia and the goal of Yannis Tselepos is to express all the characteristics of this multifaceted variety particularly via the flagship wine of the estate – Mantinia Tselepos – as well as with a range of Traditional Method sparkling wines, some of the very first of their kind from an indigenous Greek variety. 

For years, Tselepos had his eye on the vineyards of Nemea, the biggest viticultural area of Greece with a rich history and mythology. Here, the indigenous variety Agiorgitiko, thrives and gives its greatest expression. The grape has also been called “blood of Hercules” due to its deep ruby hue and the connection of the hero to the region of Nemea. Here, in 2004, Tselepos co-founded Ktima Driopi, an estate dedicated entirely to the production of this noble Greek red variety.

The Driopi estate consists of just 12 hectares of privately owned vineyards with old vines that are more than 40 years old. Altitude ranges from 200 to 900 metres above sea level, resulting in a wide variety of styles and expressions of this noble grape. Intense red fruit aromas with spices and a velvety texture are the main characteristics of the variety. Teselpos’ focus has been to create both modern, fruity wines as well as to showcase the ageing potential of the variety, mainly through their Reserve label.

“The wine world is constantly seeking new and exciting wines to enjoy, something beyond the ordinary, and these lovely Greek wines are it!” says Nimbility Founding Partner Ian Ford. “Exotic and interesting grape varieties, fascinating and exceptional terroir, excellent winemaking, and all woven together with the fabric of ancient Greek history, there is so much here to explore and discover. We are thrilled to be leading the charge to elevate the awareness and enjoyment of Greek wines in China, in partnership with Tselepos Wines, Hellas House, and the EU.”

Launching in July the initial phases of the ‘Glorious Greece: A Wine Odyssey’ campaign will focus on a series of stunning events held at Hellas House complimented by a striking digital marketing campaign that will bring these wineries to life for Chinese consumers across key digital platforms in China.

 The campaign kicked off last Wednesday 21st July with a Masterclass for Sommeliers and other wine experts, an in-depth tasting session, hosted by Gus Zhu MW that charted the different styles and variations of the campaign’s two signature grapes, Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko.

 A more focused industry tasting event will take place on Wednesday 28th July, an opportunity for importers, distributors and the trade to taste through a selection of Greek wines in a relaxed format with Nimbility’s team of experts on hand presenting the wines. 

A Greek Lifestyle Gala Cocktail event on Wednesday 4th of August will see 200 guests from all areas of the industry invited for an immersive journey through Greece’s rich history, culture and contemporary lifestyle. Throughout the course of the evening guests will discover the true beauty of Greece and the exceptional quality, variety and versatility that Greek wines have to offer to today’s modern consumer. 

Finally, on Thursday 19th August  an intimate Greek Lifestyle Cocktail event aimed at journalists, influencers and trade will consist of a journey through Greece’s history, culture, hospitality and, of course, all the delights of Greek food and wine.

All the aforementioned events will take place at Hellas House.

For more information about the campaign, the events and Tselepos Wines in China, please contact info@nimbilityasia.com