Kazakis Vineyard House

The history begins at the end of the 1980s. Marianna Kazakis, a lover of good cooking and traditional flavors, starts packing vineleaves (or grapeleaves) coming from the vineyards of grand father Thanasis, using the pasteurization method taught to her by her own grand-mother in order to preserve spring freshness throughout the winter. Having worked, from a very young age, in the restaurant of his father, Pangalos Kazakis under the guidance of his Armenian mother, Haiqui, Marianna knows how to prepare a delicious meal and is aware of the importance of good raw materials in the final product. At the same time, Dimitris Kazakis is becoming more and more involved with the vineyards of his father in Nea Gonia, Halkidiki (Greece), as a means to get away from the frantic rhythms of Thessaloniki. The civil war in Yugoslavia at the beginning of the 1990s results in the cut off of the German market from Greek grape producers. As a consequence of the over-supply of grapes in Greece, many viticulturers in Northern Greece decide to abandon their vineyards or turn to the production of wine, instead of table-grapes. It is at that point that Dimitris and Marianna decide to innovate. The vineyards are converted to Sultanas, because the same plant that produces the worlds finest raisins also gives the best vineleaf. The incomparable taste of the family grapeleaves did not take long to impress friends and relatives. Everybody had a good word to say for "Mariannas Vineleaves", as everybody used to call them. The name of the product thus came naturally. Pangalos Kazakis, an alumnus of the American Farm School of Thessaloniki, continued his studies in horticulture. He became aware of a new means of farming: organic agriculture. Foreseeing the consumers turn to more healthy foods and recognising the unique taste offered by organic products, the family decided - once again innovating - to convert all vineyards to organic. The Kazakis Vineyards are probably the first entirely organic vineyards in Greece. At the same time, the increased production and the demanding markets led them to set up a rigorous safety system, tailored to our needs: in 2004 they implemented a HACCP system throughout the production processes and in 2008 they installed the purpose-built ERP system according to ISO22000:2005 specification. Needless to say, the company is ISO22000 certified."Mariannas Vineleaves", along with the other products of the Kazakis family, are nowadays well known in Greece and are slowly being introduced in other countries, such as Germany, France, Switzerland, Japan and the USA. And they do not stop here. the newest product is the deep-frozen Mariannas Ntolmadakia (or Dolmadakia for some): the hand-made fresh wrapped vineleaf with rice. The ntolmadakia encrust yiayia Maria recipe, along with the ever innovating Mariannas spirit. Always enforcing the most rigorous hygiene practices.