Greece’s historic winemaker Tsantalis files for bankruptcy

Historic winemaker “Tsantalis” has filed for bankruptcy at the Thessaloniki Court, with the hearing scheduled for October 11.

The company is also seeking a date for the termination of its payments.

President of the workers union Sakis Kaligas stressed that “Tsantalis,” has halted its production since August 2023. For the first time in the company’s history, the harvest was not carried out, preventing them from bottling and marketing the products of the new crop.

Company has been grappling with persistent financial issues, despite concerted efforts to secure its survival and attract investors.

The Tsantalis family has been cultivating vineyards, making wines and distilling ouzo since 1980.

Second generation winemaker Evaggelos Tsantalis was born in the region of Sidirochori, in the Prefecture of East Thrace, in 1913. He was just nine years old when his family settled down in Serres where, in 1938, he established his first winery. In 1945, he moved to the city of Thessaloniki and established a distillery for ouzo and in 1970, he founded a further winery in Naoussa.

The Tsantalis winery owned vineyards located at the regions of Agios Pavlos in Halkidiki, Metochi Chromitsa in Agio Oros, Maronia in Thrace, Rapsani in Olympos and the historical Naoussa.

The whole concept of the company was based on the cultivation of land with respect towards the environment and the tradition of the region, while applying at the same time modern cultivation techniques.

Τsantaliσ was the first Greek winery to implement sustainable viticulture on a large scale and has been the leading certified organic wine producer in Greece. Since 2012, the company was the exclusive distributor of SANTO WINES contributing to the establishment of the new SANTORINI brand.