Switzerland my adopted country of domicile could in two words be summed up as thrifty and industrious One could add organized too This is a story of Swiss teamwork on Patmos where a mountainous and an island culture bonded while reviving an abandoned wine farm PatoinosDomaine de l Apocalypse at Petra is the vision of exparliamentarian Josef Zysiadis
This extheologian and politician has proven a great forwardplanner and organizer Has anyone recently heard of Patmos wine Not for a while Sixty years ago Muscat of Alexandria and the red Fokiano were abundant on numerous terraces throughout the island Zysiadis turned for advice to leading ampelographer Kostas Bakasietas He in turn recommended Santorinis great Assyrtiko and another ageold Aegean specialty Mavrathiriko Black Athiri Four vigneronsencaveurs from the Canton de Vaud were generous with their skills and time
Gilles Wannaz a longterm convert to biodynamics on his farm overlooking Lac Leman spearheaded He first brought his family here in winter to get a feeling of the energies and prepare the soil not using soilcompacting tractors but mules He returned in spring 2011 with No Graff Raymond Paccot and Raymond Cruchon to plant
The soil was biodynamized with their knowhow There are several novel to Greece schemes such as a vineadoption program Out of 10000 vines 2000 will be leased for ten years and in return you will receive one bottle of each vintage The day of my visit a French visitor walked in inquiring details for adopting one Assyrtiko vine One wonders what Mavrathiriko ros will taste like
There are other exciting plans on this ecofriendly venture Donators have come forward with an olive press Further to the estates olive trees remarkably there are 2000 on the island There is more to this SwissPatmos connection there is also the wonderfully named Aristides Miaoulis his surname comes straight out of the 1821 Greek War of Liberation a local who moved 35 years ago to Moudon in the Canton de Vaud and became a cheese maker This busy retiree has set up his small workshop not far from the winery Tomme de Patmos anyone
Beyond agriculture there is a cultural note in these constructive efforts Old engravings to the left of the old town depicting three windmills have been restored by Genevas banker Charles Pictet
Are we looking at a trend here Is this rebirth driven by Swiss input and longterm commitment to be repeated by other likeminded people One would hope so as the inertiariddled fiscally and morally bankrupt Greek state has at this juncture little to show for itself My only bone to pick on this pioneering project is why it took the Patmos Monastery of St John ten years to strike an agreement with Joseph Zysiadis May I suggest to owners of other estates up and down the archipelago a little more of the 21st century Posting details and inviting lease offers on the Internet would be a good starting place
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