90 pts Vinous
Drinking Window 2027 - 2035
The 2023 Naoussa Cuvée Villages leads with ripe red fruits and tomato leaf, a classic Naoussa signature. Finely sculpted tannins and revitalizing acidity give it excellent balance, and it glides smoothly into a silky ending. It is already showing well in its youth. - By Nicolas Greinacher, November 2026

Kir-Yianni was founded in 1997 by the late Yiannis Boutaris after he parted ways with his brother Konstantinos, leaving the family’s historic Boutari winery in his brother’s hands. Entirely separate from the Boutari brand, Kir-Yianni is today run by Yiannis Boutaris’ son Stellios and ranks among Greece’s leading wineries, with vineyards in Naoussa and in cooler, higher-elevation Amynteo. During my visit, Export Manager Nikolaos Zacharis guided me through an extensive lineup that illustrated estate’s growing focus on site expression, reflected in a widening range of single-block and single-vineyard bottlings. The estate also crafts quality sparkling wines under its Scaperdas Frères label. Among Kir-Yianni’s still whites, the 2025 Droumo Sauvignon Blanc, from vines planted in 1990, steals the show with its purity and aromatic precision. It’s quite simply a gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc. The 2024 Tarsanas is a stellar mainland Assyrtiko. The barrel-fermented 2025 Agathoto, from a 0.47-hectare vineyard, is a compelling, flavor-packed Xinomavro Rosé well worth seeking out. Among the reds, the 2023 Naoussa Cuvée Villages offers classic red-fruit and tomato-leaf typicity with silky, finely sculpted tannins. The 2023 Amyndeon Kali Riza Vieilles Vignes, grown on sandy soils, impresses with its elegant austerity. The flagship 2021 Ramnista is tightly wound, girded by firm, long-grained tannins and needs at least another three years in the cellar. Most fascinating of all, however, are the limited releases through which Kir-Yianni champions the idea of single-vineyard Xinomavro, each made in quantities of under 1,000 bottles and available only at the winery. Taken together, these wines make a compelling case for how much nuance Xinomavro can reveal in its many forms. Nearly three decades after its establishment, Kir-Yianni continues to move Greek wine forward.