Just before the road reaches Pozar Thermal Baths, in Piperia Almopia, wine opens a different window into the local history. At the 3 Generations Winery, family memory, viticultural knowledge, and an almost unknown white variety meet in a visit well worth experiencing in person.
Three generations around the vine
The first chapter was written in 1936, when the Thomaidis family acquired vineyards in the broader Pozar area. Among the vines was Amassi, a grape connected to the family’s refugee origin. Its name refers to Amasya in Pontus and preserved, over time, a bond between the old homeland and the land of Almopia.
For decades, the fruit of the vineyards was sent to other producers. The family took the next step in 1999 by creating its own traditional distillery. In 2014, official wine production under the 3 Generations name began. Because the grapes come from family-owned vineyards, their progress is monitored from cultivation and harvest all the way to vinification and bottling.
Savvas Thomaidis and the first bottling of Amassi
In the third generation, Savvas Thomaidis gave the family’s experience a scientific direction. He studied viticulture and enology in Italy with a specific goal already in mind: to understand the potential of Amassi and present it as a wine with its own identity. The first monovarietal bottling by a Greek enologist brought Amassi beyond the limits of a local crop and gave it the opportunity to become known to a broader audience.
Since then, the variety has been treated as a field of continuous exploration. Different batches and harvest times help the team observe how its expression evolves. At the same time, the School of Agriculture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki participates in research on its genetic material and cultivation. Scientific study adds documentation to knowledge that, until recently, was passed down mostly from generation to generation.
The microclimate of Piperia in the glass
Piperia has harsh, cold winters and summers with hot days followed by noticeably cooler nights. The soils combine clay and sand, draining water quickly after rain. Under these conditions, grapes mature capable of delivering aromatic intensity, lively freshness, and an aftertaste with a gentle sweetness, without this necessarily meaning high sugar levels.
Amassi shares the vineyard with Xinomavro and international varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, and Syrah. Organic materials are utilized in cultivation, including processed grape pomace from previous winemaking seasons. At the same time, equipment is continuously updated so that tradition is supported by modern enological capabilities.
A visit that puts a face to the wine
A tour at 3 Genies puts dates and names into proper context. Visitors see the vineyard, explore the facilities where wine and tsipouro are produced, and learn about the decisions behind each label. During the tasting, the story comes alive in the glass. Amassi takes center stage, while the remaining labels demonstrate how the same environment can yield distinct winemaking expressions.
The location makes it easy to combine a visit with an excursion to Pozar Thermal Baths. The winery is situated in Piperia, Aridaia, right before reaching the popular destination. A phone call or message prior to arrival ensures the tour and wine tasting can be scheduled at a relaxed pace.
Gratitude
Nowadays, 3GENIES wines have won the love of wine enthusiasts. The winery is a pioneer in the effort to revive Greek varieties, vinifying and promoting the Amassi variety.
Evolution-Future
The 3 GENERATIONS winery is continuously evolving in terms of viticulture and winemaking. In this family business, we believe that the raw material is vital for the final product. We employ the most eco-friendly cultivation methods possible, using natural organic fertilizers (manure) and processed, preserved grape pomace from the previous season. We constantly invest in modern, innovative machinery, following the latest advancements in enological science.
We believe in wine tourism and ecotourism, having invested in a traditional, welcoming space for visitors in one of the most popular tourist regions in Greece. We strive to highlight the rare Greek variety Amassi by vinifying multiple distinct batches each year with varying levels of grape ripeness and applying diverse enological approaches. Furthermore, we serve as the primary winery conducting research on Amassi according to European Union standards in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH).
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Move from reading the history to experiencing it live, right where Amassi continues to be cultivated, studied, and shared with every new bottle.