About Us

Athenee Importers, established in 1975, is the largest importer and distributor of fine wine, spirits and beer from Greece and Cyprus in the United States. We believe that the future of Greek wines lie in the hands of the small producers. In the past 20 years, the Greek wine industry has undergone tremendous change. Initially, the Greek wine market was controlled by large wineries that produced wines for the mass market with very little attention paid to quality. As a result, Greek wines were not a strong presence in the marketplace and earned a bad reputation. As a result, the trade suffered greatly. In order to rectify the situation, industry leaders recognized the need for change. The next generation of Greek wines would lie in the hands of small producers who keep an eye to quality while closely guarding quantity.

As a result of Greece’s membership in the European Union (EU), money was available to revamp existing wineries and build new ones. EU funds coupled with private investment have lead to a silent yet dramatic change in the modern Greek wine market. Today, the majority of oenologists are trained at the finest schools around the world. After completing their training, they have returned to their homeland to implement their skills. These specialists have begun extensively working with the indigenous grape varieties to produce exciting new wines that reflect the new style of Greece.

Mission

Athenee’s mission is to represent family owned and operated wineries, distilleries and breweries from Greece and Cyprus.  With over 40 years experience, our in depth knowledge of the region affords us the ability to represent a comprehensive offering of products at all price points and styles to satisfy the most discerning customer.  Special attention is also paid to highlight biodynamic, organic and sustainable farming practices and a range of vinification methods including spontaneous fermentation, the use of amphora and concrete tanks.  All of these actions contribute to the uniqueness of our portfolio and allows us to offer “something for everyone”.

 

Athenee is committed to representing producers whose attention to detail is as discerning as ours.  If we do not like a product, we will not import it.