The film Arcadia, Champagne d ‘Orient a co-production of ERT, with the support of EKK, PELOPONNESE REGION, Municipality of Tripoli, Michael Stasinopoulos VIOHALKO Foundation, Arcadia Chamber premieres at the Film Festival on March 19 at Thessaloniki International John Cassavetes Hall, Warehouse 1, Port
The unknown tragic story of a champagne producer from 1885 in Tegea.
Starring: George Michalakopoulos, Isidoros Stamoulis, Sofia Seirli, Odysseas Stamoulis. Music by Evanthia Reboutsika, song by Marios Frangoulis. Directed by Costas Spyropoulos.
In Tripoli, the Arcadia Champagne d’Orient will be screened on April 27, 2022, at CINE VILLE, in the presence of the actors, Evanthia Reboutsika and the director Costas Spyropoulos.
SUMMARY
The film tells a story, unknown until now, even in the specialized historiography of Greek wine. It is the project of the Papanikolaou Brothers, in the village of Rizes Tegeas, who succeeded, from 1885 to 1935, in producing vintage champagne, winning gold awards at the World’s Fair of the time and recording in the World Wine Dictionary of Bordeaux, Tegea as the “place of production of sparkling wine equal to the French”. The scientific physiognomy of the family winery was the oenologist Vassilios Papanikolaou.
While studying in Montpellier, V. Papanikolaou not only became acquainted with the traditional way of producing champagne, but also added, as early as 1900, innovative techniques, which were included in the scientific literature 60 years later. In 1905 he presented in Liege the pioneering method of winemaking without the use of sulfur. It is the famous “secret Papanikolaou recipe”.
Their vision: Arcadia, The Campaign of the East (phrase by Vassilios. Papanikolaou from his book Arcadia under Oenological Supervision). This vision was not an arrogant pursuit. It was based on the absolute identification – similarity of the province of France Campania with the plateau of Mantineia in terms of soil composition, micro-climate, altitude and, in particular, the cultivation of the aromatic variety filleri.
They exported (France, Germany, USA), opened six stores in Athens and a wine bar (!) In Omonia, next to the “New Stage” Theater of the director Konstantinos Christomanos, with whom they had friendly relations. They had won gold awards with sparkling wine at the World’s Fair: Paris (1989 and 1900) Chicago (1893) Liège (1905) and San Francisco 1915. Their original advertisements, in French, in the Greek press A Bon Vin Pas d ‘enseign (the good wine does not need advertising) make a splash.
The dominant figure in the family was the ancestor Spyridon Papanikolaou. Merchant of ecclesiastical items, importer of gold and precious stones. He is the type of multi-talented provincial who wants to get away from the borders of Tripoli. He had eight children. Five boys and three daughters. He studied the two older ones. Spyridon defined the sons’ studies and the roles in the family business “Papanikolaou Brothers”.
Vassilios Papanikolaou was confronted with the establishment of the time because he introduced three new demons. Firstly, the denial of wine resin (resin), secondly, the use of raisins in winemaking, as the French did, and thirdly, they demanded the imposition of duties on imported wines.
They fell victim to big interests. They accepted an offer to buy the company and, because they refused, were excluded from bank lending.
After the Asia Minor Campaign, the Tegeas Winemakers developed their own network of political relations with leaders of the Venizelos period: the Prime Minister of Arcadia, Alexandros Papanastasiou, and Ant. Christomanos (brother of Constantine) Minister of Agriculture of Venizelos. They are privileged by the state to drain a lake, the Takka, and reap 15,000 acres. The state gives them a contract, but successive changes of government cause delays in the project and raise costs.
At the same time, the Papanikolaou are facing a fierce war of interests in Athens and Tripoli. They are declared excluded from the project and are destroyed.
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