Deep Cuts in Platanos: Philia Winery's "Gastronomic" Cure for the Vines.

Curing open wounds creates an ecosystem - Pruning in Samos

Every year, the same cycle begins again. The vine grower takes on the role of teacher, while the vineyard acts like a naughty child coming back to school. We are now in our second year of bringing the once-abandoned vineyard in Platanos, Samos, back to life. Many people had given up on this land, but the Philia Winery team and I saw its possibilities.

The Hard Decision: Deep Incisions

Last year, we had to make some difficult decisions. This year, our approach is the same: we want the vine to grow strong and tall. To save an old, neglected vine, we often need to make deep cuts, removing old wood so new growth can take its place. This step is vital. When we cut the vine in a damp environment, it can attract wood-decaying fungi, such as those that cause Esca. If we do not protect the wound,

the vine could die.

From the Kitchen to the Vineyard: My Recipe

My background as both a winemaker and a cook shapes how we care for our vines. At Philia Winery, we avoid petroleum-based chemicals. Instead, I created our own blend using three special ingredients: natural beeswax, propolis, and St. John's Wort oil (Spatholado).

St. John's Wort oil (Spatholado) is known as the "cure of the ancient Spartans." We make it by infusing olive oil with Hypericum and letting it soak in the sun for 40 days until it turns a deep ruby colour. In our blend, this oil functions as more than a base—it keeps the balm flexible. Pure wax can become brittle and crack as the wood expands, but the oil helps the balm stay elastic. It soaks into the vine, prevents the wood from drying out, and delivers the antimicrobial benefits of hypericin to protect living tissues. This method is no accident. It comes from my experience in fine cooking:my:

• It is similar to how French Canelés de Bordeaux are made, with copper moulds coated in beeswax for protection and texture. I learned this technique during my years in Paris.

• This also mirrors the way Trikalinos Bottarga, known worldwide, is preserved by dipping it in beeswax to keep it fresh and moist.

In the same way, we protect the vine’s wound. The wax forms a shield, the propolis cleans, and the St. John’s Wort helps it heal. We only use ingredients we would trust on our own table.

Philai winery pruning and curing open wounds with besswax, propolis, St. John's Wort oil (Spatholado

The Innovation of Necessity

True innovation is rarely born in sterile laboratories; it often stems from observing nature and utilizing the materials at hand. This recipe was not written to impress, but to answer the vine's desperate need for protection. We did not reinvent the wheel; we simply bridged the cook's understanding of textures with the viticulturist's knowledge of plant anatomy. It is a proprietary method born from the heart of Mediterranean tradition, applied with modern precision.

Creating an Ecosystem

But the magic does not close with healing. When the first warm days come, the wax melts a little and lets the wound breathe. The smell of wax and propolis draws bees back to the vineyard, where they collect what is left. Suddenly, Platanos is full of life. For us, this is what Natural Wine means. It is the care that brings new life from a wound.