i. Biography
In Naoussa, Greece, wine practice sits close to service, and Yannis Voyatzis describes his own formation that way: “I grew up in my father’s tavern helping him in cuisine and service.” That background places hospitality before theory, and it still reads in the work as attentiveness at the table, practical judgment, and a working sense of how food and drink meet. Formal study then broadens the frame, moving from chemistry in Thessaloniki to oenology in Bordeaux before returning to the Greek wine tradition that his career helps sustain.
The Climb
At the University of Thessaloniki and the Wine Institute of Bordeaux, Yannis Voyatzis built a base that joined science to winemaking before entering the trade as an enologist at Boutari in Greece. The progression is orderly on paper, but the more useful detail is how the disciplines stack: chemistry, then oenology, then the responsibilities that come with production. Within Boutari, he moved from cellar work into senior authority, becoming Chief Oenologist of Boutari Wineries S.A. and president of Greek Wines Inter-Professional Committee. Those roles mark both technical command and a wider place in Greek wine representation.
Today
Fruit, structure, aging, and the choices that let a wine remain legible to its origin sit inside the enologist’s remit, and that is where Voyatzis continues to work. The task is precise, but it is also tied to place: the vineyards, the varieties, and the long continuity of Greek wine culture. In that frame, his professional life holds analysis and restraint together with an understanding of where the work comes from.
Signature
Yannis's signature wines include Moschofilero white wine, 2007 Boutari Naoussa Grand Reserve, Kyklos 2013 Moschofilero, and Kyklos Agiorgitiko 2014. Taken together, they show range rather than repetition. Moschofilero white wine points to clarity and lift; the 2007 Boutari Naoussa Grand Reserve brings Naoussa and Xinomavro into view through a bottle built for depth; Kyklos 2013 Moschofilero and Kyklos Agiorgitiko 2014 extend that work across Greek varieties, each one carrying its own register of precision and identity.
Recognition
One points back to Naoussa and the age-worthy seriousness of Xinomavro; the other names Agiorgitiko through the 2014 Kyklos bottling. Read together, they show the span of his Greek wine work without turning away from place. The 2007 Grand Reserve carries the Boutari name and Naoussa designation in a single bottle, while the 2014 Kyklos Agiorgitiko adds another Greek variety to the arc of his cellar record.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Yannis
What is Yannis Voyatzis's current role?
As of 2026, Yannis Voyatzis is Chief Enologist.
Where did Yannis Voyatzis train or study?
Yannis Voyatzis trained at University of Thessaloniki and Wine Institute of Bordeaux.
What is Yannis Voyatzis known for?
Xinomavro.
