Cava Spiliadis

Informazioni Generali

George Spiliadis, the founder of Cava Spiliadis knows Greek wines better than most sommeliers in the US. His passion is to bring the “new generation” of fine Greek wines to the US and Canada. He has identified five of the very best wine producers from Greece and decided to import them into the United States. What sets these estates apart is, well, everything. They are not driven by the commercial market, but rather a higher calling to actually improve Greek wines. Their mission is to re-invent the reputation of Greek viticulture and oenology.

Cava Spiliadis is the product of an inherited passion for food and wine passed from father to son. Cava Spiliadis owner George Spiliadis explains his company’s history searching out the best boutique wineries in Greece.

“In 2007, we launched Cava Spiliadis. Our mission is to do with wines what my dad, Costas, did with food in Milos restaurants. I want to show our clients that there is more to Greek wines than what was readily available in the past. We represent six of the very best producers in Greece who make world class wines.”

George’s select group of wine growers share a focus on excellence which extends from the vineyard to the winery to the bottle, similar to the fastidious, artisanal approach George’s father, Costas, employs to source the best, most pristine ingredients for his Milos restaurants. The Cava Spiliadis portfolio offers a range of high-end wines made from the distinctive, indigenous grapes of Greece, as well as some blended with international grape varieties. In addition, there are wines made from 100% international grapes. The portfolio has received high accolades in WINE & SPIRITS, WINE SPECTATOR, WINE ENTHUSIAST, JANCIS ROBINSON, etc.

From the ground up, George applied his father’s quality approach to choosing the wineries for CAVA SPILIADIS. After graduating from college, George worked with his father at the first MILOS restaurant in Montreal and learned every aspect of the business. George explains, “Because my father was disappointed that Greek cuisine was not properly represented in the gastronomic capital of the world, we opened a restaurant in New York in 1997. In the early 1990s, most New Yorkers thought of Greek food as modest and ethnic, and what you would get at a diner in Astoria, Queens. My father is a proud man and his great mission was to transform the public’s perception to show there’s more to Greece than moussaka and souvlaki. Our restaurants aim for ‘clarity of taste’, meaning you know what you’re eating because the ingredients speak for themselves.”

With a similar philosophy, the Cava Spiliadis portfolio features wine growers dedicated to certified sustainable or organic viticulture. With no pesticides, herbicides or chemicals in the vineyards, the vines produce better, more expressive fruit which speak eloquently of their terroirs and grape varieties. Having opened MILOS in Montreal and NYC, in 2004 Costas added a third restaurant in Athens, which is run by his daughter and son-in-law. The three Milos restaurants have elevated the status of Greek cuisine internationally and are earning raves in Wine Spectator, Gourmet and GQ. However, George says, “There is still something missing, and that’s recognition for the wines. They are world-class and great discoveries for every serious wine lover.”