Philokalia - Sari Khoury

Philokalia, “Love of the Beautiful”, celebrates singular wines of cultural significance and is a project inspired by an artist and realized by an architect.

Historic Palestine occupies a unique place in the history of wine. Its legacy extends from some of the earliest known evidence of winemaking and grapevine domestication nearly 9,000 years ago to a vibrant wine culture that flourished throughout the region until the 7th century A.D.
Over more than four decades of research, Nasser Soumi has assembled extensive scientific documentation supporting this heritage. According to French historical records, the last documented shipment of Palestinian wine departed from Gaza for Bordeaux in the 7th century A.D., marking the close of a remarkable chapter in the region's winemaking history.
After fifteen years of studying Old World wine traditions and local viticultural practices, Sari Khoury founded Philokalia. Seeking to reconnect with this ancient legacy, he set out to identify the surviving traces of Palestine's indigenous grape heritage and explore the potential of native varieties to produce wines of authenticity, imagination, and place.
Through the preservation of indigenous grape varieties and the reinterpretation of historic winemaking traditions, Philokalia is helping to revive Palestinian viticulture.
Guided by a philosophy of authenticity and minimal intervention, the wines are produced from traditionally dry-farmed vineyards using spontaneous fermentations, minimal sulphite additions, and no fining or filtration, allowing each wine to express its vineyard, vintage, and varietal character.
Combining historical knowledge with contemporary research, Philokalia explores extended macerations, vineyard-specific vinification, and ancient maturation techniques, including custom-made clay vessels inspired by Canaanite pottery and developed through in-house research. These vessels contribute complexity, aromatic integration, and distinctive texture while strengthening the connection between the wines and their cultural origins.
Produced in limited quantities, each wine reflects a commitment to craftsmanship, authenticity, and a profound sense of place.
Grapes of Wrath: 4,871 bottles
The Source: 2,525 bottles
More than wines, Philokalia's creations are cultural expressions of a millennia-old winemaking tradition. They bring together indigenous grape varieties, historic vineyards, and ongoing research into the ancient roots of Mediterranean wine, offering a contemporary interpretation of one of the world's oldest viticultural landscapes.