The vineyard of the company WINERY DISTILLERY GR. BELLAS E.E. is located northeast of Soufli in the forest area of Alania. The vineyard has an area of 300 acres and is located on the family's estate which is 500 acres in area. The winery facilities are also located on the site, which occupies about 1,000 square meters. The Bella family's involvement with vineyards and wine begins around 1870, when ancestors of the current owners established vineyards in the rural area of Soufli. Soufli is known in Greece for its silk, wines and spirits.
The modern history of the vine and wine in Soufli seems to be linked to the construction of the Edirne-Dedeagats railway line, today's Alexandroupolis, during the Ottoman Empire. French engineers settled in Evros to develop the railway network within the Ottoman Empire. It was around 1870 when they visited Soufli and were impressed by the moreonions in the lowlands and the vineyards in the mountains. The French found that the area has interesting local varieties. At the same time, experimenting, they brought many French varieties for planting and taught the locals the linear vineyard. The "golden" era of grape and wine production was between 1880 and 1898, when phylloxera destroyed all the vineyards of France and almost all the production of Soufli and Evros was exported to France. Soufli at that time was the center of all this activity, hence the French customs house and chamber that existed in the city.
In the company's vineyard, the Greek varieties Roditis, Mavroudi, Karnachalas, Boyialamas, Keratsouda, Assyrtiko, and Malagouzia are found, as well as the foreign varieties Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Muscat Hamburg.
Local grape varieties such as Karnachalas, Boyialamas and Keratsouda are "very promising" varieties for the production of quality red wines in the historic region of Soufli.
Part of the vineyard, about 1/3, is cultivated with the principles of organic agriculture. The company in this part of the vineyard applies sustainable and environmentally friendly practices without the use of synthetic chemicals. The basic principles of cultivation include maintaining soil health, the use of biological controls and organic approved substances for pest and disease management.
In 1994, the company BELLA Bros. O.E., as the company WINERY DISTILLERY GR. BELLAS E.E. was called, began the construction of the winery and distillery in Soufli. In 1997, its construction was completed and the production of wine and spirits began. The company currently produces approximately 80 tons of wine and 140 tons of tsipouro each year. These numbers make the company one of the largest wine and tsipouro producers in Thrace. Also, the area of the company's vineyard, namely 300 acres, is the largest area owned by a producer in Thrace.
Some of the trade names of the wines produced by the company are: Nero (Red), 50 (Red Dry), Assyrtiko Bellas, Malagouzia Bellas (White), Byzantinos (Red), Azzurro (Red), Rosa (Rosé), Bianco (White Dry), Oinos (White Dry), Kikos (White Dry).
Also famous is the local tsipouro of Bellas, which is sold like wines throughout Greece. In recent years, the company has been aging a portion of its tsipouro production in oak barrels. This aged tsipouro has evolved into one of the most distinctive spirits on the Greek market, offering unique tasting experiences and bringing new life to tradition. The flavor of aged tsipouro is what makes it so special. While fresh tsipouro is intense and aromatic, aged tsipouro acquires more complexity with notes of caramel, vanilla, spices, and even nuts, depending on the barrels and the years of aging. At the same time, the color of aged tsipouro is also impressive. In contrast to the transparent fresh tsipouro, aged tsipouro has a deep, amber hue, a result of aging in oak barrels. This golden color reflects the effect of wood and many years of aging.