Our Story

The Owners:

Nick and Athena Karabots have called Karamoor Farm home since the early 1970s.  Both are first generation Greeks  who have a deep love for their family, philanthropy, and Karamoor Farm.  Karamoor Estate Wines allows them to share a piece of their home in every bottle; they hope you enjoy!

The Karabotses main businesses are in the printing and publishing arena, so, many people want to know why they began a winery.  In the late-seventies, the Karabotses bought Brookside Farm and eventually the adjacent Oxmoore Estate, as well as a few other pieces of property.  The Karabotses combined the properties and renamed them as Karamoor Farm, which is a combination of the Karabotses last name and the second half of Oxmoore (there is also a loose translation to the Greek "hara mou", meaning "my joy", which also applies).  Karamoor's land had been farmed for hundreds of years (documented prior to the days of William Penn) and the Karabotses continued that tradition, growing all types of crops, primarily hays and grains for farm animals. 

Then, in 2003, Nick and Athena decided that they wanted to be able to enjoy the crops that grew on the land of their beloved home, and began the planning process to replace the existing crops with vineyards.  The symmetry and clean lines of vineyards were beautiful to them, and they had always had a great appreciation for wine.  They hired Lucie Morton, a top viticulturist in the United States, who did soil and exposure studies to decide what varietals could be planted and on what areas of the farm.  The plan was to plant all vinifera varieties (varieties derived from European grapes); by the Karabotses desire, they settled on Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Petit Verdot.  The first 12 acres went in the ground in 2006, followed by an additional 5 acres in 2008 and an additional 10 in 2013.

The Winemaker:

In 2012, the Karabotses hired Kevin Robinson.  Kevin graduated from University of California at Davis with a Bachelor's Degree in Fermentation Science.  Post-graduation, Kevin went on to make wine in California for 26 years; some of his most notable experiences include an 8 year stint as head winemaker in Napa Valley at Rutherford Hill and a 10 year stint in Lake County, California at Brassfield Estate.  During his time in California, Kevin worked alongside winemaking superstars like David Ramey, Anthony Terlato, and Merry Edwards, just to name a few. 

Kevin has brought his vast winemaking knowledge and experience to Karamoor Estate Vineyard & Winery and has made Karamoor's award winning vintages from 2012 on.  Kevin's non-intervention style of winemaking highlights the characteristics of the fruit and integrates soft tannins, making for a delicious wine.  His style allows the wines to be consumed shortly after bottling while still having the ability to cellar age for years to come.

The Viticulturist:

In 2016, the Karabotses hired Joseph Rienzi.  Joe graduated from Monmouth University with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Management and a Master's degree in Finance.  After a few years in the working world, Joe decided to change course and pursue his passions and interests.  Lucky for Karamoor, his passions and interests involve wine and the growing of grapes!  Joe began with us as an assistant in the vineyard where he learned the ropes and ultimately decided he wanted to go get his Viticulture degree (so now he has like 18 degrees).  He completed his Viticulture and Enology degree at Harrisburg Area Community College and went from an assistant, to Karamoor's Viticulturist and Vineyard Manager.  Joe is tasked with ensuring we grow the highest quality estate grown Pennsylvania grapes in conjunction with the daily operations and cultural practices involved with Karamoor Estate’s vineyard.