Athens-born sommelier Michalis Kapranos curates the 600-label cellar of Makris Athens—Michelin-starred in 2024—with a terroir-driven philosophy honed at Hytra, CtC and three-star stages across Europe.
Raised in Athens, Kapranos earned a degree in Oenology & Beverage Technology from West University of Attica, completed the Court of Master Sommeliers levels and added specialist certificates in water, sake and spirits. He began his career in the Michelin-starred kitchens of Hytra and CtC before joining Switzerland’s wine club 67 Pall Mall. Stages at Geranium, Zilte, The Jane and Cheval Blanc shaped his belief that “wine must tell the story of a place.”
Since 2023 he has been Head Sommelier at Makris Athens by Domes, a dining room overlooking the Acropolis that won a Michelin star in January 2024. He oversees a list of more than 600 bottles—alongside 30 extra-virgin olive oils—focusing on micro-wineries from lesser-known regions: herbal Plytó from Crete, sun-dried Aposperitis from Lipsi and mineral-driven Assyrtiko from Santorini headline the Greek selections, while long-maceration Georgian orange wines, volcanic expressions from Lanzarote and bold Touriga Nacional from the Douro feature internationally.
Kapranos organises weekly themed pairings that connect the restaurant’s Mediterranean dishes with native grape varieties; the list, developed with Master Sommelier Nikos Loukakis, favours structure, minerality and low-intervention winemaking. He also leads in-house education sessions to familiarise an international clientele with high-altitude Greek wines and ancestral vinification methods.
