Published
February 13, 2022
“And wine that maketh glad the heart of man…” is what our ancestors used to say and this place is the right one to prove it true! If you’re interested in wine tourism or agritourism, the options you have are many indeed.
Here you will find the oldest wine-producing area in continuous use on the European continent. You can also visit many wineries mostly in Heraklion and Chania, where you will get to know the varieties of the Cretan terrain, the special local gastronomy and – let’s not forget – the outstanding Cretan hospitality! Besides, wine is part of the daily life and culture of the island. It is always served with a meal or dinner and drinking is enjoyed in company, as Cretans never drink alone. They prefer to do it while chatting, laughing and enjoying local food!
Did you know… Crete boasts a wine tradition that is 4000 years old!
Crete hosts Europe’s most historic vineyard -if not the world’s. Its presence and active contribution to the productive and social life of the island has been continuous and documented by the archaeological and historical research, from the early Minoan times to the present day. Archaeological finds of the oldest vineyard in Europe, unearthed in the area of Kato Zakro, attest to the above. The oldest wine-press was discovered in nearby Archanes, aged over 3500 years.
The island’s long periods of glorious history have always included wine as a product inextricably linked to daily life, and participation to viniculture events and wine festivals is part of a centuries-old tradition that has lived on to our times; only today tradition and love for wine-making is aided by accumulated knowledge and technology. This is the way that Cretan wine is made today and you will be able to taste the high quality local labels during your stay on the island. Viticulture takes place with the utmost care in carefully selected areas, making the most of the earth’s nutrients in conjunction with local climate.
Cretan earth opens up new horizons that wine lovers are sure to appreciate to the full! Favourable soil features and climate conditions help grow outstanding grape varieties from which wonderful wines are produced. Try them as an accompaniment to local dishes which are world famous for their variety of healthy ingredients. The new generation of Cretan Wines stands as a fine complement to the well-known local gastronomy, and they will definitely turn this aspect of your trip into a delight for the palate.
Great wines begin in the vineyard! In Crete, wine-producing areas are in the north part of the island and grapevines grow next to olive groves, protected from the warm winds of the Libyan Sea in the south. The cool Aegean winds blow over the Sea of Crete and the island’s north shores, creating the ideal weather conditions for producing top quality Cretan wines. Grapevines have grown here for centuries, along with the wine-making process, enveloped in tradition and local customs present in daily life, gastronomy and local hospitality. Taste each wine’s nose and enjoy memorable trips to those green vineyards where it all began. Try old as well as new labels in well-tended local wineries and enjoy the sweet sense of euphoria in the magic world of wine.
Crete is like a wine ark carrying marvellous indigenous varieties as well as foreign ones which have adapted very well to the local terrain with very positive results. Local white varieties include Vilana, one of the island’s top white wine grapes, Vidiano, Dafni, Thrapsathiri, Malvazia di Candia (Malvazia of Chandakas), Muscat of Spina, and Plyto. Red varieties include Kotsifali, Mantilari, Liatiko, Tsardana and legendary Romeiko. Cretan varietals and blends made of local and foreign varieties (mostly French) are PGI Crete labels.
Visit the island’s wineries, allow yourselves to be seduced by the intoxicating aromas coming from oak barrels, and enjoy the local special grapevine products. Cretan wine-makers have furthered the old traditional ways complementing them with knowledge acquired by new developments, taking consumers’ preferences into consideration. Oenologists test varieties, experiment and come up with new aromas and flavours, in order to create choice wines to suit every palate!
we will publish a detailed list and information of all Cretan wine varieties, so stay tuned.. 😉
Did you know…Cretan vineyards cover 12.8% of Greece’s wine regions?
PGI Crete is, after PGI Peloponnese, the second most developed PGI wine region. Nearly all white (Athiri, Vilana, Vidiano, Daphne Thrapsathiri, Malvasia di Cantia, Muscat of Spina, Plyto) and red (Kotsifali, Liatiko, Mandilaria, Romeiko) Cretan varieties are found in its wide range of PGI Crete wines, either on their own or in blends with foreign varieties. Wines of PGI Crete are produced by 41 wineries within the zone and, with the stipulated joint ventures, by four additional ones outside it.
Wine types:
• Dry, medium dry, medium sweet white
• Dry, medium dry, medium sweet rosé
• Dry, medium dry, medium sweet red
The PGI Regional Wines constitute the broader, overall level of the PGI wines of Greece. Eight of the country’s nine winegrowing regions produce designated PGI Regional Wines, with the exception of the Ionian Islands. Provisions foresee that all of the regions may establish production of white, rosé, and red wines that may be dry, medium dry or medium sweet. However, not all regions produce all wine types as Greek winegrowers engage in wine production depending on the goals they set, on consumer preferences, on relevant trends and, of course, on their area’s winegrowing tradition.
Grapes going towards vinification of PGI Regional Wines must originate in a PDO wines of Greece zone or zones or even in the area or areas of each region. They may be vinified anywhere within the boundaries of the delimited region. The PGI Regional Wines are PGI Aegean Sea, PGI Epirus, PGI Thessalia, PGI Thrace, PGI Crete, PGI Macedonia, PGI Peloponnese and PGI Central Greece.
The geographical boundaries of a PGI District Wine zone are usually the same as those of a district (i.e., those of a specific former prefecture, and only in two cases such a zone is only a part of a former prefecture). Grapes used for the vinification of PGI District Wines have to originate in areas within the boundaries of the district and must be vinified within those boundaries. However, wineries located in neighboring districts (former prefectures) are also entitled to producing these wines.
In terms of geographical boundaries, the PGI Area Wines constitute the most restrictive designations. The boundaries of each PGI wine area usually form a section of a district (a former prefecture) or, in a few cases, comprise parts of two districts. There are also cases when those boundaries are those of a single community/village. Varieties and types of wine must comply with equally strict specifications.
a FREE map with all winery locations in Crete and their contact information.
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