Athiri
Athiri is an ancient white grape variety with strong presence around the Aegean Sea. In Crete, we can create excellent dry white wine with Athiri. It can also be found in Cyclades and Dodekanese Islands as well as the rest of Greece where it has gained popularity and value.
Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko is one of the greatest white grapes in the Mediterranean. It came originally from Santorini and it has a distinguished texture, crisp acidity and minerality and can be aged in oak or air dried in the sun to give delicious sweet wines.
Vilana
Vilana is the undisputed queen of white varieties of the island. Tasting Vilana is like tasting the soul of Crete. This white wine is dry and fresh and a few ambitious wine producers are also releasing small quantities of premioum oak aged bottle
Vidiano
It is a white grape variety coming from Crete, used to produce white dry whites, sometimes aged in oak. Vidiano has been introduced to commercial production over the last decade. Producers agree on a tremendous quality potential, so essentially this is history in the making. Wines from Vidiano are leaning more towards a textural style, rather than exploding aromatics.
Thrapsathiri
Thrapsathiri is a very promising and exciting white grapes of the island. It’s resistant to the hot weather however responds badly to high yields, so you have to be careful to produce concentrated fruit.
Kotsifali
Kotsifali is one of the most celebrated red vines of Crete. The dry red wines that are produced from Kotsifali are simply the heart of the island since red grapes are much more important for the island than whites.
Liatiko
Liatiko grape has it’s very own style and is utterly delicious. This red grape variety can produce very fine dry red wines however it rocks when you create it’s sweet versions. Liatiko dessert wines are made from sun dried grapes in contrary to fortified sweet wines, which are produced by the addition of alcohol during the alcoholic fermentation.
Mandilari
Mandilari is an ancient Cretan variety. It gives us wines with vivid red colour, fresh fruity nose with hard tannins, wild flavour and high acidity. Usually it is mixed with more soft and round wines like Kotsifali and Liatiko.
Plyto
Greece has multiple local grape varieties however many of them nearly became extinct or were threatened with extinction. The Cretan Plyto is a variety which was literally snatched away from the verge of extinction.
Merlot
Merlot appeared in Greece during the same period as Cabernet Sauvignon and it was used for the production of wines similar to the Bordeaux wines. The first varietal Merlot emerged quite a few years later and ever since it has earned the trust of producers and consumers alike.
Sauvignon Blanc
Τhe introduction of Sauvignon Blanc in the Greek Vineyards has played an important role in the development of the contemporary profile of Greek white wines. Although its presence is not as strong as Chardonnay, the Sauvignon Blanc variety has undoubtedly been the most influential variety and it has shaped the flavour profile of the modern Greek wine consumer.
Syrah
There is an increasing interest of growers and winemakers for this variety in recent years. Many wine experts claim that it fits better than any other international variety in Greek vineyards. Syrah gives wines with high alcohol content, deep red colour with complex aromas and dense velvety body. It is used to strengthen local varieties while adding complexity as well.