Athiri
Athiri is an ancient white grape variety of the Aegean Sea, used for centuries to make excellent dry white wines. Ever since its qualities were recognized by vine growers across Greece, it has been an essential and extremely elegant expression of the style of white wines produced on the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands.
Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko is a classy white grape, possibly some of the greatest varieties found in the Mediterranean basin. It produces mainly dry white wines, some of which are being aged in oak. However, a number of sweet wines are made, from sun dried grapes. Assyrtiko is one of these rare white grape varieties that can grow on hot and dry climatic conditions, while at the same keeping the high alcohol in perfect balance by its crisp acidity.
Vilana
Vilana is the undisputed queen of white varieties of the island. Tasting Vilana is tasting the core white wine style of this historic and celebrated region. It is used mainly for producing dry fresh whites, but ambitious producers are also releasing small quantities of premium oak-aged bottlings.
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 an important variety of Crete that is emerging as one of the most promising and exciting white grapes of the island. Is a vine perfectly suited to even the warmest spots of Crete, being highly resistant to drought. However, it responds badly to high yields, so wine growers have to be prudent to produce concentrated fruit.
Kotsifali
Kostifali is the benchmark red variety of the celebrated vineyards of Crete, defining the style of the dry reds coming out of one of the most significant wine-producing regions of the Aegean Sea. Since red grapes are much more important on the island than whites, Kotsifali can be considered as the real soul of Crete.
Liatiko
Liatiko is the foremost ambassador of a very individual and frequently poorly understood style, which, at the same time, is utterly delicious. It is a red grape variety that can produce very fine dry red wines but it reaches its apogee in the sweet versions. However, most red varieties are used to make fortified sweet wines, by the addition of alcohol during the alcoholic fermentation. In sharp contrast, Liatiko sweet wines are made from sun dried grapes.
Mandilari
Mandilari is an ancient indigenous Cretan variety. It gives us wines with characteristic vivid red colour, fresh fruity nose with hard tannins, wildness in flavour and high acidity. Usually it is mixed with more soft and round wines as Kotsifali and Liatiko.
Plyto
Grape varieties native to Greece have always been inexhaustible although, at some point or other, many of them nearly became extinct or were threatened with extinction. The Cretan Plyto is such a remarkable case of a variety which was literally snatched away from the verge of extinction.
Merlot
Merlot appeared in Greece during the same period as Cabernet Sauvignon as it was a variety used for the production of wines similar in style 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
The introduction of Sauvignon Blanc in the Greek Vineyards played an important role with regard to the development of the contemporary profile of Greek white wines. Although its presence is not as strong as that of Chardonnay’s, the Sauvignon Blanc variety has undoubtedly been the most influential in shaping the palatal preferences of the modern Greek wine consumer.
Syrah
There is an increasing interest of growers and winemakers for this variety in recent years. Many claim that it fits better than any other international variety in Greek vineyards. Syrah grape variety gives wines with high alcohol content, deep red colour with complex aromas and dense velvety body. It is used to strengthen local varieties giving complexity as well.