{"id":3902,"date":"2012-06-01T12:00:49","date_gmt":"2012-06-01T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winesofcrete.gr\/news\/to-wines-of-crete-sto-visit-greece\/"},"modified":"2021-08-23T15:20:42","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T12:20:42","slug":"wines-of-crete-at-visit-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winesofcrete.gr\/en\/press-reviews\/wines-of-crete-at-visit-greece\/","title":{"rendered":"Wines of Crete at Visit Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many people,\u00a0wine<\/a>\u00a0is considered one of the strongest experiences in life. The\u00a0island of Crete<\/a>\u00a0is one of those places in Greece where you will taste\u00a0memorable wines<\/a>\u00a0that will offer new thrills to your palate.\u00a0\u201cAnd wine that make glad the heart of man\u2026\u201d<\/em>\u00a0is what our ancestors used to say and this place is the right one to prove it true! If you\u2019re interested in\u00a0wine tourism<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0agritourism<\/a>, the options you have are many indeed.<\/p>\n

Here you will find the\u00a0oldest wine-producing area<\/strong>\u00a0in continuous use on the European continent. You can also visit many wineries mostly in\u00a0Chania<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Heraklion<\/a>, where you will get to know the\u00a0varieties of the Cretan terrain<\/strong>, the special\u00a0local gastronomy<\/a>\u00a0and \u2013 let\u2019s not forget \u2013 the outstanding\u00a0Cretan hospitality<\/strong>! 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!<\/p>\n

A story from the old times<\/strong><\/p>\n

Did you know\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0Crete boasts a\u00a0wine tradition that is 4000 years old!<\/strong>\u00a0Archaeological finds of the\u00a0oldest vineyard in Europe<\/strong>, unearthed in the area of Kato Zakro, attest to the above. The\u00a0oldest wine-press<\/strong>\u00a0was discovered in nearby\u00a0Archanes<\/strong>, aged over 3500 years.<\/p>\n

The island\u2019s long periods of glorious history have always included wine as a product inextricably linked todaily life<\/strong>, and participation to\u00a0viniculture events<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0wine festivals<\/strong>\u00a0is 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\u00a0Cretan wine<\/a>\u00a0is made today and you will be able to taste the\u00a0high quality local labels<\/strong>\u00a0during your stay on the island. Viticulture takes place with the utmost care in carefully selected areas, making the most of the earth\u2019s nutrients in conjunction with local climate.<\/p>\n

Cretan earth opens up\u00a0new horizons<\/strong>\u00a0that wine lovers are sure to appreciate to the full! Favourable soil features and climate conditions help grow\u00a0outstanding<\/strong>\u00a0grape varieties<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0from which wonderful wines are produced. Try them as an accompaniment to\u00a0local dishes<\/strong>\u00a0which 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.<\/p>\n

Cretan Wine Routes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Great wines begin in the vineyard! In Crete,\u00a0wine-producing areas<\/strong>\u00a0are 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\u2019s north shores, creating the\u00a0ideal weather conditions<\/strong>\u00a0for 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\u2019s nose and enjoy\u00a0memorable trips<\/strong>\u00a0to those green vineyards where it all began. Try old as well as new labels in well-tended\u00a0local wineries<\/a>\u00a0and enjoy the\u00a0sweet sense of euphoria<\/a>\u00a0in the magic world of wine.<\/p>\n

Varieties<\/strong><\/p>\n

Crete<\/a>\u00a0is like a wine ark carrying marvellous\u00a0indigenous varieties<\/strong>\u00a0as well as foreign ones which have adapted very well to the local terrain with very positive results. Local white varieties include\u00a0Vilana<\/strong>, one of the island\u2019s top\u00a0white wine<\/strong>\u00a0grapes,\u00a0Vidiano<\/strong>,\u00a0Dafni<\/strong>,\u00a0Thrapsathiri<\/strong>,\u00a0Malvazia di Candia<\/strong>\u00a0(Malvazia of Chandakas),\u00a0Muscat of Spina<\/strong>, and\u00a0Plyto<\/strong>.\u00a0Red varietie<\/strong>s include\u00a0Kotsifali<\/strong>,\u00a0Mantilari<\/strong>,\u00a0Liatiko<\/strong>,\u00a0Tsardana<\/strong>and legendary\u00a0Romeiko<\/strong>. Cretan varietals and blends made of\u00a0local<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0foreign varieties<\/strong>\u00a0(mostly French) are PGI Crete labels.<\/p>\n

Visit the island\u2019s wineries, allow yourselves to be seduced by the\u00a0intoxicating aromas<\/strong>\u00a0coming from oak barrels, and enjoy the local special grapevine products.\u00a0Cretan wine-makers<\/strong>\u00a0have furthered the old traditional ways complementing them with knowledge acquired by new developments, taking consumers\u2019 preferences into consideration.\u00a0Oenologists<\/strong>\u00a0test varieties, experiment and come up with new aromas and flavours, in order to create choice wines to suit every palate!<\/p>\n

To get more information on Cretan varieties, click\u00a0here<\/a><\/p>\n

Cretan vineyards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Did you know\u2026<\/strong>Cretan vineyards cover 12.8% of Greece\u2019s wine regions and hold the 3rd place among the 9 viticultural areas in the country. The\u00a0Geographical Indications for Cretan wines<\/strong>\u00a0are as follows:<\/p>\n