Wine Tours and Nature
Discover Crete by Car:
Wine Tours and Nature: Renting a car in Crete is essential for explorers to navigate this vast, yet beautiful island. Long distances and twisty roads may harden visitors’ ventures. Therefore, if you are planning your holidays in Crete to be unforgettable, then renting a car offers you the freedom of shaping your memories your way. This is the reason Athenscars provides reliable services, with over 50 years of local expertise.
Wine Tours and Nature: Wine tourism is a widely know form of tourism in Crete. In fact, there are many traditional wineries that host wine tasting experiences or allowing visitors to witness their winemaking process. By renting a car you can shape your own memories, and even include wine tours in your plans. Local villages and traditional wineries, located between mountains and olive trees are waiting for visitors to meet their uniqueness and taste their wines.
History of Cretan Wine,
Cretan wine has been known as an integral part of the Cretan culture. Archeologists have discovered that Cretan wine is one of the oldest winemaking traditions in Europe, which traditions can be traced back to the Minoan civilization, about 4,000 years ago. Below is a time roadmap that exemplifies this history journey:
- Minoan Era (circa 2000BC): Near Archanes, wine presses have been discovered in Vathypetro village. Large vessels, also known as Amphorae, were filled with wine and were traded across the Aegean and Mediterranean, transforming Crete into a crossroad for traders back then.
- Classical & Roman Era: Through the history Cretan wine was highly valued and exported to the Roman Empire. In many Roman celebration and games, wine was a part of their processes.
- Venentian Rule (1200-1600 AD): The Venetians acknowledged the value of local wine and made large- scale productions, as well as the famous Malvasia di Candia wine.
- Modern Times: Today, Cretan wineries preserve this tradition by employinhg modern techniques. For instance, grape varieties like Vidiano, Liatiko, Kotsifali, and Romeiko are being made by a specific process that lasted through the years.
The Winemaking Process
Harvesting using Trigos and the procedure to do the hard work of winemaking
The ideal period of picking grapes is between August and October, which depends on the variety and altitude. Locals would collaborate to harvest these grapes, often accompanied by singing and celebrating this tradition. Today, wineries choose to continue the collection of grapes by hand, as this technique protects the fruit’s quality.
Crushing & Pressing the grapes- or by foot
Crushing and Pressing technique can be found also in other countries, for example Italy or France. This process includes locals to crush grapes by foot or stones in large containers, also known as patitiria. Today, modern process ensures the safety and quality of wine by using mechanical presses to essentially separate the juice from skins.
Fermentation
Then, the grape juice is sealed into stainless steel tanks (for whites/ roses) or oak barrels (for reds). Yeast coverts sugar into alcohol, beginning the transformation into wine. Thus, Fermentation usually lasts 10- 20 days, which depends on the style.
Maceration (for reds)
Kotsifali or Liatiko are red wines and their skin remain in contact with the juice during fermentation. This technique is called maceration and is used for extracting color, tannins, and aromas, as it offers depth and character in red wines.
Aging
An important step in winemaking is aging. Some wines are bottled young and fresh, for example Vidiano whites. While others are aged in oak barrels for months or even years, in order to develop complexity and taste. Some that benefit from aging are the Cretan reds, particularly Mandilari wine.
The Best Routes for wine tours near Heraklion:
In the regions of Archanes, Peza, Dafnes, and Alagni is the heart of Cretan viticulture. These destinations are easily accessed by car and are located in the southern part of Heraklion. Below is a list of local wineries in these destinations:
Archanes & Peza Region:
MIliarakis Winery in Peza is a family- own estate and famous for their Kotsifali and Mandilari varieties.
Stilianou Winery in Kounavi village provides scenic views of its vineyards.
Douloufakis Winery in Dafnes is a known spot for wine lovers, as it produces the award- winning Vidiano and Liatiko.
Alagni and Melesses villages:
Lyrakis Winery in Alagni preserves with excellency rare traditional Cretan grapes, such as Plyto and Dafni.
Paterianakis Winery in Melesses is a certified winery…
Some worthwhile stops along the way:
Vathypetro Archaelogical Site houses one of the elderst wine presses in the world.
Myrtia Village has the Kazantzakis Museum, a world- class writer and ahead of his time.
Menexes winery is the best of all destinations worth visiting it!
Tips for your wine adventures:
Best season: The perfect seasons for wine tours are in spring and autumn, which combine mild weather and fewer crowds.
Drive safe: Wine tasting experience is truly one of a kind, however the driver of the vehicle should always consider how many glasses of wine they consume, as safety comes always first. You can always enjoy your holidays in Crete with consideration and drive safety.
Combine with gastronomy: You can always complete this experience with a local tavern or picnic in nature.
