Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis wine from Crete starts with aromas of cedar and dark chocolate, followed by a fine-grained tannic texture, full-bodied fruit flavors and a mineral cut to its lush character. It has an elegant cinnamon and cocoa powder finish. Diamond Importers Inc. Editors’ Choice.
The Alexakis family is one of the most important ambassadors of Cretan wine. It is the largest privately owned winery in Crete and during its long path has collaborated with all the winegrowers on the island. The result is high quality wines that truly represent the Cretan terroir. The winery is a family affair. Stelios Alexakis, chemical engineer turned winemaker is still in charge of the winery with his wife Sofia responsible for quality control.
Children Apostolos and Lazaros, who literally grew up in the winery, join their father as winemakers and are now responsible for the planning and production, successfully transferring the valuable knowledge and insight of their parents.
As one of Greece’s largest island’s, its wines enjoyed high glory during the Middle Ages. Today Crete is full of ambitious winemakers with the city of Heraklion as its viticultural hub.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
