Κρήτη (Kriti)
Styles
Principal grape varieties
AssyrtikoCabernet-SauvignonMuscat À Petits Grains BlancsViognierSylvaner (Silvaner Gruen)Sauvignon BlancMerlotMourvèdre (Monastrell)ChardonnaySyrahLiatikoCarignanKotsifaliVidianoAthiriThrapsathiriMalvasia Di Candia Aromatica B. — Malvasia (Malvasia Di Candia Aromatica)Grenache Gris (Garnacha Roja)Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano Toscano)VilanaMandilariaMacabeu (Viura)
Terroir
Natural factors
- Three mountain ranges (Lefka Ori, Idi, Dikti) run W–E across the island, creating extensive plateaus and gorges.
- A markedly xerothermic climate: sunshine on 70% of days per year, summer rainfall <50 mm.
- The xerothermic climate is tempered by the Cretan Sea (N) and the Libyan Sea (S), as well as by altitude.
- High late-summer temperatures and intense sunshine favour the accumulation of sugars and aromatic compounds.
Human factors
- Venetian rule: by 1415 exports exceeded 20,000 barrels per year; a century and a half later they had reached 60,000.
Product characteristics
- Sun-dried wines and liqueur wines acquire distinctive aromatic compounds through the concentration of sugars driven by high temperatures and intense sunshine.
- The combination of soil, climate, grape varieties, and winemaking techniques shapes the quality characteristics of the ΠΓΕ Κρήτης wines.
Terroir / wine link
- The xerothermic climate and northerly maritime winds, in combination with soil and grape varieties, define the character of the ΠΓΕ Κρήτης wines.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
- eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-GR-A1605
- Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)