Κρήτη (Kriti)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards of Crete are found mainly on the northern side of the island, which benefits from the favourable influence of north and north-easterly sea breezes.
• The vineyards are concentrated mainly on plains and plateaux, at altitudes of up to 1,000 m, and are now mostly trained in row systems, although many traditional gobelet-trained vines are still maintained.
• The mountain ranges of the White Mountains, Ida, and Dikti run across Crete from west to east, forming large plateaux and gorges and creating a diversity of vineyard landscapes.
• The markedly hot and dry climate of Crete enjoys sunshine on 70% of days of the year and minimal summer rainfall of less than 50 mm.
• The climate of Crete is moderated by proximity to the Sea of Crete to the north and the Libyan Sea to the south in the coastal vineyard sites, and by altitude in the upland and semi-upland vineyard sites.

• The vine has been cultivated systematically in Crete for approximately 4,000 years, and the oldest grape-pressing installation, dating back more than 3,500 years, has been discovered in the area of Vathypetro.
• The Code of Gortyn, the oldest legal text in Europe, contains the first recorded set of rules for vine cultivation.

• Cretan winemakers produced outstanding sweet wines that, through Rome, conquered the entire known world of the time.
• The dried-grape wines and liqueur wines of the region stand out for their quality and distinctive sensory characteristics, which are well known throughout Greece.

• The uniqueness of the PGI Crete wines derives from the distinctive characteristics of the region — namely its soils, climate, and the influence of the winds during summer — in combination with the cultivated grape varieties and viticultural practices.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Greece

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — ypaat
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-GR-A1605
• Official trade body site — Wines of Greece (EDOAO)