From the traditional Cretan grape varieties Kotsifali and Mantilari, with fresh fruits flavour PGI Crete wine.  The winemaker process a cold extraction with 6 hours of maceration and stainless steel fermentation, with a few months on its lees and periodic stirring. As a result, a  dark pink color, with a spicy bouquet and  rich notes of small red fruits finishing with impressive fruit concentration.

The winery

Stilianou rose wine is one of the 6 wines of Winery Stilianou. It is  is a small organic grower  winery located in Kounavi . They are  focusing on indigenous Cretan grape varieties. Giannis Stilianou and his son run 7 hectares of organic vineyards . Mostly  local Vidiano , Thrapsathiri,  Vilana, Kotsifali,  Mandilari grape varieties. The hot summer of  Crete stress the vines, and the winemaker decided to avoid any irrigation.  In other words,  the winery don’t use  dripping  irrigation or spraying any water.  As a result, wines complete concentration of intense flavors and aromas. The winery is a family business since 1922 and  produce about 20.000 bottles per year and each of them is numbered. In total, the winery produce 6 labels:  Theon Dora white, Theon Dora rosé, Mother red, Great Mother amber  (natural white wine) , Theon Gi (organic red wine),  Kotsifali sweet red

The vineyards:

Most of the vineyards lay on limestone and rocks soils at an average of 350 to 400 meters high .  The owner planted the oldest vineyards still in activity in 1982.  In addition, they planted some new vineyards in 2011.  The vineyards location and altitude ensure the vineyards to benefit from the hot summer sun from the island of Crete. However, there is some natural cooling system. Altitude, first, that helps cooling down during night. And so do the  “Meltemi” north cold wind  from Central Greece and cycladic island. Mostly in july and august, when grapes end their growth.

Fermentation in native yeasts and remained with its sludge in a 300 litres traditional ceramic pot for 5 months. Bottling followed without filtering. Plant derived, 100% recyclable, sugarcane based corks were used. This wine offers a  dark pink color with some  light cloudiness. On nose, it presents spices and herbs complex aromas, while it’s very fresh and intense in mouth.

The  winery

The Silva Daskalaki rose wineis part of the 14 labels of Daskalaki’s family. The  tradition in viticulture and wine production started in 1920 for them.  Nowadays, this is the third generation running the winery. Since 2003, they have started a substantial revitalization of the 80 privately owned decares, using integrated organic farming to cultivate the land in limy-clayey soils and in an altitude of 400-600 meters.

Silva Daskalaki Winery is located in Siva, a small village in the Regional Unit of Heraklion. In an ideal ecosystem that can highlight the richness and the distinctiveness of local terroir.  Viticulture and wine production have been the local traditions there for a very long time. the Cretan wines in a qualitative way, the family primarily focuses on local varieties, such as Liatiko, Mandilari, Plyto etc, but also on international wine varieties.  Moreover, since 2003, the winery equiped bthe production and bottling area with machines.

The first official bottling in Daskalakis’ Winery took place in 2005 with the “Liatiko” Dry Wine PDO (Product of Designated Origin) and “Liastos” Naturally Sweet Wine OPAP– (Product of Appellation of Superior Quality).

A couple of years later, in 2008, the winery was awarded the “Grand Gold” Medal for Enstikto Red, year 2006 (Varieties of grapes: Syrah-Kotsifali). The fact that they managed to obtain the highest accolade in an International Wine Competition made the whole family feel particularly pleased and proud.  In 2017, the Silva Daskalaki rose wine  Grifos was vinificated and bottled for the first time in a limited amount. The quantities produced in the winery are small, as the aim is to produce high quality products.

Wine making

On the foothills of Mount Kedros, in order to protect their fruit, farmers have a tradition to keep a low bush vine format on shoots spreading over the soil, under the rich foliage. There, protected from mt. Psiloritis’s winds and the strong Cretan sunshine on altitudes exceeding 800m, this pre-phylloxera Liatiko is being grown there for over a century. The harvest took place in the first week of September. The grapes were slightly
pressed at 10 C . Aſter a natural settling down of the free run juice, the must was fermented by yeast from a complete organic habitat (Bio
Certificate). Finally, only yeast derivatives were applied for the stability and natural fining of the wine.

Tasting notes

This rose is the rebirth of the grapes under a new face. In other words, a wine with pale salmon colour and a steely mouth, characteristic of the firmness of its origin.  Fruity aromas of several types of berries  with an astonishing sense of winter flowers. Beautifully balanched with a powerful liveliness in the mouthfeel, underlined by notes of minerality.

About the winery

Lyrarakis Wines” is a family winery, established on the island of Crete, Greece, in 1966. The Lyrarakis brothers established the winery in Alagni village, on a gifted plateau, in the heart of the prefecture of Heraklion. Alagni was the born place of the brothers. They started producing wine just like their ancestors did before them, preserving and promoting the Cretan wine heritage.  Today, the second generation manage the winery.

During those five decades, the family has devoted itself to the revival of indigenous, almost extinct, Cretan grape varieties. They vinified wines that highlight their distinctive character. In the early ninenties, the family initiated the revival of two indigenous white grape varieties, Plyto and Dafni, by planting them in the  “Psarades” family vineyard.  While a third revival was more recently added to their credits. Further on, they planted  Melissaki, an indigenous variety almost lost and completely forgotten, in the vineyard “Gero-deti” in 2010.

Variety revivals

Besides the 3 revived white varieties (Plyto, Dafni and Melissaki), Thrapsathiri, Vidiano, Vilana, Muscat of Spina and the Aegean super star Assyrtiko complement the range of white varieties that Lyrarakis winery offers. As for the red varieties, the local Kotsifali, Mandilari and Liatiko. In addition, international Syrah, that flourishes in the Cretan vineyards and soil, complete the varieties.

The winery’s facilities are located in the community of Alagni, in Heraklion, Crete, at an altitude of 480m. The wine cellar with its aging oak barrels, first opened its doors to visitors in 2008. Since, it offers unique wine tasting experiences in front of the family’s vineyard and the imposing Lassithi mountains.  The visiting cellar operates  daily from April until October and visitors get the chance to enjoy tours in the vineyards, cellar and the winery’s vine museum. As well as wine tastings  guided by professional sommeliers  and paired with authentic Cretan flavours.

The multiple international awards and distinctions justify the recognition gained by Lyrarakis Winery worldwide. In total, Lyrarakis winery export its wines to 29 countries including Europe, Russia, China, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand and more.  All Lyrarakis Wines are Vegan Certified.

Gavalas rose present a pink rose colour. Tow red varieties, Kotsifali and Mandilari. Nikos Gavalas cultivate them  in the privately owned organic agriculture vineyards at Vorias in Heraklion – Crete. Fresh fruits and flower aromas. Recommended temperature 11 °C.

About Gavalas winery

Emmanuel Gavalas planted the first vineyards in 1906. At that time he would use the Minoan dressed stone treading tank that used to be at the village of Agios Thomas, where he came from, to tread the grapes. At that time, the must fermented into big storage jars. Then he transported the wine into leather flasks and he sold it to taverns and stores. Some years later he settled down at Vorias, a village 15km away from Agios Thomas where he planted new vineyards. Then he used to take the grapes to well known wineries. .

In 2001 the vineyards became part of the organic cultivation system, as actual owner, Nikos Gavalas believe that the organic products protect the environment from the pesticides’ contamination as well as the consumers and us, the cultivators and our children. In 2004 he set up a most modern winery into the vineyards. Therefore, every stage of the vinification from the production to the bottling happen in verticalized, modern unit. Notably, it represents one of the largest organic viticulture on the island of Crete.

 the vineyards

Located 37km south of the town of Heraklion. There, the winery buildings covers an area of 980m2 in a privately-owned estate of 7.000 m2 with its vineyards extended in 6.9 acres of land. From which the 2.2 acres are new plantings scheduled to be put at an early date in the production line. Furthermore, Gavalas Domaine exclusively produces and bottles wine from their own production by using organic farming techniques.

In the vineyards are cultivated the Cretan grapes varieties of Vilana, Kotsifali, Mantilari, the international Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Malvazia di Candia Aromatica, a variety known since the Venetian era.