Strataridakis Bros Winery
Costis and Manolis Strataridakis, both agriculturists, have taken the baton and continue with ardency their father’s work hopefully going one step further.
The new-built winery of Strataridakis brothers represents, through its characteristic architecture, the basic philosophy of the owners: the harmonious combination of the tradition with the technological advancement. It is open to visitors and gives them the chance to watch all the stages of winemaking and experience the creative “celebration” that takes place from the collection of the grapes until the bottling of the wine.
Strataridakis bros, Costis and Manolis, approach their work with experience, a sensitive feeling for the wine and a deeply rooted sense of the family tradition.
Nature can be cultivated but not easily tamed, Costis claims, that’s why we work in a spirit of respect to the natural environment, having a sense of our heritage but also the responsibility to deliver to the future generations a rich and fertile land that will be able to produce unique wines. Our goal is to produce high quality wines with authentic character. The worth of the grapes depends not only on their particular variety, their quality and the place in which they grow, but as well on the way in which the vineyards are cultivated. Limiting the yield of the harvest and practicing environmental-friendly agriculture are particularly rewarded. We focus not only on varietal vinification but mostly on combinations of local and international varieties trying to capture the characteristics of the region to each bottle, Manolis says, in other words we want to offer the distinct wines of our estate, not just varietal ones.
The vineyards are ideally positioned with light south-east orientation making full use of the microclimate of the area. The vines are cultivated with the traditional system «Guyot» and heavily pruned to create medium and small bunches that yield healthy fruit with full aromas and concentrated flavor.
Applicable a specific plan of replanting vines with a rate of about four acres every two years. The harvest is entirely by hand and once selected bunches one by one, placed in small baskets and immediately driven to the winery for processing, thus maintaining their integrity and their form, a critical factor in creating high quality wines.
The creation of extraordinary wine demands serious attention to the best possible utilization of the merits and characteristics of any given place. The uniqueness of the specific region, the topography, the soil composition, microbiological and the microclimatic conditions, the selection of suitable varieties and in the best possible conditions for grown, are enormous challenges. The vineyards in the region are not monoculture, surrounded by olive, peanut, various fruit and natural vegetation, is involved in a rich and balanced ecosystem. The relief described by the dominate volume of Asteroussia mountain at south-southwest that filters gently the breeze of Libyan sea, Castelos hill at east and Anapodaris stream at the northern part of the estate. If one adds an enviable soil fertility and the origins of the estate once belonged to Sinai monastery, we can talk about a “blessed” place
The vinicultural traits of the Strataridakis family date back to the 1950s. The privately-owned vineyard consists mainly of vines of the Holy Apostles Sinai monastery. It is located at the foot of Asterousia Mountains, in Heraklion, and it’s an important stop of the Wine Roads. The specific vineyard was obtained in 1955 by Aristides Strataridakis – Costis and Manolis father – who immediately detected the specific topographical and geological features and cultivated it with loving care and knowledge. Visionary and innovative he didn’t hesitate to invest in the technological advances of his era while his hard work and his devotion to his land made him one of the most considerable growers of Crete.
On the 30th June every year, solemn vespers of Holy Apostles Church –gastronomical evening with local specialties and free wine tasting.
APRIL-NOVEMBER EVERYDAY 10.00 – 18.00
