OINOTIKA 2011
The Cretan Wine News
For the third year running, OINOTIKA, the Cretan wine exhibition held annually in Iraklio at the initiative of the local winemakers, presented a significant and successful opportunity for consumers and professionals to get acquainted with the new harvest and the new wine labels of the island, just before the beginning of the new tourist season.
On 3 and 4 April, 19 wineries welcomed over 1400 visitors, up by 30% compared to last year’s exhibition, at the Kalathakis Estate in Malades. It is worth noting that the winemakers had organised a Wine Bus for the visitors, who had the chance to leave their cars and catch the bus, which departed from the centre of Iraklio and made interim stops all the way to the exhibition area.
The Cretan wineries, however, were also represented at the Dionysia – The Athens Wine Festival exhibition on 12 and 13 February. Ten wineries, as well as a joint participation of the rest of the wineries in one of the stalls, gave the pulse of the Cretan winemaking tradition. Athenians, professionals from all over Greece, as well as a significant number of Greek and foreign journalists, visited Zappeio, tasted the 2010 white grape harvest, among others, and were updated on the activities of and developments in the winemakers network.
Finally, the biannual exhibition season ended on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May with the national event Open Door Wineries, where Cretan wineries also participated. It was a perfect opportunity for a tour of the striking Cretan hinterland, a visit to the areas of wine production, and contact with the local winemakers, combined with a scrumptious break in one of the many and popular restaurants of the Cretan villages. After participating in this event for the last three years, the increased number of visitors this year has demonstrated that Cretan wines are on the rise.
New entries
We are extremely proud to welcome a new member to the team of Cretan Winemakers. With intense activities over the last few years in the area of bottled wine, Toplou Monastery has joined the collective effort to promote Cretan wines. It is the only member from the easternmost part of the island (Sitia), which, however, is an area that should not be missing from the Cretan winemaking map. For this reason, the Iraklio Prefecture Winemakers Network will be renamed to the Iraklio and Lasithi Winemakers Network. Along with the Hania and Rethymno Winemakers Network, they will make up the Cretan Winemakers team.
