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Idaia Winery

VENERATO | HERAKLION | CRETE

A family owned winery in Crete

The winery is located in the village of Venerato, in the heart of the Cretan vineyard in the province of Malevizio, 17km south of Heraklion. Our goal in winemaking is to express the terroir and the character of the variety with minimal interference and as gentle handling as possible. Each year is different. We are guided by the peculiarities of each vintage. We converse with the wines; we taste them continuously and make the appropriate decisions. We strive to consume as little energy as possible. Gravity is used to transfer the wine into the barrels. By the end of 2023, photovoltaic systems are planned to be installed, so that the winery building is covered with energy. The winery has a fully equipped laboratory, so we can control all stages of winemaking. Our underground cellar, where our wines age and mature in ideal conditions, has around 100 oak barriques. In addition to the privately owned winery, we have also rented and utilize an old electricity factory, a beautiful building with stone walls, which is located a few meters away from our winery. Today we produce approximately 130,000 bottles of wine of which 35% is exported to more than 10 countries around the world.

Our philosophy

We focus on native varieties and on highlighting our region. Our aim is for our wines to reflect all the peculiarities of both the varieties and the unique terroir. We are committed to authenticity. We draw inspiration from the winemaking tradition of Crete, which spans millennia. We believe that indigenous Cretan grape varieties are best suited to express the unique character and identity of the island and its culture. We are not in a hurry; we want to give our wines the time they need. We hold a deep respect for the natural environment and seek to create wines that are in harmony with our planet and society. Our approach to sustainability is guided by a reverence for Mother Nature. Thus, we intervene as little as possible in both the vineyard and the winery. We control all the areas of production with a long-term perspective, from the vineyard, the winery, administration, purchases and the moment until our wines reach the consumer. All our decisions are made with the ultimate goal of producing wines of the highest quality.

Icon Wines

OCEAN THRAPSATHIRI

Dry White
100% Thrapsathiri

PGI Crete

Our Thrapsathiri is one of the first single-varietal expressions of this emerging Cretan grape and our winery was among the first to recognize its potential. The high altitude of the fruit’s origin and the careful winemaking process result in a highly expressive wine that blends richness and roundness with freshness and acidity, as well as the exoticism with ‘greener’ elements.

OCEAN LIATIKO

Dry Red – Liatiko

PGI Crete

The fruit is sourced from a single privately owned vineyard, with old vines in the Potamida area. This wine showcases the fresh side of Liatiko, with vibrant aromas of dark fruits and herbs. A short aging period in oak barrels is intended to highlight the unique characteristics of this charismatic grape and the distinctiveness of the Cretan terroir.

Experiences