What grape varieties are grown in Crete?

Cretan winemakers fight the island's heat with skin contact and oxidative aging, coaxing mineral tension and saline grip from grapes that could easily turn jammy.

LasithiRethymnonHeraklionChania

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Save these houses, build your route through Crete, and navigate when you're there.

Region DNA

The character of Crete

Based on 275 wines with structural data

Style profile

Consistent

Tight, signature style across producers

Crete

Country avg

FEM score distribution

90+ Elite

80–89 Great

70–79 Good

<70 Other

Based on 50 rated wineries in this region

Flavor territory

OakTree fruitRed fruitCitrus fruitBlack fruit

Most frequent primary flavor groups

Style breakdown

Greek Red

267

Greek Malagouzia

Naoussa Red

Spanish Red

Wine style frequency · Bar length = relative count

Top grape varieties

Kotsifali136Shiraz/Syrah96Vidiano80Vilana69Mandilaria69Liatiko63Cabernet Sauvignon39Merlot35Assyrtiko34Thrapsathiri32

Varieties ranked by number of wines · Number = wine count

Most representative winery

The estate whose wines are closest to the regional average — the truest expression of Crete

Karavitakis

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About Crete

Crete is a wine region in Greece, home to 86 producers tracked on Femente, 4 of them rated 90+ on the critic index. Its vineyards are led by Kotsifali, Shiraz/Syrah, and Vidiano, producing Greek Red and Greek Malagouzia wines with notes of Oak, Tree fruit, and Red fruit. It takes in Lasithi, Rethymnon, Heraklion, and Chania.

Crete — good to know

What grape varieties are grown in Crete?: The most planted varieties in Crete are Kotsifali, Shiraz/Syrah, Vidiano, and Vilana, based on the wines Femente tracks across the region.
What wines is Crete known for?: Crete is known for Greek Red, Greek Malagouzia, and Naoussa Red wines and flavors of Oak, Tree fruit, and Red fruit.
How many wineries are in Crete?: Femente tracks 86 producers in Crete, of which 4 are rated 90+ on the critic index.
Where is Crete?: Crete is a wine region in Greece, taking in Lasithi, Rethymnon, Heraklion, and Chania.

Outstanding houses in Crete.

Lyrarakis

Alexakis

Diamantakis

Rhous Winery

Manousakis

Idaia

Mediterra