Route 3
Maragakis Winery - Vineyards of the Valley
Maragakis Winery is located below Stavrakia, in the valley of Giofiros River. According to the legend, Goddess Athena was born by Zeus at the sources of Giofiros River, in Agios Thomas.
Today this valley is planted with olive trees and vines. Stavrakia and Agios Myron are built in prominent positions and tourists report that Agios Myron is well known throughout the island for its excellent wine.
In the spring, plumi plants, also called archontoxylo, alimatsa or Cretan ebony, offer a fine pink color to the mountain slopes.
Points of Interest
1. Maragakis Winery
Maragakis Winery
It is universally known and scientifically proven that a big part of a wine’s success is due to the conditions of the grapes’ harvest.
Sunset, the most romantic part of the day, is considered as most suitable for the collection of grapes which will be used in the production of “excellent” quality wines.
Adhering to the sunset and equipped with passion, faith in tradition but also in technology, Sp. Maragakis Brothers Winery was founded. It is a state-of-the-art winery in the greater area of Heraklion, specifically on the edge of Giofiros River Valley, close to Stavrakia and Agios Myron.
2. Vineyards of the Giofiros Valley
Vineyards of Giofiros River Valley
The drainage basin of Giofiros River begins from Agios Thomas. Two sources (Perouze and Kato Vryssi) and the platform of an ancient temple at the settlement of Agios Thomas, enable us to associate this location with the reference of the ancient historian Diodorus Siculus that ” Goddess Athena was begotten by Zeus at the sources of the River Triton (that’s why she was given the name Tritogeneia); there, during his time (1st century B.C.) there was –at these sources – a temple sacred to this goddess”If River Triton was Giofiros (there is a possibility that it was Karteros River), then Agios Thomas perfectly fits this description with the platform of the ancient temple (of Athena?) next to Ai Giorgis church and close to the two springs.
Today the slopes of the fertile valley are planted with olive trees and vines. Historically, first the vine and later on other crops nourished the inhabitants of this land.
3. Vineyards in Stavrakia
Vineyards in Stavrakia
Stavrakia overlooks Giofiros River valley on one side and Xeropotamos River valley on the other, at an altitude of 240 m. This valley, with its fascinating mosaic of colors, offers a view to the surrounding villages, the southern suburbs of the city of Heraklion and the sea. The economy of the village was based on the production of sultanina raisin, wine and olive oil. Recently private companies have also grown there.
4. Vineyards in Agios Myronas
Vineyards in Agios Myronas
Agios Myronas village stands on two hills at an altitude of 340 meters, with a breathtaking panoramic view, only twenty kilometers far from Heraklion. The village is named after Saint Myronas, Bishop of Crete, whose church is built on top of one of the two hills. Also this is where the ancient city of Rafkos was located.
19th century travelers say that they tasted fine wine here and others (Pashley, 1834) write about Agios Myronas which is known throughout the island for its excellent wine. According to certain testimonies, liatiko, tachtas, and other varieties were cultivated here and Malvazia wine was produced until the beginning of the 1950s. In fact, in a relevant testimony it has been written that “when tachtas takes a dark color“, the color of liver, then the wine is very tasty; a noble fermentation probably takes place on the vines.
In the spring the image of the steep, uncultivated slopes of those valleys is impressive; plumi plants, also called archontoxylo, alimatsa, or Cretan ebony prevail, producing a fine pink color.
Inside the settlement, on Apobadena, one of the two summits, a built complex of winepresses is preserved.
