Alexakis Winery was created during the 1970s and it is located in the region of Agios Thomas. It is a family business, initiated by Stelios Alexakis, chemical engineer-oenologist, and Sofia Alexaki; its operation presently continues by their children, Lazaros Alexakis, oenologist of the University of Florence, and Apostolos Alexakis, oenologist of the University of Fresno, California.

This is one of the oldest private wineries in Crete which cooperates with all the winegrowers of the island for many decades and knows very well all the peculiarities of the Cretan Vineyard.

The vineyards of Agios Thomas’ valley have modern characteristics, but they are also linked to multiple traces of ancient winemaking facilities. The late Iraklis Benetos from Agios Thomas recorded more than 120 winepresses in the valley. The modern Alexakis vineyard is surrounded by ancient carved winepresses, a sign that the region was producing fine wine for a very long time.

Specifically, N.E. of the new Alexakis vineyard, at the top of the hill near the remnants of a medieval castle and Zoodochou Pigis church, four carved winepresses and five carved troughs indicate a mass wine production. It appears that the entire slope was planted with vines. The castle dates back to the 11th-12th century, but the carved winepresses probably are older with an everlasting use.

Westwards of Agios Thomas, next to the church of Agii Apostoli, a set including a winepress, a trough and a grape press (mangana) has been preserved. The winepress is carved with built walls, and the trough is carved. The mangana (grape press) with the must collection vessel is also carved into the marly limestone, but it is not in a very good condition. Other carvings on the same rock indicate supporting activities for the unloading and pressing of grapes.

North of the winepress and around the church of Agii Apostoli, carvings can be seen which, obviously, are related to residential complexes or other residential uses. Very close there is an olive tree whose trunk has a perimeter of 8 meters.

An impressive huge winepress (capacity: 200 loads of grapes) weighing about 400 tons with carved trough, exists Inside Savopoulos vineyard. This monolith is a large piece of marly limestone which broke and fell off the parent rock above it.

The winepress is located at an altitude of approximately 500 meters, with dimensions 3.90 x 3.40-2.80 x 1.20-0.90m and a large carved trough with dimensions 1.65 x 0.82 x 0.92m, joined through a carved faucet with “decorative carving”, closed outside. On the rocks south and around the winepress there are poles to tie the animals which carried the grapes and on that side of the winepress there is a carving to which, probably, had been adapted a mechanism to lift the containers carrying the grapes into the winepress.

Panagia Kardiotissa church is located north of Agios Thomas, next to a stream and centuries-old trees. As indicated by carvings and fragments of frescoes, the original building was constructed before the 10th century. The stone base of the High Altar bears an ancient inscription. West of the church, as we go up the road, we find three winepresses:

At the first, to the right of the road, west of the church, both the winepress and the trough have been cleaned.

A little farther, on a rock at the left, the faint outline of a small winepress filled with rubble and stones, appears.

North of Agii Apostoli, the contemporary Alexakis vineyard adjoins an ancient carved grape treading tank (winepress) with built walls. Its dimensions are 5.10m x 4m x 3.40m. The contour of the built winepress is visible, whereas on the west side a 1.50m supporting wall protected the area from the dumping of rubble. In places, mud from ground tiles and lime (astrakasvestos) can be seen on the saved parts of the walls. An oak tree has grown inside the winepress area.

A carved trough, ruptured at its edge, with dimensions 2.40m x 1.2m x 0.60m is preserved. Half of it is covered by a large slab and a low stone wall (probably built later), which created a smaller space for any other use except a trough. The 35cm x 34cm closed faucet is carved in the parent rock and it is enclosed with part of the box carved; a slab covers it.

The vineyards of Agios Thomas’ valley have modern characteristics, but they are also linked to multiple traces of ancient winemaking facilities. The late Iraklis Benetos from Agios Thomas recorded more than 120 winepresses in the valley. The carved ancient city is everywhere, in the modern houses, next to them, in the churches (Kera Spiliotissa), on the streets, everywhere. Agios Georgios church is built on an ancient platform, probably belonging to the Temple of Athena, which existed during the 1st pre-Christian century, if the description of Diodorus Siculus (V. 72.3) refers to this area.

Also, carved tombs within the boundaries of the settlement testify to residence since the ancient times. Actually, on one monolith there is a carved tomb and on the upper part of the rock a carved winepress, while on another monolith a carved bull’s head is saved.

Wine seems to have determined the fate of this settlement since except for the numerous winepresses there are reports of production of excellent malvazia wine during the Middle Ages.

“Kavalaris” (rider), a rock which towers above Agios Thomas hill, “rides” two smaller rocks. Around it there are carved remnants and, at its base, probably westward, a temple of Dionysus. A phenomenon which occurs at the beginning of November (at the feast of Ai Giorgis Methystis), during which when the sun rises it fills the opening of the two rocks on which Kavalaris rests by its rays, is impressive. Thus the onlooker who stands on the carved floor to the west, under the great monolith at sunrise, watches an impressive spectacle if there are no clouds eastward: the sun fills this opening. The Sun was decisive for the farmers and it was worshiped as a God in many regions of the planet.

Menexes Estate of Kypriotakis family is located 20 kilometers south of the city of Heraklion at a short distance from the Minoan settlement of Vathypetro, where the oldest winepress (3,600 years old) of Minoan Crete was discovered.

It is located in the O.P.A.P zone (Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality) in Archanes in an area of 2.000.000 sq.m, and it is one of the biggest estates in Crete.

Giannis Kypriotakis always had a passion for the production of wine. He knew that this could be feasible only if he created the right infrastructure for the production of a quality product. Having dealt with viticulture for many years, he managed to create within his estate approximately 100,000 sq.m. of vineyards of local grape varieties, such as Vilana, Vidiano, Kotsifali, Mantilari, Malvazia di Candia Aromatica and the international varieties Syrah and Merlot.