Heraklion Wine
History
Heraklion Wine
Some of Crete’s most important vineyards are located in the wine lands of Heraklion; most of them carry the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label. There, the local varieties “join” emblematic international varieties, offering unique aromas, flavors and experiences to wine lovers when they visit the wineries of the region.
Thanks to the determination and skill of the region’s winemakers, many of the old domestic varieties have been revived, like the white wines Vilana, Dafni and Plyto, the red wines Kotsifali, Liatiko and Mandilaria, and others.
Special features
Wine was important to the inhabitants of Crete since the Minoan era, as well as during later periods (Geometric, Archaic, Hellenistic). During the Roman era, the sweet Cretan wine was considered a wine of exceptional quality and it was found everywhere in the Mediterranean basin. During the Venetian rule, Malvasia wine exceeded the limits of the Mediterranean and reached today’s England, as well as the eastern countries. In the antiquity the vineyards were located in the same regions as the current ones, as indicated mainly by carved remnants. A common element is the land, but also the climatic conditions which have not changed significantly until today. Therefore, it is easily concluded that all the right conditions for the production of the travelers’ “fine wine” existed and still exist.
The soil and climate of a land determine the quality of the grapes and, by extension, the quality of the wine. The vine thrives in temperate climates with enough hot days during the summer so that the grapes ripen, and cold days during the winter when the vines hibernate. The climate, and in fact the microclimate of the vineyard, combined with the vine varieties, also constitute important factors for the quality of the wine.
The French use the term “terroir” which means land or soil, but in the language of the wine it means the taste of a specific location, in other words “the taste of the place”. Basically, the terroir of a wine is the characteristic taste and aroma imparted by the soil.
The climatic conditions which prevail in a region have a decisive effect on both the growth of the vine as well as its quality. Rainfall, according to experts’ estimates, in California and Australia is 180-220 millimeters, whereas in Crete it is 500-600 millimeters. Therefore, in Crete, no more than one or two irrigations are needed in a year, in contrast to those areas where the irrigations may reach up to thirty. In addition, temperatures in California are 2-4 °C higher during the summer and 2-3 °C higher during the winter (average values) than those of Crete, resulting in the destruction of California’s production every 2-3 years.
The gently undulating earthen mounds which begin from the northern coast create a relief with rich fluctuations and several microclimates. The soil and especially the subsoil are composed of marls, marly limestones and, sometimes, pebbles in the newly formed area. The hills with a slight slope to the north kindly welcome the meltemi winds of the Cretan sea during the summer season, which cool the regions they pass through and, therefore, the vineyards, with their moisture. The clay with high active porosity retains moisture, therefore it provides the little water needed by the grapes during the critical period for their ripening in July – August.
The local varieties which thrive in the Cretan environment since thousands of years, plus some foreign varieties which have been planted in recent years and have perfectly adapted, are combined with the skill of the winemakers to offer a distinct identity (historical, local, qualitative) to the Cretan wines.
Wine making
The process of alcoholic fermentation was not clarified till the middle of the 19th century. Winemaking was an empirical process, subject to nature’s peculiarities, where people had only partial control. The situation changed in 1863, when Pasteur identified the microorganisms which affect the process of fermentation and aging following an order by Napoleon III (because the wine was spoiled before it was drunk).
The grapes are transported to the winery where they are placed in receptacles; they are weighed and they are taken to the destemmer. There the grapes are separated from the stalks. The stalks are removed and the grapes are taken to the winepress, where their skin is broken and their flesh and juice are released. The grape pulp is produced there and it is sent to the winemakers; these are tanks where alcoholic fermentation and extraction of pigments from the grapes’ skin take place.
Today we know that yeasts convert glucose into alcohol, and ethanol into acetic acid and carbon dioxide. Occasionally, at the same time or after the alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation also takes place, where lactic acid bacteria convert malic acid into lactic acid.
Wine yeasts play an important role in winemaking and they determine the aromatic and flavor characteristics of the wine to a great degree. The winemaker may allow the fermentation to take place with the yeasts of the grape must and skin, also called “wild yeasts”, or decide to use “cultivated” yeasts.
Since the ’70s and ’80s, fermentation at a lower temperature (14-15oC) has been used for white wines in temperature-controlled tanks. This process was known in ancient Greece where fermentation took place in clay jars buried in the earth (Plouti, Messara), a process which is still used in some Aegean islands (Ikaria, Limnos). In Gergeri, Heraklion, small barrels containing must were placed in spring water at a temperature of 14-15 °C, thus the fermentation took place at a constant temperature.
Aging - Bottling
Since the Middle Ages and till two centuries ago, wines were consumed young and they were stored in barrels which allowed the passage of air. Thus soon these wines were inadequate for drinking because they were converted into vinegar. Even though the Egyptians and the Romans had discovered the art of sealing amphorae which contained wine, this skill was lost when barrels began to be used during the 1st century A.D. At the end of the 17th century, glass bottles with cork stoppers were used.
Maturation and aging are processes which are not applied to all wines. White, rosé and light red wines usually are consumed early, without storage in a barrel, so that we can enjoy the freshness of the primary aromas and the flavor of the variety. On the other hand, aging of great white wines and most of the reds occurs.
During the wine’s storage in a barrel (usually oak), a series of complex reactions which constitute the oxidative aging occurs. A small quantity of oxygen passes through the barrel’s pores and reacts with the substances of the wine, causing the wine to change its character while, at the same time, certain substances of the barrel’s wood are transferred to the wine, improving its aromatic composition. With the aging, the wine becomes more intense, its body is enriched and it takes the taste of the wood. The aging of the wine, which is called reductive, continues in the bottle since the cork ensures the absence of oxygen. During this phase which may last from a few months to several years, the wine’s bouquet evolves.
The use of bottles since the end of the 17th century enabled the new wines of Bordeaux and Portugal, Champagne and Port wine to be considered vintage wines. New vine growing and winemaking techniques were discovered and, today, bottling is carried out on a production line.