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Crete, accounting for 20% of Greek wine production, is a sleeping giant. While the wine industry elsewhere in Greece has undergone a high profile resurrection, Crete, to the untrained eye, would appear to have missed the boat.

While Crete has been slow to rise to the challenge of world-class production of bottled wine, there have been exceptions.

The 26 year-old Creta-Oympias winery, primarily a bulk wine producer, was acquired in 1997 by the Casfikis Group with the aim of upgrading to premium-level production. Improved vineyard practices and renovations of the plant to state-of-the-art standards have already brought the company prestige in urban markets.

Creta Olympias S.A. is now the most dynamic commercial enterprise in Crete engaged in the production, bottling and selling of bottled quality wines. A major investment program has resulted in the "transformation" of the company's winemaking equipment, its building installations & the surrounding area into a functional & nice looking unit.

Kotsifali is the underdog of Greek red cultivars. Outside of Crete it doesn't seem to garner much attention or respect. Indeed Kotsifali belongs to a more Mediterranean and perhaps more eclectic, class of grapes. Kotsifali, however, may well be Crete's secret weapon. It tends to bring high tannin content, lowering acidity and tempering alcoholic degree of the blends.

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