Cretan wine tasting tour

Operated by Blue Vans Crete

Crete has been making wine for more than four thousand years, and this relaxed half-day takes you into the rolling vineyards south of Heraklion to taste what makes the island's wine so distinctive. After pickup we drive up into the hills, where the warm climate and old terraced vineyards produce grapes found nowhere else in the world. At two welcoming family-run wineries you are guided through the estate and the cellars before settling in for the tastings themselves. You will sample indigenous varieties such as the crisp, aromatic white Vidiano, the deep red Liatiko that has been grown here since antiquity, and the food-friendly Kotsifali, often paired with local cheeses, rusks and olive oil so you can taste how the wines sit alongside Cretan cuisine. Along the way your guide explains the long history of viticulture on the island, the revival of native grapes by a new generation of winemakers, and the traditions that still shape the harvest each autumn. It is as much a cultural visit as a tasting, with plenty of time to chat with the people who make the wine. The pace is gentle and convivial, the settings are beautiful, and because your driver handles the winding country roads you are free to enjoy every glass. It is an ideal outing for wine lovers and for anyone curious about the flavours behind a Cretan table.

Highlights

• Two family wineries
• Guided tastings
• Local grape varieties
• Hotel pickup