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Crete in a glass — wild herbs, stone, and quiet beauty.

VidianoVidiano is the soul of modern Cretan white wine.

Once nearly forgotten, this indigenous variety has made a powerful comeback in the last two decades, winning over winemakers and sommeliers with its texture, complexity, and unmistakable sense of place.

Native to the hills of Rethymno, Vidiano is often called the “white diva” of Crete — not for flamboyance, but for its quiet depth.

In the glass, it reveals notes of apricot, wild herbs, stone fruit, and a subtle saline minerality, often supported by a creamy mid-palate and excellent aging potential.

🍷In The Glass

  • Medium-bodied dry white
  • Aromas: apricot, white peach, thyme, lime, flint
  • Palate: layered, slightly oily texture, bright acidity
  • Pairings: grilled vegetables, fish in lemon sauce, fava, Cretan cheeses, pork with herbs

🍇Origin & Terroir

  • Native to: Crete, especially Rethymno and Heraklion
  • Now spreading across the island’s high-altitude vineyards
  • Signature style: textural, mineral, complex and elegant

💡Did you know?

  • Vidiano was almost extinct by the 1980s — only a few old vines remained
  • It is now considered Crete’s flagship white grape, thanks to passionate local winemakers
  • It performs beautifully with sur lie aging and subtle oak

Achilleas says:
“Vidiano tastes like early morning in a Cretan vineyard — silent, golden, alive.”

🍇 Discover Greek Grape Varieties

📚 Wine Word Origins

🏺 Oinos → From Mycenaean Linear B
The ancient word for wine.

🌿 Symposion → From ‘σύν’ (together) + ‘πίνειν’ (to drink)
Not just a drinking party, but a ritualized gathering — the birthplace of philosophical dialogue over shared cups.

🍇 Ampelos → From ‘ἄμπελος’
The Greek word for vine — source of the term ampelography, the study of grape varieties.

🍷 Krater → From the Greek ‘κρατήρ’
A large vessel used to mix wine with water during symposia — the heart of ancient wine culture.

🍾 Retsina → From ‘ῥητίνη’ (retini)
Named after the pine resin once used to seal amphorae and later became part of the flavor — an ancient tradition still alive today.

🎁 Featured Wine-Themed Gifts

📖 “Did You Know?” Greek Wine Facts

Savvatiano is Greece’s most planted grape — and it thrives in the heat where other grapes fade.

Agiorgitiko is known as the “Blood of Hercules” in myth.

Assyrtiko is one of the few white grapes that can age gracefully for decades.

Xinomavro is often called the “Barolo of Greece” — bold, complex, and built to age.

Malagousia was nearly lost — until a winemaker’s instinct brought this aromatic gem back to life.

In Greek, “moscho” means fragrant, and it lives up to Moschofilero's name.

Vidiano is Crete’s rising white star — once nearly extinct, now hailed as Greece’s next great white grape.

Contact us

GW The Greek wine routes

  (+30) 694 70 93 331

   sales@gw-wineroutes.com

   www.gw-wineroutes.com

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