Wine, food and conversation among the vineyards of Alagni
A winery feels different when its doors are open and visitors can move between the vineyard, the winery and the people working there. We experienced this at Lyrarakis Winery in Alagni, where an Open Doors day brought visitors together around Cretan wine, food, conversation and the surrounding landscape.
The atmosphere was relaxed. People moved between the different spaces, tasted wines, talked with the team and learned more about the grapes and traditions behind the bottles.
For anyone interested in wine, it was a chance to look beyond the tasting glass. Cretan winemaking is closely connected with the island's native grape varieties, and Lyrarakis has long focused on researching and reviving lesser-known local grapes. Among the indigenous varieties in its portfolio are Dafni, Plyto, Melissaki, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali and Liatiko. But an Open Doors day is not really about collecting information. It is about being there.
Walking among the vines, looking around the winery, tasting a wine you may not have tried before and talking with the people who make it gives the experience a more direct connection to the landscape behind the bottle.
For anyone interested in wine, it was a chance to look beyond the tasting glass. Cretan winemaking is closely connected with the island's native grape varieties, and Lyrarakis has long focused on researching and reviving lesser-known local grapes. Among the indigenous varieties in its portfolio are Dafni, Plyto, Melissaki, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali and Liatiko. But an Open Doors day is not really about collecting information. It is about being there.
Walking among the vines, looking around the winery, tasting a wine you may not have tried before and talking with the people who make it gives the experience a more direct connection to the landscape behind the bottle.
Lyrarakis was established in 1966 by brothers Manolis and Sotiris Lyrarakis and remains a family winery. Its home in Alagni is surrounded by vineyards and the wider landscape of central Crete.
We were there to experience one of these open days, spending time among the vineyards, the wines and the people who had come to enjoy them.
For a traveller who likes wine, local food and rural Crete, that may be the most appealing part of an Open Doors event. You do not simply taste a Cretan wine. You spend some time in the place where it begins.
We were there to experience one of these open days, spending time among the vineyards, the wines and the people who had come to enjoy them.
For a traveller who likes wine, local food and rural Crete, that may be the most appealing part of an Open Doors event. You do not simply taste a Cretan wine. You spend some time in the place where it begins.
Want to taste more of Crete? Discover selected winery visits, wine tastings and food & wine experiences available across the island.
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