The scents of Crete - Manousakis Winery
The island of Crete lies at the southern edge of the Aegean Sea, and although it is a mountainous island, Crete is a major producer of olive oil, citrus fruits and garden vegetables. Over the millennia the Lefka Ori Mountains of Western Crete have absorbed the quiet life cycle for thousands of the island’s native flora. When you walk these mountains in the spring it takes you on a sensory adventure filled with the scents of rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, and chamomile. In the fall, they descend back to the soil and are absorbed and thus the quiet life cycle continues.
Manousakis Winery is a family owned winery founded in 1984 in the hills around the village of Vatolakkos. Since the Greek-American entrepreneur and founder Ted Manousakis is neither an oenologist nor a viticulturist, he carefully selected a team of expert consultants including Laurence Feraud, Pascal Marchand, Lucie Morton, Bruce Zoecklein and Yves Herody. They conducted numerous studies and came to the final decision to plant the Mediterranean varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Roussanne. These are the grapes they cultivate to this day as they feel that the environmental conditions and the terroir are ideal for these exquisite varieties.
From the outset Ted was convinced that organic farming was the only way to show respect for nature and the environment. Being sensitive to the balance of the ecosystem is vital to Manousakis’ philosophy and they are committed to the sustainable development of their vineyards through the use of rigorous earth-friendly practices. Their vineyard team works vine by vine, mostly by hand, in weed removal, leaf thinning, stem thinning, and harvesting. Each vine is treated with individual attention and care. Due to the wide variation of soil conditions, they practice customized farming for the many small plots that make up their vineyard.
Their philosophy at the Manousakis Winery is simple. They believe in carefully and organically cultivating their vines to absorb that scent-filled terroir so the flavors of the grapes combine with the herbs for an incomparable taste. Each bottle of Nostos Wines captures the character of that verdant island, and the slopes of the Lefka Ori.
Enjoy Manousakis’ Nostos line exclusively at Achinos!
