Drinking Crete with Theros Wines
I am continuously delighted by Cretan wine. Even before my first (and to date only) visit to the island, did I love the wine. Crete really exemplifies what I love about lesser explored wine countries. Granted it’s not a small island, but it is responsible for a rather large chunk of Greece’s native grapes, including Liatiko, aka Turkey’s Çal Karası. Aside from Liatiko though, the majority of the native grapes cultivated on Crete are rare and only recently re-emerging on the market.
Crete’s wineries are pouring so much heart and effort into bringing back these varieties through more sustainable agricultural practices and innovative winemaking, including new to me winery, Theros Wines Collectiva.
Theros Wines Collectiva
Theros Wines Collectiva, or Th{eros} is a relatively new winery on Crete, in Heraklion, founded only in 2020 by Constantinos Manouras. Like many Cretan wineries, Theros highlights the island’s native grapes, focusing on single vineyard wines for the purest expression of Crete’s rare grapes.
The winery emphasizes the relationship between the land and the grape. Knowing that understanding soil composition and microclimates enhance their ability to cultivate the grapes well, Theros is committed to sustainability. They use only environmentally friendly practices with no heavy chemicals or pesticides. This not only leads to higher quality grapes, but will maintain the ecosystem and soil health so it can be passed to the next generation. 
Theros acts as carefully in the winery as they do in the vineyards, relying on low intervention protocols. At the same time, they’re open to playing new winemaking approaches and exploring what new expressions Crete’s grapes can give. Many of the varieties they work with are still on the rarer side and have only been on the commercial market a short time, so their full potential is not yet understood.
Plytó
One of the island’s ancient grapes, Plytó once grew across central and eastern Crete, especially in Heraklion and Sitia. Its presence slowly diminished over the years, due to vineyard abandonment and the rise in popularity of high-yielding and international varieties. Plytó’s low yields difficult vineyard personality (highly sensitive to drought, excessive sunlight, and wind) also made it less attractive in the past to grape growers and wineries.
This decline brought Plytó very close to extinction. Today, plantings are largely concentrated in Heraklion. Despite its recent journey back to popularity, Plytó vineyards account for only about three to four hectares.
Wineries like Lyrarakis, Theros, and Michalakis that work with Plytó make it as varietal wines, white blends, sparkling, and distillates.
Theros Rare Blanc, 2024
Funnily, I found all three of these Theros wine on the same trip to Athens, but in different wine store, and not really remembering that I’d bought one or the other. I discovered the Theros Rare Blanc sparkling first at Wine Tunnel near Syntagma. I’m always drawn to bubbles and bubbles I haven’t had yet are just that much more attractive.
The Rare Blanc is a 100% Plytó sourced from a single vineyard of 35-year-old vines. The vineyard, on the western side of Heraklion, sits at 750 meters. Per the website’s notes, this was made with late-harvest grapes picked at night, and refrigerated for two weeks before being pressed using a basket press. Only free-run juice was used for fermentation. The wine spent eight months on the lees before disgorgement and being topped up only with still Plytó wine, i.e. zero dosage.
I was intrigued to see the crown cap on this since, I believe, it was made in the traditional method. Although the crown cap made sense after I opened it. The atmospheric pressure was on the low side. The bubbles didn’t so much dance in the silvery lemon liquid, but floated rather lackadaisically. However unenthusiastic they were to be there though, I think they were missing out. A lovely aroma of apple-quince danish floated from the glass, all fruity and yeasty.
I wonder as to where this landed on the brut scale, but my guess would be on the higher end. Pleasantly effervescent and “dry” but with some tell-tale notes of residual sugar. Which I wasn’t mad at, simply curious about. Have you ever seen those ridiculously realistic marzipan treats that look like all manner of fruits and other things? Imagine a perfectly realistic looking pear made out of marzipan, resting on a bed of elderflower blossoms and you have this wine.
Theros Plytó, 2024
At a different shop, I think Xartes in Exarcheia, I found another Plytó from Theros, but the still iteration. Again, single vineyard, old vines, pre-phylloxeran even apparently.
Side note, pre-phylloxeran is such a satisfying word. Kind of like antediluvian. Not words one uses frequently, but such fun to say.
Again we have a 100% Plytó wine, six months on the fine lees, no barrel aging. Suspiciously, the bottle indicates a 12.5% ABV whereas the website (same vintage) says 13.6%…not sure which one isn’t being updated. The wine surely didn’t feel like 13.6% though.
Dewey tangerine skin wrapped around quince and golden apples kissed with acacia blossoms floated from the glass, practically begging to be sipped. A citrussy acidity burst on the tongue like waves against a sea wall before moving through the mouth with a sea foam-like creaminess awash with salty golden apple flavors, leaving behind a memory of ethereal floral perfume.
Thrapsathiri
Not as rare as say Melissaki, Thrapsathiri is nonetheless still something of an emerging grape. One I personally fell in love with even before visiting Crete.
For years it lived for years in the shadow of more popular Vilana and Vidiano. However, like Dafni and Plytó, Thrapsathiri is gaining ground. Literally, as plantings increase across the island.
The grape is highly resistant to drought, therefore does very well in the warmest and driest areas of Crete and grows all over Crete (and to a lesser extent in the Cyclades and Dodecanese).
Theros Thrapsathiri, 2023
Single vineyard, 100% Thrapsathiri that spent +/- six months on the fine lees before bottling, the Theros Thrapsathiri showed off the flavors of the island.
One sip instantly transported me to the shores of Crete, walking pathways of crushed seas shells that meander through patched of Aegean herbs growing under trees heavy with ripe stone and tropical fruits.
Curious about Plytó, Thrapsathiri, and other Cretan grapes? Why not check out my book, The Quick and Dirty Guide to Greek Wine? Available in the US, UK, and (limitedly) Europe in paperback, and globally as an e-book!
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